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.

Oh and Jamie Oliver isn't Italian either, but had Jamie's Italian 😁

Impressive, 3 kids in private education. Must be all those mung beans and Mozart.

@randomer

Impressive, 3 kids in private education. Must be all those mung beans and Mozart.

Hey, mung beans and Mozart are both foreign.

Elgar and Eggs?

Derek Bourjois and Beets is a contender?

Rossini and ravioli

Britain and bacon

Mussorgksy and Mars Bars

I could go on ......

Jollygoodtime it was a tongue in cheek comment about Indian restaurants being often run by Bangladeshis

@randomer

Elgar and Eggs?

Derek Bourjois and Beets is a contender?

Tallis and turnips for the authentic home grown experience surely? 😁

Cabbage. I freaking love cabbage. In all forms. Raw, fried, steamed, baked, sauerkraut, in sauces, in soups, just by itself. White, red, savoy, turkish. I take all the cabbage.
I would be fine Anglo Saxon. Just maybe gassy at times

Fermented turnips are also awesome.

@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.

But not interested enough not to cause offence by dismissing a full English, which children post-war would have dreamed of, never mind fruit, having feeling the full effect of the money America forced the UK to give to Europe and help rebuild it AND the debt we were forced to have before you bothered showing up in Dec 1941. Shove your full sugar American "food" and your opinion about how in tbe country over referring to going for an Indian does not mean terrororist atrocties about to be committed towards people of Indian heritage

@babbaloushka

I think you referring to ethnic cuisines as "lesser" speaks volumes more than people saying they're having an Indian...

Yup

So what you are saying, as an American, you are searching for evidence of racism in British people by how we refer to takeaway food?

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Oh and Jamie Oliver isn't Italian either, but had Jamie's Italian 😁

Wait... so does that make you racist? Or is it Jamie Oliver who is racist? Since he's the one who named it as an Italian restaurant... perhaps by using the restaurant's full title you are complicit in the racism?

@PeggyHill 😂
Everyone is a racist.
Sorted

We say 'going for an Indian or a Chinese', not because it it is lesser, but because it is a long established tradition in the UK and therefore familiar enough to be part of the British culture, and also it is marketed in most cases as easy and accessible food- not highbrow or exclusive. In the same way people say 'I'm going for a burger or a pizza', Italian restuarants that sell more than just pizza are marketed as more formal and therefore don't get referred to in general casual speak. You are more likely to say I'm going to Luigis restaurant tonight in the same way as you would other general more formal restaurants whether they be Italian, English or otherwise.

I believe that current thinking is that it isn’t objectively offensive to say something derogatory about someone who is from a group that has “power” (ie white, male, heterosexual, western nationality) due to the power imbalance (“punching up”).

That said, you will always find someone who finds something offensive, so I would suggest just living your life and not worrying too much about things like this.

Use your common sense and if someone claims to be offended, apologise and educate yourself about why.

If, having educated yourself, you think they were just a snowflake or nutter, then let it go and carry on with your day.

If your research means that you find they have a point, then you’ve made the world a better place by educating yourself.

Surely the reason why we say an Indian, a Chinese, an Italian is because they are the most popular takeaway foods we go for. Don't people also say a full English? People just don't say a French, an Irish, etc is because they aren't as popular for eating out or taking away. I don't see how this is offensive at all.

Not offensive at all but I did say to my Indian DP that I’d ordered food from an Indian and when it came he said this is Bengali, I said yeah Indian, he said no BENGALI. I said what’s the difference! They had usual Indian take away type food on the menu but according to DP very different!

@Cocopogo

Not offensive at all but I did say to my Indian DP that I’d ordered food from an Indian and when it came he said this is Bengali, I said yeah Indian, he said no BENGALI. I said what’s the difference! They had usual Indian take away type food on the menu but according to DP very different!

If the menu said "Indian" then it's "indian" who are we to argue with the creators.

However, if the menu.said Bengali, he would be absolutely correct.
(Though Bengal is a part of India, isn't it? I guess it's like English, Wales, Scottish and NI🤔 So you would say Welsh, rather than Brotish if you knew🤔)