Poll: Racism, abbreviation, & Life.

[For.I.Am.Mad]

I think the reason it is considered a slur is pretty much the same as why ****** is considered a slur, even though people will use it ironically (sometimes not) as a term of endearment for their friends.

The word was originally intended to be derogatory. It was a jingoistic slur that people used to dehumanise south Asian immigrants.

But yea, that's always seemed odd to me too.

For instance, if I call a Japanese fellow a 'Jap' people will assume I'm being racist. But if he called me a Brit, a limey, a tea sipper. Whatever, I'd be expected to either not raise an eyebrow or take it as a light hearted joke.

Double standards, whadya gunna do?

And here we are, right on time. It's like a fucking endless cycle.

 

[redisforever]

All of them are correct, even "Paki". Calling someone a "Pakistani" is something of a tautology as Pakistan means "Land of Pakis (or is it Pak?). However, it's considered the more polite term nowadays as Paki has acquired negative connotations, unlike Kazakh or Afghan.

Well, Afghan is actually the correct word for people from Afghanistan.

You are right, though, it's all because of the negative connotation. It literally means someone from Pakistan.

 

[Crenelate]

I would say Paki is only because I don't think I've ever heard the word used not as a racial slur. I have never heard anyone say Brit in a derogatory manner, and while Aussie may be us poking fun at Australians for living in a prison, we are totally jealous of the beaches. They call us poms anyway.

 

[catalyst8]

I think the reason it is considered a slur is pretty much the same as why ****** is considered a slur, even though people will use it ironically (sometimes not) as a term of endearment for their friends.

The word was originally intended to be derogatory. It was a jingoistic slur that people used to dehumanise south Asian immigrants.

But yea, that's always seemed odd to me too.

For instance, if I call a Japanese fellow a 'Jap' people will assume I'm being racist. But if he called me a Brit, a limey, a tea sipper. Whatever, I'd be expected to either not raise an eyebrow or take it as a light hearted joke.

Double standards, whadya gunna do?

And here we are, right on time. It's like a fucking endless cycle.

Could you explain that please, For? I'd have to agree with Abandon's point that it's a double standard:

The abbreviation Paki itself isn't inherently racist any more than Brit or American, it's the accuracy, context & intent with which it's used. The word Jew/Yehudah has been used even more insultingly, even to the point of slavery & genocide a number of times over 3,000 years. Ergo 'Jew' must be an infinitely more racist term, yet is legitimate & in common use. As for so-called reclaimed words, a reclaimed term is divisive because it creates a double standard; some people may use it & others are prohibited (think '******'), so it's racial inequality - racism.

They call us poms anyway.

Incorrectly by the way. Ironically enough 'P.O.M.E.' is an abbreviation of Prisoner Of Mother England, which is how the convicts were labelled on their voyage to Australia.

 

[Woodsey]

Paki is a racial slur because it's been consistently used as a racial slur. Brit and Aussie haven't.

I don't see why that's complicated.

 

[catalyst8]

Paki is a racial slur because it's been consistently used as a racial slur. Brit and Aussie haven't.

I don't see why that's complicated.

I suggest you read my comment immediately previous to yours.

 

[direkiller]

Then again I have seen some Americans get offended at the whole "Yank" things. I don't know if it's a British thing or what have you but it's a general term for American over here.

Yank=Yankie refers to north east of the US(Civil war Mason/Dixon line basically)
I suppose it is more like that England/Britain/UK are the same thing in the US

Southerners tend to take offence more. Most people don't care. I doubt it ever amounts to more then a scornful look.

(if you let me indulge my history geek for a moment)
its rather funny as the whole Yankee doodle dandy tune was originally a British tune saying everyone in the states is a flamboyant homosexual, but in true american fashion it sounded cool so we took it blissfully humming an insult.

 

[Woodsey]

Paki is a racial slur because it's been consistently used as a racial slur. Brit and Aussie haven't.

I don't see why that's complicated.

I suggest you read my comment immediately previous to yours.

Done.

Still don't get the issue. At this moment in time, Paki is used as a slur against anyone who looks evenly vaguely Arabic. It may be that in time it loses it's potency and becomes an accepted term.

Brit is an abbreviation, Paki is an abbreviation used to group several vastly different nationalities together because they've kind of got the same skin colour.

And Jap is seen as offensive because it was used during WW2 to dehumanise the Japanese soldiers. Like 'gook' was used in the Vietnam War.

Brit may have been a racial slur in the past (I have no idea) but it doesn't carry that connotation for the majority now, so it's irrelevant.

 

[Whispering Cynic]

These can't be racist since they are used to describe affiliation to a country, not a race.

