Is this a racist term?
Discussion
Firstly, let me say that I mean no offence to anybody by making this post. We've just had a discussion in the office that has caused a lot of debate and I thought I'd throw it open to the PH fraternity to see what the opinion here is.
Is "Paki" an offensive word?
Some have argued that it is just the same as Yank/Brit/Ozzie/Kiwi etc. It has been suggested that because it is merely the first 4 letters of Pakistan it is exactly the same calling somebody from Scotland a Scot.
A guy argued that because it's usually used in an offensive context the word itself has an offensive meaning.
Discuss!
Is "Paki" an offensive word?
Some have argued that it is just the same as Yank/Brit/Ozzie/Kiwi etc. It has been suggested that because it is merely the first 4 letters of Pakistan it is exactly the same calling somebody from Scotland a Scot.
A guy argued that because it's usually used in an offensive context the word itself has an offensive meaning.
Discuss!
I had this exact conversation using the same examples as you with a Pakistani colleague.
We surmised that it wasn't the word, but the context in which it had become synonimous, <sp?>, with.
I am disgusted with some people when they use it though as it's used a lot through ignorance. One local f*ckwitt uses the term to describe a family of Indian Sikh's who live locally. I don't believe there's any malice intended, but they can't/won't see the difference and that grinds my gears somewhat.
We surmised that it wasn't the word, but the context in which it had become synonimous, <sp?>, with.
I am disgusted with some people when they use it though as it's used a lot through ignorance. One local f*ckwitt uses the term to describe a family of Indian Sikh's who live locally. I don't believe there's any malice intended, but they can't/won't see the difference and that grinds my gears somewhat.
Edited by Big Rod on Wednesday 24th September 10:55
I'd not use it with any of my Indian/Pakistani mates, unless it was tongue in cheek. So based on that, I'd say yes.
Though I would qualify that by saying ignorant f
kheads have turned it from an ok word into a racial slur.
Imagine if a load of people very publicly started using the word "keyboard" (my imagination's not up to much today) regularly as an insult towards a particular racial group, along with spraying fk off keyboard bds on their homes, violent attacks shouting "get you and your fking keyboard kids out of this country", etc. The word would end up associated with these morons and violent racist acts, and suddenly you might not want to say it round those people because of the negative connotations.
Though I would qualify that by saying ignorant f
kheads have turned it from an ok word into a racial slur.Imagine if a load of people very publicly started using the word "keyboard" (my imagination's not up to much today) regularly as an insult towards a particular racial group, along with spraying f
k off keyboard bds on their homes, violent attacks shouting "get you and your fking keyboard kids out of this country", etc. The word would end up associated with these morons and violent racist acts, and suddenly you might not want to say it round those people because of the negative connotations.I don't deem it offensive. They are Pakistani. It's a natural abbreviation.
But the fact that some people use it to offend and some people find it offensive makes it a 'racist' term.
A few 'Pakistani' lads I knows openly call each other Pakis in jest. Maybe it is how it is used or directed.
You could have the same coversation about 'Nig*er'. Some black people are happy to refer to or amongst themselves as 'nig*ers', yet take great offence when others do.
But the fact that some people use it to offend and some people find it offensive makes it a 'racist' term.
A few 'Pakistani' lads I knows openly call each other Pakis in jest. Maybe it is how it is used or directed.
You could have the same coversation about 'Nig*er'. Some black people are happy to refer to or amongst themselves as 'nig*ers', yet take great offence when others do.
jamoor said:
Well why don't you go and call a Nigerian person "Niger", after all that is the first 5 letters of the country "Nigeria"
And would be coincidentally another African nation. Thus it would be like calling an Englishman a 'Scotland'You do realise that 'niger' would never be pronounced 'nigger' don't you?
I would say it probably is mainly due to the way in which it has been used in the past. In Pakistan and India I have heard people from Pakistan being referred to as 'Pak's' and that doesnt seem to be offensive.
The word itself isnt offensive the context can be, I guess that is the same for all language.
The word itself isnt offensive the context can be, I guess that is the same for all language.
97octane said:
Depends if you are a Pakistani calling a mate "Hey, Paki!"
as in Samuel L Jackson calling everyone "nigger"
It is derogatory if it is used in a derogatory context
Exactly - it's mostly down to context. It can be construed as being racist.as in Samuel L Jackson calling everyone "nigger"
It is derogatory if it is used in a derogatory context
BJG1 said:
Yank = a name for an american with no negative connotation.
Scott = a name for a scottish person with no negative connotation.
= a name for anyone who looks asian, used primarily as an insult and has always been used as a way of branding someone a second class citizen.
If I were abroad and there was - for example - a football match where there were loads of English chav hooligans behaving appalingly and letting the rest of us down, I'd resent being called English if by implication, it was because I was being assocaited with that sort of scum, rather than simply being from England and being proud of my origins.Scott = a name for a scottish person with no negative connotation.
= a name for anyone who looks asian, used primarily as an insult and has always been used as a way of branding someone a second class citizen.Threads like this have been done to death - the topic is so dead this is like necrophilia.
BJG1 said:
jamoor said:
Well why don't you go and call a Nigerian person "Niger", after all that is the first 5 letters of the country "Nigeria"
What do you call someone from Niger then?So would he be Niijerian, that sounds like a homo trying to say nigerian.
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