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.

It’s just “lesser” (ethnic) cuisines that are referred to that way.

That's your own internalized racism at play. Sorry OP but I think you need to sit with your discomfort and figure out in which other parts of life you think your husband's "ancestors" are "lesser".

Oh come on op. I'm Indian and I say it myself

@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.

Brilliant. Love MN.

I think we probably need to let Indian people decide what they find offensive. Otherwise it reeks of white saviour syndrome.

I think we need to examine how different food traditions arrived in the U.K., what establishments were founded in which locations at what price points and who these cuisine pioneers were. That illuminates quite a lot. I’m not sure picking a random British Indian for an opinion is very scientific.

What do you mean lesser?! That’s great food! Love an Italian as much as a Mexican and Chinese. Could do with learning regional variations I guess cos eg China English Mexico are so big, that’s a generalisation. But I don’t think it’s some white supremacy thing to say an Indian/ Italian whatever... this is really weird. Do you have not nice people around you who say it in a degrading way somehow? I mean it’s upset you so maybe it’s more the tone of how they say it?

I absolutely would say “Can we have Italian?” or “I really fancy a Chinese” or “Can we go to that French place?” or whatever.

I’m not seeing how it’s offensive, most restaurants do have an easy -to-see “identity” (burgers, or seafood, or Indian food, or Italian food, or whatever). I guess it’s better to be specific “Lets get something from the Princess Rose”, but really if there’s one Indian restaurant you go to then saying “thd Indian” is fine? Is it?

I definitely don’t mean to be offensive.

@VanGoghsDog

Anything you can collect or get delivered takes “a” or “an”, but the grammar is different for an eating in “fine dining” experience.

I think this is the crux of it, I've never had an Italian take away, therefore I've never "had an Italian"!

(I've also never had an Italian)

You see, we’re lucky. We can get Italian delivered here (but never could in London). So now I say “shall I order an Italian” which is what makes me think that must be the rule. Try not to envy my Italian food privilege too much.

Oh get a grip. It's a "country of origin" because it's the food of that country? What on earth would you suggest instead? "An Indian meal" - same thing. I'd say, shall we get an Indian/Chinese, what about Italian, shall we go to the Turkish/Greek, fancy Thai for tea? How can people now be offended by the name of a country. The mind boggles

"It must be a class thing" comes up quite a lot on MN, instead of people just admitting they had a gap in their knowledge about a widely known thing.
"An Indian" is common parlance, as is "a Chinese" and "an Italian".

I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they were going for ‘an Italian’.

I have. And a full English/Mexican/Chinese/Thai, etc, etc.

Never realised this was triggertastic before tonight.

@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.

Erm what class do you assume doesn’t say “we had a lovely Italian/Mexican/Thai

(I've also never had an Italian)

@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.

I'd posit that 'going for an Italian' was more commonly heard 20-30 years ago when an Italian meal was more exotic. "he's a real romantic: took her out for a nice Italian".

In terms of cuisine I would say ‘ooh have you tried that new Italian in town?’, and I have said Italian in reference to takeaway when it was a place that did pasta too, otherwise it’s just ‘pizza’.

I think it’s your own internalised misconceptions too...generally speaking the most common takeaways are Indian, Chinese & Chippy so they are the ones that have nicknames and shortenings. And we can’t be that bad given the huge enduring popularity of so called ‘ethnic food’ .

Oh dear OP. Too much time on your hands?

@babbaloushka

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

What a hopeless point to make.

I certainly don’t think of Indian/Chinese as lesser cuisines.

I’m just interested in how the article (a/an) gets added. I think most people in Britain have a stereotypical idea of a Chinese/Indian restaurant, in a way that markedly differs from the stereotype of a French/Italian restaurant. And that’s where the article comes in, for many people.

@RickiTarr

(I've also never had an Italian)

I highly recommend the carbonara

Let’s have an Italian tonight means we are going to eat out at the local Italian restaurant. Similarly with Chinese and Indian.
No idea why people are stating it only refers to takeaway.

What a weird thread. English breakfast tea, English breakfast fry up? Does that concern you too?

An Indian takeaway meal
An Italian takeaway meal
A Chinese takeaway meal

Stop trying to be offended....

I’m having Chinese tomorrow. Is that offensive? I like going for a ruby.

Argh!!! Someone said "a fish supper". That offends me! I just have an irrational hatred of that expression. Why is it a fish supper and not just fish and chips?

Do your arms ache from that stretch? You said it yourself.

I am telling you, as a Briton, I refer to it as an Italian, along with an Indian, a Thai, a Chinese. Not many French restaurants here do takeaways, or are common takeaway food, hence why people don't say a French.

If you're interested in linguistics, why are you making it about offence?