Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

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Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by GLCQuantum »

[Mod Edit] Split from Why do farang buy bars? thread
Why do farang buy bars?
New topic needs to be made here...

"Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?"

Bizarre. I find myself doing it too sometimes. :oops:
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by Lung Per »

GLCQuantum wrote:[Mod Edit] Split from Why do farang buy bars? thread
Why do farang buy bars?
New topic needs to be made here...

"Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?"

Bizarre. I find myself doing it too sometimes. :oops:
After a few drinks they can`t tell the difference between Germans, British, and Scandinavians. Easier to call them all farangs, just as the Thais do. Pronounced Falangs, that is.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by oakdale160 »

Its a use full word, that's why. Easier than saying Europeans, North Americans, Aussies, KIwis and SOuth Africans.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by Khundon1975 »

GLCQuantum

I have never referred to myself as Farang/Falang, only as British or English. Even on the odd occasion when I'm pissed :D Also, never heard any "white skinned" person refer to themselves as Farang/Falang.

What are you drinking? :wink:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by HHTel »

I've been here over 12 years and I've found it quite common for 'westerners' to refer to themselves as farang. The dictionary defines the word as a 'person of white race'. Nothing really wrong in calling yourself 'farang' although I more often than not call myself English to be more specific rather than generic.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by dtaai-maai »

I wouldn't normally refer to myself as a farang, but I do use it as a generic term to describe 'white foreigners', which isn't a term that trips off the tongue in English.
"Westerners" doesn't hack it, I'm afraid, as it doesn't include Russians and East Europeans.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by HHTel »

Strange that the Thais call someone from Africa as 'farang dam' (ฝรั่งดำ)
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by LaughTilIDie »

I had never heard the term before coming on here. It doesn't sound derogatory but, I guess the tone in which is would be used would determine that. It's all your guys fault I called myself and 'ol farang, oh excuse me, and 'ol falang! Sounds gay when you pronounce it like that LOL. :neener:
In the future I'll just refer to myself and an 'ol dumbass american.

And still no more useful posts that started this?
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by joelle »

actually I call myself farangset as I am one of them!!! (555)
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by margaretcarnes »

It's simply a term that Thais use so can identify with easily, so after a while you begin to identify with it yourself. I hadn't heard the term 'farang dam' before HHTel - but it makes sense for Thais to use it.
Yes it would probably make us feel better to call ourselves English, American or whatever, but the sad fact is that often means nothing to Thai people who - through no fault of their own - struggle to identify other countries. Much easier for them to lump us all together and for us to accept it.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by Pleng »

Well farrang is a pretty broad term, but usefully descriptive. These days it basically covers anybody who's not SE Asian; so all your 'old skewl' backpackers, holiday makers and expats.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by Takiap »

HHTel wrote:Strange that the Thais call someone from Africa as 'farang dam' (ฝรั่งดำ)

Now I know why Thais look so confused when I tell them I'm from South Africa. :laugh: :laugh:


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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by richard »

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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by poptherock »

Why not check with Wikipeda?

Etymology and related words:

It is generally believed that the word farang originated with the Persian word farang (فرنگ) or farangī (فرنگی), meaning "Frank, European". This in turn comes from the Old French word franc, meaning "Frank", a West Germanic tribe that became the biggest political power in Western Europe during the early Middle Ages, and from which France derives its name. Because the Frankish Empire ruled Western Europe for centuries, the word "Frank" became deeply associated with Latins who professed the Roman Catholic faith by Eastern Europeans and Middle Easterners. Frangistan (Persian: فرنگستان‎) was a term used by Muslims and Persians in particular, during the Middle Ages and later historical periods, to refer to Western or Latin Europe.

According to Rashid al-din Fazl Allâh, farang comes from the Arabic word afranj. In Ethiopia faranji means white/European people In either case the original word was pronounced paranki (പറങ്കി) in Malayalam, parangiar in Tamil, and entered Khmer as barang and Malay as ferenggi. From there the term spread into China as folangji (佛郎機), which was used to refer to the Portuguese and their breech-loading swivel guns when they first arrived in China.

Varangians
One possibility is that farang derives from the phonetically closer word, Varangian. Around the same time as the Frankish hegemony over most of Western Europe, the Varangians (Old Norse: Væringjar; Greek: Βάραγγοι, Βαριάγοι, Varangoi, Variagoi), were Viking warriors who established the Kingdom of Rus, as well as forming an elite unit of the Byzantine Army, roamed down and throughout the near east, interacting and trading with the Islamic world.
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Re: Why do Westerners Call Themselves Farang?

Post by caller »

poptherock wrote:Why not check with Wikipeda?
Because the origin of the word 'farang', isn't the issue here. This thread is about why farangs use this term as a generic description when discussing other farangs.

I think that's enough use of the word 'farang' in one post! :D
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