Orientalism

Orientalism is the study of Near and Far Eastern societies and cultures by Westerners. It can also refer to the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists.

Meaning of the term

Like the term Orient itself Orientalism derives from a Latin word Oriens referring simply to the rising of the sun, to imply "the East" in the most general sense. Unless one is travelling on the Orient Express (from Paris to Istanbul), the "Orient" is a vague destination. Orient and Oriental have been used in English to refer to both Near and Far Eastern countries. Similar terms are the French-derived Levant and Anatolia, from the Greek anatole, two further locutions for the direction in which the sun rises.

Related Topics:
Orient - Latin - Orient Express - Paris - Istanbul - Oriental - Near - Far East - Levant - Anatolia

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When used with a racial meaning, oriental is usually a synonym for "Mongoloid East Asian", excluding Indians, Arabians and other more westerly peoples. This can cause some confusion about the historical scope of Oriental studies.

Related Topics:
Synonym - Mongoloid - East Asian

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