Where do words go?

[forsyth]

When did "Oriental" become "Asian"? Oriental wasn't derogatory or anything, either. But it seems to have basically gone away.

Anybody know why?

Comments

[leticia.livejournal.com]

Oriental basically means 'eastern'. Of the Orient.
It is a relative term.
Something which is eastern is, by definition, east of something which is the fixed point of reference.
What with the whole 'globe' thing, it's a meaningless term, particularly in the US where it might be faster to go /west/. :p