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The "Orient" is a term traditionally used in Western culture to refer to the Middle East, and Egypt resp. the whole Arabian influenced North Africa. Today also the eastern and southeastern Asia is sometimes called "Orient", except Russia, i.e. North Asia.

Contents 1 Derivation 2 Usage of term 3 Perceptions and connotations 3.1 American English 3.2 British English 4 See also 5 Notes 5.1 References and further reading

The term "Orient" is derived from the Latin word oriens meaning "east" (lit. "rising" < orior "rise"). The use of the word for "rising" to refer to the east (where the sun rises) has analogs from many languages: compare the terms "Levant" (< French levant "rising"), "Anatolia" (< Greek anatole), and "The Land of the Rising Sun" to refer to Japan.

The opposite term "Occident" is derived from the Latin word occidens meaning "west" (lit. "setting" < "occido" "fall/set"). This term was once used to describe the West (where the sun sets) but is falling into disuse.

Traditionally, the "Orient" referred primarily to the cultures and countries of what are now considered the Middle East. This particularly included regions that used to be known as Persia, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and Egypt. As awareness of the countries of Eastern Asia grew in Western European and American consciousness in the late 19th century, the term came to refer to China, Japan, Korea, and surrounding nations; remnants of the older conception of the Orient still exist in the English language in such collocations as Oriental rug and Oriental harem. It has taken on a specific, though controversial usage since the publication of Edward Said's influential book, "Orientalism" (1980).

"Oriental" has been used by the West as a term to describe cultures, countries, peoples and goods from the Orient. Oriental is also used as an adjective akin to "eastern", especially in the Spanish-speaking world. For example, the Philippine island Mindoro is divided into two provinces whose titles include the words "oriental" and "occidental" respectively. The official name of Uruguay is the República Oriental del Uruguay or Oriental Republic of Uruguay because it is east of the Río de la Plata^[1].

There is some controversy regarding the connotations and implications of the term in American English. (See also American and British English differences.) According to Abdurrahman R. Squires, "politically correct terms have taken the place of the word 'Orientalism'". ^[2]

While a number of reference works used in the United States describe Oriental as pejorative, antiquated or offensive in some instances, the American Heritage Book of English Usage notes that

It is worth remembering, though, that Oriental is not an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations. It is most objectionable in contemporary contexts and when used as a noun, as in "the appointment of an Oriental to head the commission". In these cases Asian (or a more specific term such as Vietnamese, Korean, or Asian American, if appropriate) is the only acceptable term. But in certain historical contexts, or when its exotic connotations are integral to the topic, Oriental remains a useful term.^[3]

Random House's Guide to Sensitive Language states "Other words (e.g., Oriental, colored) are outdated or inaccurate." This Guide to Sensitive Language suggests the use of "Asian or more specific designation such as Pacific Islander, Chinese American, [or] Korean." ^[4] Merriam-Webster describes the term as "sometimes offensive,"^[5] Encarta states when the term is used as a noun it is considered " a highly offensive term for somebody from East Asia" ^[6]

In British English the term "oriental" is an acceptable adjective without any pejorative connotations to describe one of East Asian extraction [3]. The terms "Asian" (noun or adjective) and "British Asian" (noun), when used in reference to people, refer to people of South Asian ethnicity.

• Turkic peoples
• Orientalism
• Orientalizing Period of Archaic Greek art
• Asian
• Eastern world
• Western world
• Orient Express
• Political correctness
• School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London

• The American Oriental Society
• The Oriental Instititute at University of Chicago
• On Asian and Oriental Model Minority posting by Alan Hu
• Banned Words For comparative analysis: a list "banned" words (including Oriental) as documented by Diane Ravitch.
• German Orient Gate