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Glite Dictionary
Mongolian race

Mongolian race

9.9
An old, wrong idea that grouped East and Southeast Asian people and is now seen as insulting
  • noun
  • Slur
translation icon : [término ofensivo y arcaico para una supuesta clasificación racial de Asia]
  • The concept of the Mongolian race is now recognized as scientifically invalid and offensive.

Examples

  • The term Mongolian race was used in 19th-century anthropology to classify people of East Asian origin.

  • Older texts may refer to East Asian peoples as belonging to the Mongolian race.

  • The term Mongolian race is considered outdated.

  • Many scholars reject the concept of the Mongolian race.

  • Older texts may refer to East Asian peoples as belonging to the Mongolian race.

  • The concept of the Mongolian race is now recognized as scientifically invalid and offensive.

  • The term Mongolian race was used in 19th-century anthropology to classify people of East Asian origin.

Surface Forms

Mongolian race singular
Mongolian races plural

Morphology

Mongolian + race

The phrase is compositionally built from 'Mongolian' (relating to Mongolia or its people) and 'race' (a category of people), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer it denotes a group/category of Mongolian people. The specialist historical nuance that this is an outdated and offensive anthropological classification is not derivable from the parts but does not block basic, literal comprehension of the referential meaning.

Etymology

Mongolian race was a 19th-century label where scientists named many East Asian peoples after the Mongolian example because they thought these groups had similar physical features. Today the term is seen as 'inaccurate' and 'offensive', so it is no longer used.