Quote:
Originally Posted by GTJ
So, I'm curious. How do we feel about the word 外国人? In America, I only heard the word "foreigner" when referring to politics or immigration; we usually call people by their nationality.
Is calling anybody who isn't Japanese a "foreigner" ignorant? Has anyone noticed how the Japanese call people 外国人 even when they're in the 外国人's country? I also see the word tend to be psychologically lumped together with "English", so when someone mentions "外国人" I start to see nervous reactions, like, "oh shit I can't speak English".
What are your thoughts, o fellow dwellers of this strange, strange little island?
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The mistake non-Japanese make is to think 外国人 or 外人 means "foreigner". In Japanese context this isn't the case. 外国人 or 外人 means "non-Japanese". the 国 of 外国人 is Japan. Once this is understood, then the word(s) become easier to deal with.