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Emulator Issues #13076

open

Consider using a different abbreviation for "Japanese" in default file paths

Added by puzzled_thomas about 2 years ago. Updated 9 months ago.

Status:
New
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
-
% Done:

0%

Operating system:
N/A
Issue type:
Bug
Milestone:
Regression:
No
Relates to usability:
No
Relates to performance:
No
Easy:
No
Relates to maintainability:
No
Regression start:
Fixed in:

Description

I did a bit of digging in the issue tracker and also checked for discussion on Discord, but didn't find anything, so I figured I should put this out there --

The word "Jap" is generally considered a slur for Japanese people. As a half-Japanese person, it hurts me a bit every time I see the word flash on my screen when a save is loaded, updated, etc.

It might be nice if a different abbreviation could be used in the Dolphin directory structure by default instead. "JP" and "JPN" are generally the gold standard.

Apologies if this has already been filed and rejected before, like I said I did do a quick check before reporting.

Thanks for all the work that you do,
--puzzled_thomas

Actions #1

Updated by AdmiralCurtiss about 2 years ago

I've wanted to do this for years but unfortunately it's a breaking change, because it would require everyone to rename their JP save files (or for Dolphin to do this) -- and then you can't downgrade to a version before the change anymore in case you need to. If you have an idea of how to accomplish this without breaking compatibility I'd be happy to do this though.

Actions #2

Updated by MayImilae about 2 years ago

This is absolutely something everyone wants. But doing it is complicated...

Actions #4

Updated by JMC4789 about 2 years ago

Last time this came up I'm pretty sure we came the conclusion that it's the official name.

Actions #5

Updated by JosJuice about 2 years ago

Just because it's official doesn't mean we should use it in Dolphin. For instance, you don't find us using "+ Control Pad" anywhere in Dolphin – and that's an official term we chose not to use even though it has no history of use as an ethnic slur.

For what it's worth, all Japanese GameCube and Wii games say JPN in their serials, so it's not like the JAP shortening is even more common than the JPN shortening officially.

Actions #6

Updated by JMC4789 about 2 years ago

Yes, but going out of our way to change it now would break things. There's a difference about clarity to users and whatnot on other things.

I think we all know that when the abbreviation was chosen, there was no negative connotation meant. I know it's a complicated issue and there have been terms changed for less, but here it doesn't seem to come up that often and I don't think I've ever dealt with a user actually offended by it, just people saying it was potentially offensive.

Edit: I should make sure to say "not including this issue report".

Actions #7

Updated by JosJuice about 2 years ago

Yes, but going out of our way to change it now would break things.

Yes, that's what makes this complicated. I'm in the same camp as AdmiralCurtiss: If it wasn't for it being a breaking change, I would have changed it already, but since it is a breaking change I don't know what the best way to go would be.

and I don't think I've ever dealt with a user actually offended by it, just people saying it was potentially offensive.

Well, we have one such user now, judging by this report.

Actions #8

Updated by JosJuice about 2 years ago

Suggestion: What if we make Dolphin detect the JPN folder by default but not create it by default? That way:

  1. If we want to change over to creating the JPN folder by default at some point in the future, we'll have a history of older builds that can read it. (We don't have to make a decision right now on whether we in fact will change this in the future.)
  2. If the poster of the issue wants to stop seeing the old folder name in the OSD right away, they can accomplish that by renaming the folder to JPN manually.
Actions #9

Updated by JMC4789 about 2 years ago

That seems... pretty reasonable actually.

Actions #10

Updated by DandelionSprout 9 months ago

I agree with JPN, though in the plausible event that JPN can't be used and a 3-latter code is required, I'd suggest JPA as an emergency alternative.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jap indicate it's been a problematic term for some decades now, but my current personal impression (being from Norway) is that all-caps JAP is somewhat less of a problem, though still a bit of a problem.

Actions #11

Updated by JosJuice 9 months ago

in the plausible event that JPN can't be used and a 3-latter code is required, I'd suggest JPA as an emergency alternative.

That doesn't help at all. The problem is that the folder name will change, not that there's something wrong with the name "JPN" in particular.

Anyway, it seems like nobody made a note in this issue report back when it happened, but my suggestion was in fact implemented: https://github.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin/commit/86d01c33997a313cc37213ffe183ddf9c0b513aa

Let's keep this issue open until we move over to using JPN by default in the future.

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