Asian

The term Asian in a geographical sense simply refers to something or someone from Asia. However the term has evolved in popular usage to often mean a person from a specific part of Asia rather than the continent as a whole. Its precise use varies depending on who is using it, where it is being used, and in which context it is being used in.

Problems with the term

Assyrians, Arabs, Persians, Ottomans, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and many other ethnic and cultural groups are often grouped together in the single category of 'Asian' and this can cause considerable confusion. The term is sometimes used to denote people from Asia in general and other times used to refer to only a specific group of them (eg. East Asians). People have different conceptions of who an Asian is and thus the term is not a very precise or accurate one. Some believe that the idea that "Asians" form a coherent cultural group is outmoded and therefore the term should be replaced by the use of separate terms for each Asian cultural or geographical group.

Related Topics:
Assyria - Arabs - Persians

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