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.

@AdelaideK

We say a full English. Is that ok?

Of course it is, though a Scottish breakfast might get you into trouble with the very-easily-offended brigade. You can as rude as you want about the English, they have no cards on the table.

I dont think a Chinese oe an Indian is lesser cuisine. Infact, we usually have a Chinese or an Indian as a treat

Tonight we will be having a variety of dishes delivered to our home from an establishment selling food broadly based on traditional Cantonese cuisine, but modified for the British palate.
Hopefully that's ok.

Ooh I want an Indian now. Sod it, it's Friday night, I'm getting one!

Just so you know Op - we’ve just had a Chinese. Hello year of the Ox! 😂

@AnnaFiveTowns I’ll join you - really fancy an Indian now

Is OP coming back?

We're having an Indian this weekend 😋😋😋

@Ilovefredsiriex

Is OP coming back?

Probably out having an Indian I imagine.

I am of Indian origin. No it is not offensive. I am sure you are all aware, but what you regard as an Indian is usually Bangladeshi in reality, but we still enjoy one from time to time. A little bit like you might enjoy a burger outside rather than a steak at home.

@steff13

As an American, someone saying they're going for an Indian does sound odd to me, because we don't say it that way here. We mostly just say Indian, or Chinese, or Mexican, etc. But I don't think it's offensive. 🤷‍♀️

A lot of phrases you all use sound odd to me, and vice-versa, I'm sure. Like, why do you say "in hospital" instead of " in the hospital?"

But do you say “in the school”? As in: “Where’s your son today?” “Oh, he’s in the school.” I’m pretty sure you don’t (I lived in the US for a couple of years, but this could have passed me by...)

Similarly, we don’t say, “Oh, he’s in the hospital”, we say “He’s in hospital”. “He’s in the hospital” would imply that he’s just sort of hanging around at the hospital for some reason like “in the school” would imply that he’s in the building but not attending lessons. At least, it would to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

I AM starting to find this weird now since I am reading every single ‘an Indian’ and ‘a Chinese’ as referring to a person. Agh.

More seriously, this thread reminds me of how some people get very uncomfortable whenever ethnicity, sexuality, etc., are mentioned even if there is no negativity. A few years ago a group I’m part of was discussing how things have changed over the years where we live, and someone was saying how it’s much more diverse in terms of languages, nationalities and so on than when she was growing up. We started talking about this point. Someone else burst in with a very plaintive ‘There’s nothing WRONG with that, though, is there? It’s not a PROBLEM, is it?’ and someone else started saying that it wasn’t correct anyway, because even in Roman times people moved to other countries.

There hadn’t been any hint in the discussion that this was a bad thing! Was fascinating to me how some got really uptight about the turn the discussion took and wanted to close it down. Almost like anyone who acknowledged these changes in society must be doing so from a racist perspective.

Have come across it with sexuality too.

Thank you for starting this thread op. I was sitting here wondering what on eArth to cook for dinner that we haven't had a million times over the last year when I remembered, reading this thread, that our local Indian restaurant is doing takeaways. Thank you. That's tonight sorted!

Another Indian here, FULL Indian not partial with ancestry, (how's that for offensive!!?)

There is nothing even remotely racist about referring to Indian food as well, 'Indian' - (I did it again!) we're rather proud of our lesser ethnic cuisine and often 'go for an Indian'.

There are far bigger bhaji's to fry rather than the non-issue you speak of.

Really you have nothing better to think about, all the offensive things and real issues you point out this?

@DM1209

Another Indian here, FULL Indian not partial with ancestry, (how's that for offensive!!?)

There is nothing even remotely racist about referring to Indian food as well, 'Indian' - (I did it again!) we're rather proud of our lesser ethnic cuisine and often 'go for an Indian'.

There are far bigger bhaji's to fry rather than the non-issue you speak of.

Nice one😂

@user1467048527 Like the mum in Miranda who whispers offensive words like "black" and "lesbian"

Eh?! I'm of Indian descent and couldn't give a rat's arse!

Oh for goodness sake 🙄

There are far bigger bhaji's to fry rather than the non-issue you speak of

I made bhaji’s to have with curry tonight. I’ll send DS up to the Indian in future 😬

@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.

Getting a Chinese, an Italian , an Indian , a Mexican, right enough I wouldn't have a French but then that's not really a takeaway. ...

But no it's not offensive.

@DM1209

Another Indian here, FULL Indian not partial with ancestry, (how's that for offensive!!?)

There is nothing even remotely racist about referring to Indian food as well, 'Indian' - (I did it again!) we're rather proud of our lesser ethnic cuisine and often 'go for an Indian'.

There are far bigger bhaji's to fry rather than the non-issue you speak of.

Exactly. Why some people feel the need to get offended on someone else’s behalf is beyond me.

@BusterTheBulldog

I would defo say ‘fancy an Italian’?, or ‘Italian tonight?’ Same with Mexican, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Nepalese, Turkish.

At my daughter's home I get asked DO you want Chinese, Indian, Italian or Mexican, then orders are phoned through and someone does the rounds of the various places to collect our food. I'll remember to reprimand them then next time.

@RickiTarr

A lot of phrases you all use sound odd to me, and vice-versa, I'm sure. Like, why do you say "in hospital" instead of " in the hospital?"

It’s an overhang from the days of workhouses for the poor. Hospitals, almshouses, workhouses were not clearly delineated from each other for quite a long period of time. With the result that we still vaguely have this cultural view/ linguistic approach of hospitalisation being vaguely akin to being institutionalised.

Just a generation ago it wasn’t unusual to meet very old ladies who were absolutely terrified of being admitted to hospital because they thought they wouldn’t be allowed to decide to leave again.

So yeah, looming, faceless institutions, and we of course don’t have that sense of being customers when we are in NHS hospitals so there is a slightly infantilising aspect to it.

I have a slightly different take. I agree it's because it's an institution that we don't say "the". It's the same as in/at school, in prison, at university. It's referring to the institution rather than the actual place.