On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 16:14:09 GMT, "necoandjeff" <spam@schrepfer.com>
wrote:

>> And since Japanese generally think in terms of nihonjin and
>> gaikokujin
>
>Yes, and as everyone here probably already knows, gaikokujin or gaijin has
>nothing whatsoever to do with your citizenship or nationality. It simply
>means non-Japanese, or sometimes a little more specifically non-Asian,
>primarily white people, regardless of where you happen to be. The throngs of
>Japanese walking around Europe and the United States referring to everyone
>around them as "gaijin" should put to rest any notion that this word
>actually means "foreigner."

A few years ago I was standing in the 'Residents' queue (line) at
Singapore's Changi Airport. Three Japanese tourists joined the queue
behind me. Trying to be helpful I pointed out, with cheery
disposition, that gaijin should join the 'Visitors' queue, to which
I pointed.

One of their number got quite upset with me, and started muttering
darkly to himself. Then his companion, of clearly greater wit,
understood why I had phrased it thus, and explained to muttering
darkly. Then they all wised up, smiled and thanked me, and wandered
off to the correct queue.

-- 
Craig