How is the expression ‘an Indian’ not offensive?

[Yellownotblue]

As in, an Indian take away or delivery meal.

I find it quite odd to hear one specific type of cuisine referred to like this. Would you say “ we’re going for a French tonight” or “he invited me to his place for an Italian”? Somehow it seems dismissive and disrespectful.

For full disclosure, I’m not Indian but my husband is of Asian ancestry and our children have dual heritage. I’m British (first generation migrant). I was born and brought up in North America and can’t remember the expression ‘an Indian’ ever being used as short for Indian food before I moved to Britain.

Language is ever evolving, and that's an amazing thing. Hate and being snippy should be stopped as much as it can be though.

Do you want an Indian or a chinese or a chippy etc is an oft asked question in this house. We don’t have French or Thai here and don’t get Italian takeaway but would say we were going out for/to an Italian. It’s simply missing out the word meal/restaurant. Also it’s commonly called a supper in Scotland! Supper is just fish/sausage/burger etc + chips! While I’m here pineapple does not belong on a pizza and tomato belongs in the bin

@Chloemol

It’s just “lesser” (ethnic) cuisines that are referred to that way.

Ok so now you are into linguistics, this is offensive you are implying that there are lesser cuisines, and no there are not.

Having seen other responses actually, in my opinion it’s you that is dismissive and disrespectful

Yada yada yada

Seriously like water off a duck’s back

@Phphion

Linguistic conventions can often sound strange to outsiders.

The proprietor of the Indian takeaway near my dad's village is known to everyone as Manny The Indian due to their linguistic convention of referring to people by how you might know them - Mary The Shop, Dai The Post, Dewi The Chip. Manny himself is not actually an Indian person at all.

Found the dragon.

OP, you mention stereotyping here, but it seems you are the one stereotyping. You have decided that other people think of ethnic foods as "lesser" foods. You have decided that we hold Italian restaurants in higher regard than Chinese or Indian restaurants.
So that's you stereotyping, not anyone else.
We always choose Indian or Chinese food for a special occasion. Because the food is spectacular.

I say "an Indian" or "a Chinese"
Fwiw, I'm half English, a quarter Indian and a quarter Chinese.
The only offensive person here is you. It wouldn't cross my mind to have the thoughts that you have come up with, because I don't assume to know what "most people think"

@TheBeesKnee

God you're do tedious OP. Bore off home.

Bore off home? Is that you Nigel? Where do you want to send me back to?

Reported.

Maybe it’s a class or regional thing. I literally have never heard anyone say ‘going for an Italian’.

I believe you, though like most others here I hear that expression frequently. You don’t seem to listen to people.

It’s just “lesser” (ethnic) cuisines that are referred to that way.

Wow. You really are determined to be offended, aren’t you? And then you say I certainly don’t think of Indian/Chinese as lesser cuisines. Although you have indeed just said that.

I had an Indian earlier. !

I was born and brought up in North America and can’t remember the expression ‘an Indian’ ever being used as short for Indian food before I moved to Britain.
Of course you can't remember expressions like that from your life in the US. This is because American English and British English differ in many ways.
I think you're being precious.

You're also stereotyping:
There are so many better breakfast options out there! Start by putting some fruit on the plate...

I honestly don't think it's about naming groups as lesser or higher or anything. It's simply folk stating what they would like to eat. Should I approach just eat asking for a chicken breast chopped into cubes, floured with a little spice then deep fried, and served with rice, along with vegetables sliced thinly wrapped in thin rice flour sheets that has then been fried. All with a sauce that is formed of onions, pepper and pineapple. Which originates from a region in Asia.

Or am I allowed to say I want to order chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce. And some spring rolls.

Or shall I ask for a Chinese chicken sweet and sour

@banned

Or shall I ask for a Chinese chicken sweet and sour

I think if you’re ordering it’s probably enough to give the dish number, or say sweet and sour chicken. They already know it’s a Chinese dish ☺️

Yep I've heard "an Italian" and "a Chinese" just as much as "an Indian".

I think you'd have to be trying really, rreaaaaally hard to get offended by this.

