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.

I've always described myself as "vaguely ethnic" and I find the term POC downright offensive. I don't understand why it's suddenly become acceptable. POC is just a slightly different way of saying "coloured" and means "I have no idea what you are, but you're not white".

I prefer "vaguely ethnic" as people often can't place my ethnic background due to sheer ignorance, and it doesn't give them any clues and puts them deservedly on the back foot. I'm fed up of the "but where are you from?" questions. England, that's where!

People can stop telling me which terms I can and cannot use, thanks. Actually having the genes that I do allows me to choose whichever words make me feel comfortable.

Onto other pointless words... in this country, "Asian" only means "Indian". In the US, "Asian" can mean Chinese. I've given up trying to reclaim the word. It's never going to work in the UK.

I don't find "I'm having a Chinese" offensive because people clearly mean "a Chinese takeaway". If they wanted to be offensive, there are other words to substitute for a Chinese takeaway that racists can and do use. Intention is everything. When you directly experience racism, you know when people are discriminating against you, and when they're not.

I think saying a Chinese or an Indian is more common because people typically order several courses, and it fits their definition of what Chinese or Indian food is. It's not well understood, because it's complicated to make. I think there's an understanding that most pizza places do not serve authentic Italian pizza, so that kind of takeaway is referred to as "a pizza" rather than "an Italian". Other "Italian in the UK" food either doesn't work as well as a takeaway dish (pasta) or is on the pricey side (meat/fish course), so a term doesn't come up as often.

The fact that people abbreviate to a Chinese or an Indian just shows those two cuisines are the most popular for takeaways. FWIW, I think people are more likely to dine in with European cuisine.

Just opt for a Maccy D's then 🙄

Onto other pointless words... in this country, "Asian" only means "Indian". In the US, "Asian" can mean Chinese. I've given up trying to reclaim the word. It's never going to work in the UK.

This is definitely not true.

The expression 'an Indian' might be offensive to some Indians but not in the etymological sense.
The great percentage of so called 'Indian Restaurants' are not in fact operated by Indians but by Bangladeshis.
Bangladesh used to be called East Pakistan and was created by the partition of India in 1947, along with West Pakistan. Prior to this these countries were part of India.
In 1991 East Pakistan gained independence from Pakistan and became an autonomous state.
There has been continual animosity over the years between India and Pakistan because of the religious differences (Indians tend to be Hindu - Pakistanis & Bangladeshis tend to be Muslim.)

So some Indians could take offence at restaurants run by Bangladeshis being called 'Indians' because of a long bloody history between the two groups.

I hope you enjoyed that potted history lesson.

Absolutely people say "a Chinese" - I don't understand your point

Omission -, when East Pakistan gained independence it was then called 'Bangladesh'.
Hope that makes better sense.

Do you live in a cave OP?

I have Indian and Chinese friends.

If anyone calls them 'Asian' they go bananas.

It's like someone calling English people 'Europeans'. Some (including me) don't like it.

But that's another discussion.

I quite like a full English for breakfast too sometimes.

It's the same as "having a mcdonalds" referring to the food not an old farmer somewhere who needs to get offended

In Wales, in some hotels, they don't serve a 'Full English breakfast', they serve a 'Full Welsh breakfast'

I donot feel it offensive........its a recognition of its origin. Also its user friendly in informal comunication

I think this should be in pendants corner actually because OP is more annoyed at the use of ‘a/an’

Grammar pendants that way ——>

Well it's a bit glib - if you think of the range of food and menus you can get from the Indian sub continent. It's a bit different from saying a full Scottish breakfast (which is what we would say here) as a full Scottish Breakfast is really one thing - a really good big fry up of all the usual.

Maybe we should try a bit harder and say an Indian meal, or a Chinese takeaway, becaus we don't say we are going for a Scot, or an English.

People are so defensive on these threads that you can't help thinking they are desperately trying to prove something.

Seriously? This thread has got to be a wind up.

People are so defensive on these threads that you can't help thinking they are desperately trying to prove something.

Maybe I should finish what I was saying here - people jump on the OP desperate to prove her wrong as they think someone might be daring to suggest they could be a teensy bit racist.
I wouldn't say it is racist but it could be, imv, a bit disrespectful - an Indian is a person from India, not just a takeaway.

In our house we often have an Indian, a Chinese, an Italian, a Japanese, or a Mexican for dinner.
Weekend breakfasts sometimes consist of a full Irish / full English.
Isn't it obvious to you that these are short for "an Indian takeaway", "an Italian meal", etc.
Please don't try to make our food choices a racism issue.

The very common usage of “let’s have a full English “ negates your point.

Anything that comes to be a regular or familiar feature is subject to shorthand or nicknames. “a Chinese” “an Indian “ are simply reflections of the fact that they are the favourite and most common takeaways, or restaurants visited. I cannot think of a single French food delivery in our Let’s Eat app.

Also: you declare a linguistic usage to be offensive but immediately get irate when posters pick you up on a way you used language.

I don't care if you find it offensive OP

I always use am Indian or Chinese, I have a local greek restaurant I love, I often go for a thai at a local pub, and Italian is my favourite food 🙄

@midnightstar66

although to be fair i understand most Indian restaurants are actually Bangladeshi

Well if they refer to themselves as Indian takeaways it's fair to refer to them as such!

In the same way that the Polish shop near me is owned and run by a Turkish family, but they call it a Polish supermarket, it sells almost exclusively Polish food and lots of Polish people shop there. Therefore it is a Polish shop. If they did takeouts I would probably order a polish from them. (This is not racist because although I am not of Polish ancestory my good friend is Lithuanian so I am qualified to speak of such matters).

@Hammonds - would you just kindly keep the door open to Pedants' corner whilst I just say this

@notprofessionallyoffended " in this country, "Asian" only means "Indian". In the US, "Asian" can mean Chinese. I've given up trying to reclaim the word. It's never going to work in the UK. "

Let me tell you my son has friends from all over ( geographically ) Asia and from families who have family who hail from those places . I would bet you a box of oranges to a butt of malmsey he can differentiate between the huge number of countries who make up Asia - & ( mainly because just friends and they tend to talk about stuff ) he might - just might, know from chatting where some of his friends' families come from . and it is a little insulting to say that in this country everyone thinks it's just India or at a stretch China .

Enough @Hammonds could you let me through to Pedants' corner now.

Oh I do not mean to be rude but to say everyone here in UK thinks Asia is India is just - well - frankly bollocks. - I have said too much - please anyone delete this - I shall be in Pedants' corner whilst you do so

Please do continue to encourage hate and intolerance by being offended over fuck all. You do realise that’s the outcome of attitudes like yours?

It’s a shame some people seem to make it their mission in life to be offended by the tiniest and most innocent things.

Why have you just picked indian to and not at if the other terms to such as Thai, greek etc?

Maybe that's more offensive in itself?