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H-ASIA April 19, 2007 On the usage "laowai" (two further comment) ************************************************************************ 1. From: Dimon Liu <DimonLiu@aol.com> Laowai is often used not in derogatory terms. "Lao" is used for old friends, as in Lao Wang, or Lao Chen. Laowai can even be endearing on some occasions, when it is used in teasing term reserved for friends. Dimon Liu University of Hong Kong ******************************** 2. Ling Shiao <lingshiao@yahoo.com> Dear Colleagues, Like Professor Hari Venkatesan, I believe that "laowai" has wider applicability than a reference to Caucasians. In noun form, it is almost always reserved for Caucasians. But as an adverb in "ni zhen lao wai," it means "wai hang." It is interesting that few of the contributors have paid attention to the first character of the compound, "lao." In fact, "lao" is often as unflattering as whatever the next character is in its various compounds. Yes, there are indeed other "lao-" compounds, testify to the versatility of the word "lao"--"lao tu" (a country bumpkin or acting like one), "lao fei" ("fei" as African as I've heard on some Beijing campuses), "lao fang" (used among Chinese students pursuing an academic degree in the U.S. in reference to Chinese visiting scholars who would have to pack their bags in a year or two) and even "lao zhong" (zhong as zhongguo ren)! The last one is also used amongst Chinese students in the States to distinguish the Chinese and non-Chinese, as in "ta shi ge laozhong, bu shi laowai."). Maybe my fellow laozhong can add more to this list. Ling Shiao Southern Methodist University ************************************************************************* To post to H-ASIA simply send your message to: <H-ASIA@h-net.msu.edu> For holidays or short absences send post to: <listserv@h-net.msu.edu> with message: SET H-ASIA NOMAIL Upon return, send post with message SET H-ASIA MAIL H-ASIA WEB HOMEPAGE URL: http://h-net.msu.edu/~asia/
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