In our house we just say we fancy a takeaway tonight and presume we’re having an Indian - as that is our preferred and usual choice. We might discuss getting a Chinese - they don’t deliver here so we have to ‘get’. Sometimes we go to ‘the pub’ or go for ‘an Italian‘ or ‘a Thai’.
It’s all just idioms.
Maybe the difference in the States is Indian takeaways are not so ubiquitous. Indian takeaways/restaurants are deeply enmeshed in British food culture - thank goodness.

It is offensive. Anyone from another culture will say so. Just Brits who will argue till their face turns blue that it is not because they say it, their mother said it and they are not about to admit to being racists. Yawn.

Now off to have a Brit.

I actually find your language offensive and has judgemental slightly snobby undertones OP.

You said maybe it's a class thing. Or a regional thing. You may not have intended it but because you said in the first post you find it dismissive saying it's a class thing sounds like you making generalisations about people in a different class to you.

You then referred to "lesser" cuisines which again, says more about you and how you see than things than other people, not a single person on this thread implied any cuisine is lesser, only you used that language. Putting it in quotes doesn't make it any better. It's you who has decided that people using "an Indian" means they think the food is lesser.

Then you mention stereotypical Indian Restaurants, again, it's only you who has mentioned stereotypes, what even is a stereotypical Indian restaurant, pre covid we'd go one every week and now we have a take away every week, we say "having and Indian" as does loads of of people, even my fave take away place calls itself "The Best Indian In Town" Indian takeaways are the busiest on a weekend while the chippy is always empty, I really think you're mistaken on assuming all/most people who refer to an Indian meal as an Indian as dismissive/disrespectful and implying people use it because they view the food as lesser.

It's ok to be wrong sometimes.

How do they know its a Chinese dish though? By saying you order by number from a menu you are making an assumption that's its Chinese. And therefore failing in your own argument

As an example of language difference - even the term takeaway isn't used in the US. It's 'takeout'.

(And kebabs are kabobs...)

The takeaway itself is a very British (and Irish) restaurant concept. You don't find them as much in the US at all. You can order food 'to take out' in the US (or for delivery). There will usually be a few tables in the establishment you order from, and the person taking your order will ask if it's for delivery or take out (or pick up). The chipper-style joint where you stand at a counter and order, pay, claim your food and leave, is rare.

Apologies to others I cannot quote as am on phone.

If you order your food by number from a menu is that because you can't be bothered trying to pronounce the name of a meal in a language that is not English?

@mathanxiety

If you order your food by number from a menu is that because you can't be bothered trying to pronounce the name of a meal in a language that is not English?

Or because you don’t have deliveroo/ foodpanda/just eat?

@banned

How do they know its a Chinese dish though? By saying you order by number from a menu you are making an assumption that's its Chinese. And therefore failing in your own argument

I thought you were ordering from a Chinese restaurant. Did I get this wrong?

@blueshoes

It is offensive. Anyone from another culture will say so. Just Brits who will argue till their face turns blue that it is not because they say it, their mother said it and they are not about to admit to being racists. Yawn.

Now off to have a Brit.

🙂

Weird thread!

Think the phrases of I’m having “Indian, Chinese, Thai’ etc are so normal and not meant offensively. I’m blooming glad that over the years more cuisines have become the norm - who on earth would want the crap that was served up as kids in the 70’s?,

“Let’s go for an Indian” or ‘who fancies a Chinese” are/were words uttered all over on a Friday night. They’ve been used for years with no offence meant at all.

However “no offence’ is from my perception of how they’re used. If it transpires that it’s not ok, then I would definitely adjust accordingly.

If you order your food by number from a menu is that because you can't be bothered trying to pronounce the name of a meal in a language that is not English?

No. It's an idiosyncrasy of Chinese restaurants - they put really big numbers next to the description on the menus. No other form of restaurant typically does this - and so their meals get ordered by names despite how 'not english' the words might be. Though I suppose in a local place like a chippy they might have some options numbered on a board behind the counter and people who use it often just give the number whereas less frequent customers will say the name. It depends if you believe the person you are giving the order to knows what each number means off by heart or if you prefer to be safer and actually say the name of the dish to ensure you get what you want.

In fact - I've ordered at a Chinese restaurant using the name and the person taking the order has said the number and written that down to give to the kitchen - it is the system their kitchens choose to use.