Of toponyms, demonyms, and etymology

Flo Adriano asked a very interesting question about the term "Asia". Specifically, she asks in her comment to "I got you thinking about the reason for the groupings...hahaha!":

why is the continent of Asia, called "ASIA"? what's the history behind it's name?
why is the continent of asia named as "ASIA"? who gave the name?

The term "Asia" may be traced to Ancient Greece when the Greek historian Herodotus first used it in reference to Anatolia and/or the Persian Empire in his account of the Persian Wars. The etymological roots of the word, however, might also be found in the Akkadian language.

Clicking here will bring you to the relevant information on Wikipedia.

More interesting is the common usage of "Asian". Colloquially, it is used to refer to people from a sub-region of Asia. In other words, people don't use it to refer to a person who comes from the Asian continent. Rather, it is used in reference to a person or persons from a culturally distinct sub-region of the Asian continent. In the United States the term is commonly associated with East Asians, while the British associate it with South Asians. Over time, it has also grown in scope to include Southeast Asians.

This reinforces the premise that the Asian continent can be separated into two distinct cultural realms. One part is obviously asian and the other is not.

Everyone is encouraged to do more research on this topic so we can add more information and sources. Read more!

I got you thinking about the reason for the groupings ... hahaha!

Mission accomplished!

To be honest, i wanted you to think about the reason for the class groupings. Yes! It has something to do with the population density. Yes! It has something to do with the rainfall and weather/climate (in general). And by implication, YES! That's what's so unique about the portion of the Asian continent that we are going to study this semester.

In a previous post i mentioned that Asia is usually divided into five realms that follow their general locational groupings on a map. In addition, we can also divide asia into two broad cultural realms: one that is distinctly asian in culture and character; another realm which is not. Simple!

Since this is an Asian studies course we will obviously explore the asian realm of the Asian continent. The four groupings coincide with what we may refer to as Monsoon Asia that includes the following realms: East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. But then, why only the civilizations of India, China, Japan, Korea and those that emerged in Southeast Asia? Not only did these civilizations achieve so much and accomplish so much over such a long period, we have to understand also that for thousands of years they had plenty of what westerners longed for. Ever wonder why westerners colonized so many areas in Asia?

You might also be wondering how this (some say sharp) cultural distinction emerged in one continent. Europe for instance, while composed of several nations (we all know the difference between nation and country, i hope), has what might be considered a wholeness in its history. For instance, one cannot study the history of France without touching upon the histories of other european nations. Inevitably the historical links will lead you to look at Europe with broader historical eyes.

The same historical connections and relationships can also be found in the Asian realm (but not throughout the Asian continent). Thus, we study Monsoon Asia not only as an area comprised of different nations but also as a larger unit of study with inter-related histories. Or at least we will try to for one semester (hoping that your teacher's laziness will not worsen ... is that a smile?)

What makes Monsoon Asia so distinct not only from the rest of the Asian continent but from the rest of the world? In "Where in the World is Asia?" i showed you two maps: population density and rainfall. The maps partly explain how the uniquely asian character of Monsoon Asia evolved.

3.73 billion people live in this part of the world! That's 3/5 of the world's population. Put together plenty of people in such a small space and for sure they will evolve their own ways of dealing with social pressure. But why didn't these people disperse all over the continent? Well, you might be surprised to know that Monsoon Asia is the most agriculturally productive region in the world. It has been this way for a long time and continues to be productive to this day. But the biggest problem in this part of the world is that the population is so huge and growing at such a fast rate that agricultural production really cant keep up with the demand - wonder why there are many who go hungry in asia?

Thus, we have two important features of Monsoon Asia: population density and agriculture. The former feeds off the productivity of the latter. The latter is productive not only because of the fertile soil but also because of the more than adequate rainfall. Everyone knows that water is important in agriculture.

What we have to realize is that because of population density and the requirements of an agriculture-based society, Asians have their own way of viewing and dealing with the world. And while there are differences that exist among the many Asian nations, the impact of population density and the agrarian base is common across all of Monsoon Asia. From here it is not difficult to see that Asians share common cultural patterns that are often fundamentally different from what you will find in the west.
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What others are saying? - "Alien nation"

This is an interesting look into an often unexplored facet of Philippine society (and culture?) . So many Filipinos want to leave and yet there are so many others who find the Philippines so attractive a destination. Some even forget about leaving. This "Alien Nation" i-report series by PCIJ promises to be interesting and provocative. More importantly, related to some class learning goals formulated by the N4C India group (just scroll to the bottom of the post to find out).

"Tisoy Kasi!" is a broad and informed look by Dr. Michael Tan at the hybrid Filipino culture and our syncretic religious practices.

This PCIJ series is a good starting point for asian studies. In part because it is a view from inside looking in, but mostly because it promises to bring us within ourselves as Asians and not as what westerners would want us to see ourselves. As we begin our discussions of the major civilizations, hopefully, you will realize one common thread in Asian culture - more often Asians have chosen to adopt from other cultures and practices what works instead of trying to subdue other cultures and impose our own on them.

Of note is the syncretic nature of religious practice in a lot of Asian civilizations notably hinduism in India. (ooops! India Group this is your area ... research?) or even the curious mixed practice of Taoism and Confucianism in China. Even Japan has its own syncretic fusion of religious practice.
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