Print
The phrase “long time no see” is now considered racist at Colorado State University (CSU). For example, CSU administrators labeled “long time no see” as “non-inclusive language.”
Apparently, non-inclusive is a euphemism for racism at CSU. In particular, CSU administrators view “long time no see” as derogatory to Asians.
Long time no see is “non-inclusive” because it eliminates the identifying noun, Zahra Al-Saloom tells The Rocky Mountain Collegian. To clarify, Al-Saloom is the director of Diversity and Inclusion of Associated Students of Colorado State University.
“Long Time No See” Is Non-Inclusive
Moreover, Al-Saloom did not say how “long time, no see,” denigrates Asians. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is CSU’s campus newspaper.
“Long time no see” is an old American slang term which is probably a shortening of “Good Morning, no see you,” NPR claims. Notably, “long time no see” first appears in a book called Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West.
Nevertheless, that book has nothing to do with Asians or Asian Americans. In addition, a Native American reportedly says “long time no see” in Tales of the Sierras. Significantly, both books contained the phrase in the year 1900.
Is The Chinese Phrase “Long Time No See” Racist?
Incredibly, CSU administrators are labeling a Chinese phrase as anti-Asian racism.
To illustrate, the Mandarin phrase “hǎojǐu bújiàn” translates into “long time no see” in English. Linguists believe sailors brought the phrase to the U.S. and England during the 19th Century.
On the other hand, some linguists believe “long time no see” is an old Native American phrase. Hence, we see the use of the phrase in books about the American West.
However, “long time no see” first appears in popular fiction in the 1940s. Particularly, the British-American mystery writer Raymond Chandler uses “long time no see” in several of his hard-boiled detective stories.
Politically correct administrators could consider “long time, no see” Pidgin English. In detail, Pidgin English is the broken English that people would use to mock Asian characters in old movies. For instance, characters that speak Pidgin English often fail to use proper nouns.
“You Guys” Is Sexist And “Long Time, No See” Is Racist At Colorado State University
Remarkably, “long time no see” is one of many seemingly harmless everyday expressions that CSU has branded as “non-inclusive.”
Additionally, the university regards “you guys” as a sexist phrase, Rocky Mountain Collegian columnist Katrina Leibee claims. Administrators want students to use “y’all” instead of “you guys.”
“As a woman, I feel excluded when the term ‘you guys’ is used,” Lauren Rogers says. Rogers is the Director of Residential Development for the Residence Hall Association at CSU.
Campus Administrators Battle Non-Inclusive Speech Like “Long Time No See”
To combat discrimination, CSU administrators are promoting the use of inclusive language at the university. For example, Al-Saloom has a long list of words and phrases that are non-inclusive.
“CSU abides by the principles of community, and we want to make it an inclusive space,” Al-Saloom claims.
Still, administrators are not yet punishing students and faculty for using non-inclusive speech. Instead, they are only “recommending” the use of non-inclusive speech at the moment.
