Why are all white people considered "caucasian?" Shouldn't "Caucasian" mean people from a very specific geographic location known as the Caucusus?
The Caucasus or Caucasia is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia, situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
Why are all white people called "Caucasians?" I don't even need to do any research to confidently say that the majority of white people on the planet have no affiliation or heritage links with that place whatsoever.
Granted there is an alternate definition for the word "caucus" which is a political word originating in the United states in the 1700s by white men in political gathering discussion groups, so perhaps that's how it got started. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucus
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CaucasusOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
“Caucasian” came from 19th century race “science”, along with “mongoloid” and “negroid.” You’re better better off not using it and not taking it seriously when someone else does.
Got me. Why was orient and oriental used regularly but almost know one knows occident and occidental?
Probably intentional.
Cuz at the time the terms came into use, there was "here" and "east". Nothing was "west" but ocean.
Because language is irrational.
The short answer is that race is a made up bullshit parameter with no basis in science (or reality). You are correct that it dosen't make any sense. Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian people are all ethnically Caucasian which is distinct from the racial term. Personally i see it as basically a politcal softening of "Aryan", with most of the same issues. It's a whole can of worms haha.