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.

@Yellownotblue

I’m going to stick my head above the parapet and say: I know what you meant. I am interested in linguistic and cultural differences, too. I’m sorry that people are responding here so aggressively. The level of comment on this thread is depressing.

@SilverBirchWithout

*Yellownotblue Fri 12-Feb-21 02:20:06 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?*

You see I feel ordering by number is a little offensive, it’s something we did in the UK 30 odd years ago. It implies that there is a language barrier
and we couldn’t be bothered to learn how to pronounce ‘foreign’ food names. We phone up and order from the menu we have - no need to quote numbers and any rate our menu may not be uptodate🤷‍♀️

I’ve worked in a few Chinese takeaways and always inputted the order onto the system by number correlating to the menu. My local now always repeats the number as you order 🤷🏻‍♀️

I get what you mean OP, it's also odd if the Curry houses are owned and staffed by people who come from Pakistan, not India.

In the nicest possible way, if that's the biggest of your worries, can I be you please?

It doesn’t appear to me that you’re interested in linguistics, it’s appears that you’re interested in desperately trying to find something to be offended by. Try and find something more productive to do with your time.

I've just checked with my DH who is from yet another country. So with US movies I am now covering 4 countries😁
We all use just the 1 word. Slightly differently, but 1 word.
I find it hard to believe that 3 absolutely languagewose non related countries have this but where you are doesn't 🤷🏻
Hence I am going with my suspicion of DM article in making🕵️

“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. “

French takeaway food exists? totally misses the point

Presumably nobody says ‘We’re having a French’ because French-cuisine restaurants will typically be more expensive and rather less likely to do takeaways.

Lesser ethnic foods? I count Indian food as one of the nicest things on the planet! It's certainly not "lesser" in my world.

I don’t think it would be offensive, unless it was inaccurate I.e. Nepalese food referred to as an Indian takeaway would be inaccurate and offensive.

In which case "going for an Indian IS offensive, because 99% of 'Indian' restaurants are Bangladeshi and some Pakistani. Very few are actually Indian.

But I don't think it it's offensive but happy to be told otherwise - just not sure what other generic term you would use. We don't get a takeaway from a specific restaurant (otherwise might say "shall we get a Darca tonight") but do tend to go for a type of cuisine instead.

I love square sausage.

I think the OP is being deliberately goady. And trying to tie it in first to regional and then class confirms it for me.

So you think Indian is a 'lesser ethnicity' OP? Do you not realise how racist your comment is? I find it frankly quite disgusting that you want to try and berate people and label them possible racists for the way the describe FOOD, whilst you have described a whole RACE of people as 'lesser'.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER

Presumably nobody says ‘We’re having a French’ because French-cuisine restaurants will typically be more expensive and rather less likely to do takeaways.

the only French takeaway I can think of (off the top of my head) are those pop-up crepe stands at festivals and the like.

Then I would say 'Shall we go and get a few morsels of bliss'.

Or 'Shall we get crepes'.

We tend to say the name of the restaurant if ordering at home but if discussing with friends (remember those days) we’d usually say ‘fancy a Mexican’ etc

How about ‘Yorkshire’s’ - got any Yorkshire’s for tonight’s roast? Open the door to find Alan Titchmarsh

Going back to a few previous posts where someone mentioned the word retard used in America! I remember downloading a Black Eyed Peas song for DS, unfortunately it was the original version - Let’s Get Retarded, which they later changed to Let’s get it started when it received more radio play. Both were (or still are) available. I had to delete and find the more suitable version.

To avoid any issues like this in our house we now tend to say...

"Oh, let's have a meal of foreign origin tonight."

• a bit of a mouthful, I would agree, but then I do find Indians (oops) quite filling.

Very few are actually Indian.
Not based on the signs. That's what we are going by. It doesn't matter who owners are if it says "Indian cuisine" it's " an indian". You reminded me that I am actually hoping the Nepalese restaurant I had my eye on manages To survive because I so want to try it. I need to check their sm. They haven't posted for a while I think☹️

When you go to an 'Irish' bar OP, do you say - going to a pub that is run by people from Ireland? Just out of interest

@CuntyMcBollocks

So you think Indian is a 'lesser ethnicity' OP? Do you not realise how racist your comment is? I find it frankly quite disgusting that you want to try and berate people and label them possible racists for the way the describe FOOD, whilst you have described a whole RACE of people as 'lesser'.

In the OP’s defence, she was using “lesser” in quotation marks, which to me suggested that she was referring to historical cultural perceptions (that still persist), rather than her own opinion.

This ain't it sis.

I have to say though, I've never said 'an Indian' always 'a curry'.

But I do abbreviate to Chinese/Thai/Mexican. But there's no 'a' in front. So, 'I'm having Chinese tonight'.

It's good to have discussions on these sorts of things. But again, I think this one is not what you think it is.

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.

For someone who is determined to find offence where there is none, you seem remarkably happy to cause offence elsewhere. These phrases are used up and down the land. Not just by common people or people living outside of your little world.

Also, having claimed an interest in linguistics, I find it quite curious that you seem to have very little comprehension that your lack of knowledge on common phrases in the UK might just be that there are things you aren’t aware of, (such as people saying that they’re going for an Italian/Thai/Mexican etc). Instead, you’ve decided that it’s a UK wide ploy to cause racist offence to catering establishments and various ethnicities up and down the country. That’s incredibly arrogant of you. And also a little bit weird that your first thought was that we consider some cuisines to be ‘lesser’ than others because of the ethnicity they come from.

What a bonkers thread.
Literally no Indian people find this offensive*.

*There is always one.

It is curious why we don't say a French, but then is a French really as popular as Indian, Chinese or Italian? Not for takeaway certainly.

Taking on good faith OP's claim that she's really interested in linguistic differences, a few thoughts.

We talk about a meal, a takeaway meal, not 'food'. Americans seem to say 'let's get Chinese food'. Whereas to my ear, our way, referring to a meal, a takeaway dinner (or tea!) sounds a little more civilized. Of course a dinner comprises food, just as food comprises ingredients. 'Let's get Indian food' rather than 'let's get an Indian (takeaway for dinner)' sounds a bit basic, a bit animal, to me.

There are sooo many little linguistic differences like this, it really surprises me that this was not a linguistically curious OP's first thought.

e.g. 'My daughter likes dancing' vs 'My daughter likes to dance'.

'I'm going to hospital on Friday' vs 'I'm going to the hospital, Friday'.

'I'd like a cup of tea please' vs 'Can I get a coffee?'

etc ad infinitum.

The funny thing abut 'an Indian' is that, unlike most things discussed on MN, is is not regional or class-based.

@BloggersBlog

'We are having Thai tonight' - I really dont think anyone hearing me say that will think I am off to track down and eat an actual person from Thailand.

😂😂😂😂😂 Bravo

Obviously it's a white person getting offended about this

I’m Irish, in Ireland.

Who always say an Indian, a Chinese, a Thai, an Italian, a Mexican, an English (anything with chips!).

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about your husband’s ancestral ethnicity being lumped it with what you class as “lesser” nationalities which, to me, sounds very bigoted.