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.

Certainly say “an Italian” or “a Chinese”. Never occurred to me that it’s offensive?

That’s because it’s not.

@AdelaideK

We say a full English. Is that ok?

^^

Dread to think the OPs reaction on people "going for a Brazilian"

Most reasonably educated and knowledgeable people are perfectly aware that there are various types of curries, and many other dishes besides, in various countries and regions and the relevant cuisines.

Well in that case they should state they're going for an Indian/Thai meal rather than a 'curry' which I have to say just makes people sound a little thick. I guess if it's cuisine from a certain continent, it must be a curry!

We say this all the time for all types of food so we'd say:

We are having an Indian/ a Chinese/ a Thai/ a chippy/ an Italian/ a Nando's/ a Turkish etc. Just means the type of cuisine we're ordering.

This is a joke, surely. You’ve got to work really, really hard to become upset by someone saying ‘do you want an Indian?’. Very common and widespread usage, same for Italian, Greek, Chinese. Some people are just desperate to few offended

@Bazoo23

Dread to think the OPs reaction on people "going for a Brazilian"

@Smallgoon

Most reasonably educated and knowledgeable people are perfectly aware that there are various types of curries, and many other dishes besides, in various countries and regions and the relevant cuisines.

Well in that case they should state they're going for an Indian/Thai meal rather than a 'curry' which I have to say just makes people sound a little thick. I guess if it's cuisine from a certain continent, it must be a curry!

No...they can say whatever they want with their circle as that’s how it works for them. No need for policing.

How utterly bizarre.

@Ninkanink Indeed they can, and I can continue to assume it makes them sound incredibly thick.

Sure, that’s your prerogative of course. But it does rather make you come across more than a bit thick, too.

If someone told me they were going for a curry I would assume they are going to an Indian restaurant

Although it could be Japanese or Thai among others

I’m quite sure I wouldn’t be upset if I later found out that it wasn’t an Indian restaurant the went to for their curry but a Thai restaurant

But this is MN so likely some would be offended and deeply offended and embarrassed of behalf of the restaurant owners/staff

@Ninkanink

Sure, that’s your prerogative of course. But it does rather make you come across more than a bit thick, too.

Or just a South Asian who doesn't understand why people would collectively describe food from a specific region as 'curry'. Because of course, that's all South Asians eat, isn't it?

If someone told me they were going for a curry I would assume they are going to an Indian restaurant

And I'd assume they were thick.

@Smallgoon

If someone told me they were going for a curry I would assume they are going to an Indian restaurant

And I'd assume they were thick.

It must be exhausting spending so much energy on being offended. I think 99% of people would understand that ‘going for a curry’ meant an Indian meal and the person saying ‘going for a curry’ would be well aware that other nationalities make curries too and that Indians have other foods.

It’s more about you feeling superior, isn’t it smallgoon. You do you, though, hun

Why would you assume they are thick ?

What a ridiculous judgemental assumption

Curry is synonymous with Indian food for many here in the UK

If this continues, I may have to go for a Scotch.

I'm not from the UK originally, either, and I've noticed the utter reverence in which British people hold South Asian food. And know the differences between different countries and regions and what are UK incarnations. The food is beloved, admired, adapted, and considered as British as a fry-up.

There is also terrible racism in the UK. But it's got little to do with people loving 'an Indian'.

@PurpleDaisies

This really looks like someone desperately looking to be offended about something.

This. 100%

Thread is way too long for me to read all of it - but it's purely grammatical I think.

There is a difference in whether we use the article a/an or not.

"An Indian/Chinese" is short for "An Indian takeaway"

"Let's go out for French/Italian/Portuguese" is short for "French food".

You say "a takeaway" but not "a food". It's just "food" (because food is an uncountable noun whereas takeaway is a countable noun).

This took me until about the end of page 1 (I have 100 posts per page) to figure out BTW!

Or just a South Asian who doesn't understand why people would collectively describe food from a specific region as 'curry'. Because of course, that's all South Asians eat, isn't it?

No, but maybe a South Asian who is making judgemental assumptions based on nothing more than people using terms in an established way that they (you) might know little to nothing about, and not taking into account those individuals’ perfectly acceptable reasoning for those terms and why they have become the accepted convention.

Literally no one that I know, am friends with, or have any social interaction with thinks that ‘curry is all that South Asians eat.’

Rather ironic.

Anyway I’m in no way spoiling for a fight so that’s the last thing I’m going to say on this.

As others have said, there are far bigger bhajis* to fry.

*insert preferred fried food item from any number of regions/countries/cuisines.

Peace and love. I’m off to have homemade Italian for lunch! 🍕🍕

Chicken tikka is certainly not curry

I’m half south Asian I’m not offended and can’t imagine anyone in my family would be. The refer to tea as being Ceylon tea and English tea quite sure the tea isn’t grown in England

@YoBeaches

OP the answer is because it's pronunciation in English Language. If the first letter of the next word is a consonant then you use 'a'.

A Thai
A Chinese
A Curry
A Burger

If the next word is a vowel then you use 'an'.

An Indian
An English
An Italian
An American

There is nothing offensive about it, it's just appropriate use of the language.

It's actually the sound, not whether it's a consonant or vowel.

A university, because it starts with a "Yuh" sound.

An hour, because it doesn't start with a "huh" sound.