Also, you have to remember that no matter what you say, no matter in what context you say it, there will always be some shit-smeared imbecile somewhere who will declare it to be "racist". Don't see a reason to care if someone gets "offended" (by WORDS no less), since nothing happens. And if something does happen, it's always something easily fixed by serving a tall glass of shut the fuck up.

 

[Fishyash]

As a word, the negative connotations come from an ignorance nowdays, rather than it becoming a racist term itself.

Brit and Aussie, if you call someone a Brit or an Aussie, it's probably because they're British or Australian. It's rare that you get something like that wrong. They are very distinctive countries in terms of how they sound.

Paki is different in that it reffers to everyone in south(east?) Asia, OR even worse, people with a complexion even similar to that. Yes, that DOES happen. It happened to me once. I got called a Paki in my childhood, even though I am of mixed (British/Jamaican) descent.

As a whole, 'Paki' is used in a negative context more than 'Brit' and 'Aussie' are.

 

[catalyst8]

[...]Brit and Aussie, if you call someone a Brit or an Aussie, it's probably because they're British or Australian. It's rare that you get something like that wrong. They are very distinctive countries in terms of how they sound.

I know some Kiwis who take great exception to being called Australian, & it happens all the time.

Paki is different in that it reffers to everyone in south(east?) Asia, OR even worse, people with a complexion even similar to that. Yes, that DOES happen. It happened to me once. I got called a Paki in my childhood, even though I am of mixed (British/Jamaican) descent.

As a whole, 'Paki' is used in a negative context more than 'Brit' and 'Aussie' are.

South-east Asia includes Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, etc. To suggest they have a similar complexion to Pakistanis is unrealistic. 'Paki' might be used sometimes with the intention to offend, but as I already pointed out

The word Jew/Yehudah has been used even more insultingly, even to the point of slavery & genocide a number of times over 3,000 years. Ergo 'Jew' must be an infinitely more racist term, yet is legitimate & in common use.

Would you like to expand on that, or just leave a rather pointless and obscure little one liner there?

I've already asked him to, but have yet to receive a reply.

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

Paki is generally used as a slur word.

Some people use it in the same way as "Brit", "Aussie" or "Yank".

Then again I have seen some Americans get offended at the whole "Yank" things. I don't know if it's a British thing or what have you but it's a general term for American over here.

Yep I hate it when UK or Australians call us Yanks. It is offensive over here and you sound like some confederate loving southerner when you use the term.

Really? It doesn't bother me at all. I mean, yeah, that's what the Confederates called the North, but the Civil War was so long ago, and obviously the British were obviously not involved in it, so I know that's not what they're trying to reference at all.

Maybe it's a regional thing, since I live in Southern California, so the war and confederates and whatnot are basically never thought about. Where are you from?

I don't want to give my info over the internet, so I'll just say I'm above the Mason Dixie line

 

[Edible Avatar]

how does Paki become equivalent to "Dirty fucking stinking Brit"? Its just an abbreviation for Pakistan.

The person being insulted is French (not a Brit) and the intent is to insult/offend via applying negative connotations to the word.

Why are you insulted by being called yank, you are one - right?

Its just an abbreviation though, why be offended by that?

As for the term Yank, whenever I see Europeans use the word, they might as well be saying asshole/prick/moron/ect. Also like I said, it has an association with the American civil war, where the confederates called people from the North "Yanks", and there are still people who live below the Mason Dixie line that call Northerners "Yanks" in a pejorative way.

Yank is short for Yankee, and it IS offensive depending on the use. In the american southeast, a yankee is a arrogant, quick-to-anger, and demanding person. In the UK or Australia, its used more as a playful or quick reference to Americans, with little or no negative connotation.

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

how does Paki become equivalent to "Dirty fucking stinking Brit"? Its just an abbreviation for Pakistan.

The person being insulted is French (not a Brit) and the intent is to insult/offend via applying negative connotations to the word.

Why are you insulted by being called yank, you are one - right?

Its just an abbreviation though, why be offended by that?

As for the term Yank, whenever I see Europeans use the word, they might as well be saying asshole/prick/moron/ect. Also like I said, it has an association with the American civil war, where the confederates called people from the North "Yanks", and there are still people who live below the Mason Dixie line that call Northerners "Yanks" in a pejorative way.

Yank is short for Yankee, and it IS offensive depending on the use. In the american southeast, a yankee is a arrogant, quick-to-anger, and demanding person. In the UK or Australia, its used more as a playful or quick reference to Americans, with little or no negative connotation.

As an American it still sounds offensive. If a Pakistani-English person thought that Paki was an insult when they heard a English person say it, its fair to assume that they would be insulted when an American says it.

 

[Palademon]

My Pakistani friend informed me that saying Paki is ok with them since Pakistan means land of the pure so technically you're calling them a pure...