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.

We say we’re going for Ruby Murray or a Ruby in our house. No idea who Ruby is. Perhaps she would be offended.....

Is there anything we are allowed to say?????????

While on that note, maybe we should stop calling it Irish stew and just say stew.

Oh ffs, always someone trying to find something to be offended by.

If you go looking for offence you will probably find it.

We go for an Indian or whatever. Can't say I've ever gone for a French (which sounds dodgy frankly) but can't think of any French restaurant daft enough to open within 50 miles of me.

@Yellownotblue

Maybe it’s a class or regional thing. I literally have never heard anyone say ‘going for an Italian’. It’s just “lesser” (ethnic) cuisines that are referred to that way.

I just posted out of curiosity. No need to get all agitated. I’ve read all the answers and taking it all on board. I’m interested in linguistics.

LESSER? I just saw this. Op, now I am genuinely offended because I’m sure you’d place my family’s country’s food in that category.

Maybe consider your own internalised racism or bias...?

Not that I’m saying the U.K. isn’t a racist county - it clearly and blatantly is a racist country. I experienced that first hand. But in this case: “an Indian”, “an Italian”, “a full English”, isn’t (in my opinion) an example of racism or xenophobia.

We apply this for a full English too, which means a fry up breakfast. It's not racist at all.

In Wales a 'Full Welsh' is also beanless - it has grilled toms !

As most Y6s could tell you, this is the grammatical feature known as ellipsis.

The word 'meal' is implied rather than included in the sentence, because both the speaker and the listener know the context.

So 'Shall we have an Indian, Thai, Italian, full English' is exactly the same construction as ' Let's go for a McDonalds, a KFC or a cheeky Nando's'.

Add the word 'meal' in your head = not offensive. Just the adjective or determiner used with the implied noun.

@Yellownotblue

I’m specifically referring to abbreviating it to ‘an Indian’. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they were going for ‘an Italian’. Maybe I’m wrong or it’s a regional thing?

So what would you say instead? I am going for a meal which originally comes from the Indian subcontinent? Bit of amouthful! You could say you're going for a curry (which I often hear people saying instead) but you might not be having curry.

And yes people say they are going for an Italian. But if it's pizza, they might say going for a pizza instead.

I think a full Welsh is just a big pile of lamb. With a bit of wool on the side to wipe your mouth when you’ve finished. 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🤣

A full welsh breakfast often includes lave bread potato cakes/bubble and squeak which is one of my favourite things.

This is beyond laughable. The world has gone mad.

Goady post results in universal bemusement

You say an Indian, an Italian, a Chinese, a full English - it's short form for a type of food, not a person.

I know lockdown is boring, but... go for a run??

@AnitaB888. I’d go to your history classes 👍

We use those terms all the time when we are referring to ethnic food, I don't think it is solely a British thing at all.

An Indian
A Lebanese
A Chinese
A Mexican
A Moroccan
An Italian

We're having an Indian
We're going for an Italian
We're ordering a Chinese
We're going to try a Thai

But it is weird. I do feel it’s a bit odd when I say “let’s have an Indian”...

Not from a racist point of view (lord knows, I have a strong attachment to my local Indian delivery driver) ” but... why don’t we say “I’m going for a French?”

And also, all the above: Chinese, Thai, Italian can also refer to the languages from those countries but not so for Indian where you’d say Hindi or Urdu . Maybe that’s why it sounds odd.

I dunno. I agree there’s something different but I would say it’s more of a question of linguistics rather than racism.

Wait til the OP hears someone say they're gagging for a fag...

@babbaloushka

Wait til the OP hears someone say they're gagging for a fag...

😂😂😂. This made my day!

'@AnitaB888. I’d go to your history classes 👍'

Thanks for that

Wait til the OP hears someone say they're gagging for a fag...

You win the thread.

'Wait til the OP hears someone say they're gagging for a fag...'

Here in Scotland you'll find both full English and full Scottish on most breakfast menus. The English is the usual sausage, bacon egg with beans and maybe hash brown/black pudding. A Scottish will have square sausage, haggis and a tattie scone.

Is there anything we are allowed to say?????????

I don’t think the OP is trying to censor speech.

I want a Full Welsh NOW!
(PurpleDaisies version, not the lamb and wool one)

I agree with PP though, I think needless offence searching detracts from the real issues of racism towards Asians in the UK, and the US. A bit like when the BLM movement was reduced to whether statues are important. Let's focus on the real prejudices that minorities are facing, instead of falling over yourself to insist that Brits are more offensive for saying "an Indian".