You...you...Yuon!

Cambodia news in English! Here you'll find all the breaking news from Cambodia translated into English for our international readership and expat community to read and comment on. The majority of our news stories are gathered from the local Khmer newspapers, but we also bring you newsworthy media from Cambodia before you read them anywhere else. Because of the huge population of the capital city, most articles are from Phnom Penh, but Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, and Kampot often make the headlines as well. We report on all arrests and deaths of foreigners in Cambodia, and the details often come from the Cambodian police or local Khmer journalists. As an ASEAN news outlet, we also publish regional news and events from our neighboring countries. We also share local Khmer news stories that you won't find in English anywhere else. If you're looking for a certain article, you may use our site's search feature to find it quickly.
User avatar
vladimir
The Pun-isher
Posts: 6077
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
Reputation: 185
Location: The Kremlin
Russia

You...you...Yuon!

Post by vladimir »

So: is it offensive?

I believe it is.

However, I do understand the history, and recently certain parties in Cambodia have unwittingly (disclaimer) appeared to have ...ahem...favoured our eastern neighbours in certain respects.

Over to you.
Last edited by vladimir on Wed Jun 04, 2014 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right? ;)
User avatar
Joon
Expatriate
Posts: 568
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 3:02 pm
Reputation: 3
Location: M'Penh.
Cambodia

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by Joon »

The word in itself is no more offensive than the word "chick" or "bitch".

It's the intention behind their usage that is offensive.
Disclaimer: I don't actually look like my avatar.
User avatar
Username Taken
Raven
Posts: 13896
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 6:53 pm
Reputation: 5962
Cambodia

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by Username Taken »

Joon wrote:The word in itself is no more offensive than the word "chick" or "bitch".

It's the intention behind their usage that is offensive.
Agree with that!

:evil:
User avatar
Joon
Expatriate
Posts: 568
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 3:02 pm
Reputation: 3
Location: M'Penh.
Cambodia

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by Joon »

And I didn't mean my post to sound so absolute. That's my opinion of course, but I think my opinion makes the most objective sense. :lol:
Disclaimer: I don't actually look like my avatar.
OrangeDragon
Site Admin
Posts: 4193
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 8:05 pm
Reputation: 17
United States of America

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by OrangeDragon »

Username Taken wrote:
Joon wrote:The word in itself is no more offensive than the word "chick" or "bitch".

It's the intention behind their usage that is offensive.
Agree with that!

:evil:
Same here, however I'll extend on that and also say that not ALL usage of the word is meant with said intent... and in the cases where it is, replacing it with the word Vietnamese would in no way alter that intent making Vietnamese the "offensive word".
User avatar
phuketrichard
Expatriate
Posts: 16790
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 5:17 pm
Reputation: 5733
Location: Atlantis
Aruba

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by phuketrichard »

CONTEXT
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
OrangeDragon
Site Admin
Posts: 4193
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 8:05 pm
Reputation: 17
United States of America

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by OrangeDragon »

phuketrichard wrote:CONTEXT
Absolutely. But when context is resulting from translation or both language and culture you have too much at play to be able to form an accurate interpretation.

Example: If someone hears me yelling "Fuck Yeah" and then translates it as just "Fuck" (in another language) and the viewer only knows I was yelling, my whole tone becomes different. Add to that any bias of the translator to the subject matter... and well... gets pretty nasty.

I think this is why a lot of Khmer get so frustrated at the western insistence that the word is wholesale unacceptable racism. It's been a part of their language and culture, used in SEVERAL contexts, for a very long time. For us to just decide it's derogatory racist language and demand they not use it, or judge them for using it based on translations and our assumptions of intent/tone/context, is somewhat absurd.
User avatar
vladimir
The Pun-isher
Posts: 6077
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
Reputation: 185
Location: The Kremlin
Russia

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by vladimir »

I don't know, I met a group of fairly wealthy guys for breakfast one day ( I would tell you their names, but then I'd have to kill you) and one guy was Vietnamese. This was about 10 years back. Anyway, he and I got talking and the usage of the word came up somehow, and he was very clear about telling me to NEVER use that word in front of Vietnamese.

It may not be offensive among Khmers, but I know for sure he didn't like it.
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right? ;)
User avatar
Joon
Expatriate
Posts: 568
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 3:02 pm
Reputation: 3
Location: M'Penh.
Cambodia

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by Joon »

I think that was just this one guy, Vlad, since most Vietnamese people seem not aware of the resentment of Cambodians. They are even led to believe that Cambodians love them out of gratitude.

Richard and OD made a good point and analogy already and I agree with them.

In addition, I would find it improper to use the word "yuon" in English. For instance, "is he a Yuon?"
Also, specifically using it in another language than Khmer with an expletive always derogatory with the intent to insult ("those damn Yuon").
Disclaimer: I don't actually look like my avatar.
OrangeDragon
Site Admin
Posts: 4193
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 8:05 pm
Reputation: 17
United States of America

Re: You...you...Yuon!

Post by OrangeDragon »

Correct. When mixed with English I fully agree.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ali baba, Amazon [Bot], armchairlawyer, barang_TK, Bing [Bot], Google [Bot], Jlucas, kgbagent, mango, orussey98, PSD-Kiwi, Stravaiger and 616 guests