What's your name, Where are you from?

I was born in England, which makes me English. 'British' implies you're born in the UK, so it's like our communal name. I'm sure you're well aware that people like to shorten that and call us 'Brits'. I don't find that offensive at all.

However, why when we shorten some words do they suddenly become offensive, what's the connotations associated with them? Such as calling Chinese people Chinks. American people Yanks. Japanese people Japs. Australian people Aussies. I'm not sure if people native to those countries mind being called by their shortened names. I do know that 'Chink' seems to be the most offensive. But why? If we shorten every other nationality's name and they're not offensive then why should Chink? Do Americans mind being called yanks?

These names refer to countries rather than races, such as calling white people cracker or honkey, or calling a black person a 'n-word', obviously those have negative connotations, hence why they're deemed offensive. But the only reason those have negative connotations associated with them is because of the context the words have been used in. The term 'n-word' comes from people who were born in Niger. I think, correct me if I'm wrong.

So are these words actually offensive? Or does it just depend on the context the word has been used in time and time again. Calling an Australian person an Aussie seems to have nothing negative at all about it, in fact it comes across as quite affectionate. However, calling a Chinese person a Chink seems to be borderline racism.

My question is, if you're native to a certain country, are you offended by people shortening that, i.e calling you a Brit or a Chink?

*Edit*

And I've just noticed after I posted this, that the n-word when written out in full gets changed. I think this highlights my point exactly. Why are the words honkey and cracker not blocked? Is it one rule for some, and a completely different rule for the other? Can white people not also be victims of racism? Obviously calling a white person a honkey or cracker isn't deemed as offensive as calling a black person the n-word.

[edit on 15-10-2007 by shaunybaby]

I call my wife a honkey because she's from Hong Kong!! I think the official term is Hong Konger, but that really lacks creativity and sounds crap!!

I'm a brit, a malteaser and in a year and a bit I'll also be a fully loaded 3 star Honkey.

3 stars means you have permenant right of abode!!

Op - If it makes you feel any better, the Chinese call all westerns Gwai Loh (men) and Gwai Por (women) which literally means Ghost man/woman!! People are starting to get that this is a racist term, well if they say it near me they are!!

And before anyone else say it "How do you make a Maltese cross?"

Kick him in the nuts!!

MonKey

Originally posted by ChiKeyMonKey

Op - If it makes you feel any better, the Chinese call all westerns Gwai Loh (men) and Gwai Por (women) which literally means Ghost man/woman!! People are starting to get that this is a racist term, well if they say it near me they are!!

Chinese people call anyone who's not a Chinese 'Gwai/Kwai'- something or the other. Apparently everyone but them are ghosts.

In Malaysia the local Chinese call the local Malays 'ma lai kwai' when speaking amongst themselves. It may sound racist, but apparently it doesn't carry that effect. Mostly because a very small percentage of Malays actually understand Cantonese.

reply to post by Beachcoma


They could quite easily say "Ma lia yan" and exchange the ghost for a person!!

It's racist terminology!!

Or they could say "Oi got yan" = foreigner

Also going back to op, the dreaded N-word could also have come from the Spanish for black which is negro, negra, negros, negras!!

Back in slave trading days I'm sure the Spanish had quite a large shipping fleet!!

So Chink isn't actually hateful, it's the same as calling someone a Brit, but over time people have used it in a hateful way, so it's become a racial slur. The same as 'n-word'. However, I was very surprised to see 'n-word' blocked, yet honkey and cracker (which are racial slurs for white people) are not. I wouldn't mind some moderators clearing that up, why one rule for some, and another rule for others?

Haha. I'm from Detroit, Michigan (US) and recently some crazy group "buried the n-word." Didn't work.

reply to post by shaunybaby


My name Bodrul
Born Bangladesh in a rural Village
Came to the UK (England) when i was about one and half years old
since i came here at such a young i know more things english lol

im a student at herts Uni (computer science)

and thats about it

I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. CANADA

On my Mother's side: 'Scottish' Influences.

On my biological Father's side: 'Scandinavian/Russian/Jewish/some American.

A real Heinz 57 aint I? lolol

~Ducky~

Southern Scotch Irish,from the USA. With a smattering of German and Prussian thrown in the gene pool. Proud of it all, hence the name "celtic mist" Mist meaning all the other hanging over like a fog, LOL. Love all them rascals that made me who I am.

I'm Texan. Nuff said.

My father was German my mother was English.

I am 100% Southern Belle from The Golden Isles of Georgia.

Southern Belle = A woman that can cook , sew, keep a perfect home, have a career and hunt wild animals and skin and gut them, throw her prize on the back of her 4-wheeler and take it home then get ready for a fancy night out on the town and look like an innocent sweet lady. Don't ever turn your back on her. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She carries her pistol in her purse right beside her make up bag.

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


Me Too...

Texan living in Paradise.

As they say: "you can take the boy out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the boy"

I was born in Kuwait, my dad is Iranian/Canadian but my mom is Kuwaiti, I consider Canada my home! I am Canadian, and like ducky I lived in Halifax NS. love the place!
Nice to meet you all!