User:Deadmaster/Chinese

Guideline for Overseas Chinese Naming Convention

There seems to be a lot of confusing about how an Overseas Chinese in a foreign country should be called. Here's my proposal: call all Overseas Chinese that live in a foreign country this name: "Ethnic Chinese in Country X". Although some comment it's suboptimal, it will remove the disambuigation, at least it is clear and people that fill in the term "Chinese Korea" or "Korean Chinese" will arrive at a page where they can choose what they meant. Ethnic Chinese in Korea or Ethnic Koreans in China. Example: Chinese Korean or Korean Chinese

Grammar-perspective

In English language words are composed in this order: adjective + noun. So: you have a happy Chinese. 1) What if you have one nationality and are born in Korea? Then you are a Korean (or any other nationality).

2) What if you are born in Korea and your ethnicity is Chinese? Then you are firstly Korean, you live in Korea! But you are also partly Chinese, although you never had the Chinese nationality. So adjective + noun. You would be a Chinese Korean.

3) Why not the other way around and be a Korean Chinese? Grammaticly speaking, you would be an ethnic Chinese of Korean descent.

"Point of View"-perspective and usage.

Okay, so now you know about the grammar, let's move on to the subjective side. You ask: what about the British Chinese? Wouldn't that mean they're Chinese citizens with British roots? Not necessarily. Belonging to which nationality you belong is partly subjective. If you are brought up with the Chinese language in Britain and also inhereted partly the Chinese culture, you are "Chinese". You may feel firstly Chinese and secondly British. That's why you could call yourself a "British Chinese". Or else: they've always been called "British Chinese" because of the normal use of those words.

Wait a minute... What about the other people? The Han Chinese? The Chinese American? Well, either they have followed the "grammar"-rule, or the "point-of-view"-perspective. I don't think nobody knows.

General conclusion

Some call themselves Chinese Malaysians, other Malaysains Chinese. Although they are both ethnic Chinese living in Malaysia! It could be that their knowledge of grammar is excellent, or it could be subjective and they rather call themselves the way they like. Either way, they are influenced by 2 cultures: the Chinese and Malaysian culture, so at least you would know that. Isn't the multicultural world a beautiful one? So, let's stop discussing names and spent time improving those articles. It's rather useless in my opinion.

Example of 4 different outcomes

You decide what you think what's good...

1) Chinese Malaysian: Ethnic Chinese in Malaysia (grammar perspective)

2) Chinese Malaysian: Ethnic Malaysian in China (wrong grammar, but based on "nationality feeling")

3) Malaysian Chinese : Ethnic Chinese in Malaysia (wrong grammar, but based on "nationality feeling")

4) Malaysian Chinese : Ethnic Malaysian in China