Is it ok to say 'Paki'?

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We all know it's generally used as an insult. There are exceptions to this, for example between members of the same race or between close friends where it has been established as humerous, but generally no, as we all know it's usually used as an insult of the lowest kind.

Reply 21

hayder18

as long as you dont offend any1.. because it is ilegal... say pik-paks instead :biggrin:

Reply 22

Chengis

Original post by SatanIsAwesome

Why would 'paki' be considered racist?
It has no negative connotations that I can think of and i've never met anyone who gets offended by it.

Skin heads in the 70's and 80's targetted Pakis.

A film about it:

Reply 23

jb9191

Original post by Jarlsberg

You really abbreviate "sheepshagger" when referring to a Welsh person?

You changed Welsh to Sheepshagger :smile:

Being Welsh I'm not assed.

1 nil to the Sheepshaggers.

http://fanchants.com/football-songs/cardiff_city-chants/1-nil-sheep-shaggers/

Reply 24

linkdapink

I wouldn't ever use it, if I was referring to someone from Pakistan, I would call them a Pakistani. It's become so derogatory in the modern day that its no longer acceptable because of the negative connotations.

Reply 25

O_RLY?

Well I don't like it because:

a) I'm not Pakistani, but Indian/Sri Lankan
b) I have been called it in an offensive manner before.
c) What's wrong with 'pakistani'?

Reply 26

jb9191

Wow I get neg repped for stating facts

Us normal british and americans and australian have our nationality abbreviated every day.

Next time I get called a Brit or a Taffy then I'm taking that person to court. I've been called a taffy by loads of non British people.

Why is it any different for them? What makes them any better than us? Nothing.

Its because of this very stupid PC leglislation which is leading to a division in cultures and racism.

If we were all put on an equal pedestal then that would be fair, however we are not.

If Pakistani's cannot be called Paki's *no offence* but only Pakistani's

then

British people should not be called Brits but only British.

..

If a non British person ever calls me a Brit I'm gonna knock the racist out. I am BRITISH!

BRITISH LEGION
BRITISH ARMY

CALL US BRITISH.

Reply 27

MagicNMedicine

If you look at the reasons why it's generally regarded as offensive, its quite a sinister form of patronising.

People will always say "why is it not offensive if someone shortens British to Brit or Australian to Aussie but it is if you shorten Pakistani to Paki" but yes it does have insulting connotations. However I would definitely say it is white people who find it more offensive than asians, who liberally use the word amongst themselves.

If you call someone a Brit or an Aussie you are reminding them of their nationality and ethnic identity and if you call someone a Paki you are reminding them of theirs.

To us white Brits, its offensive to remind someone that they are from Pakistan. Therefore we regard it as racist. It's kind of like its offensive to remind someone that they are fat or wear glasses. The real reason white people have tagged offence onto the word is (IMO) a form of patronising mockery of Pakistanis, its like saying "oh my gosh we KNOW he's from Pakistan, you don't have to REMIND HIM". I reckon the Pakistanis have worked this out and laugh at us about it, I remember going to a cricket match one time and the Pakistan fans had this placard saying PAKI POWER.

I don't use the word in front of other white people because I don't want them to think I'm making a racial slur however I grew up in a heavily asian area and most of my friends in my teenage years had Pakistani or Indian parents, they used the word all the time with no malice, the white kids to use it with them as well and nobody blinked an eyelid.

Reply 28

inspirational912

u can tell by the tone of someone whether they meant it in an offensive way or not, so i think that it depends.
if u say it meaning offence then no its not ok, otherwise i don't think its a big problem... and ultimately it depends on the person your talking to/about, because if they don't like the term then you shouldn't use it around them.

Reply 29

thedepressedchild

Original post by Chengis

In a modern-day context, with no refference intended to 80's racism.

I mean I am Afghan but I don't insist on you calling me an Afghanistani...I call them Pakis anyway since I see nothing wrong with it.

I just want to know whether the TSR community see's this as socially wrong? would you take offence to it? is it similar to calling a black man a ni**er?

It's perfectly fine to say it, aslong as you run for your life aftwerwards.

Reply 30

the greatest

Very debatable topic indeed..... Really up to you obviously but in my mind I personally wouldnt!

( probably due to the fact ive got indian roots )

Reply 31

EsStupido

Prefer to say Joe Daki myself.

Reply 32

username392640

Original post by Ape Gone Insane

It is just a short form in the sense of Brit and British. But it has evolved to the degree (mainly because of it being used to incite racial hatred) where it is automatically seen as derogatory, insulting or racist. The negative usage has changed the 'meaning'. So, in the modern day context, probably not okay. It's not much effort to add an extra two syllables.

Where it becomes even more offensive is when people, out of ignorance, choose to use the term and apply it to members of other nationalities such as Indians.

This. If someone calls me a paki, I don't take it offensive unless I dislike that person then I will take offence.

Reply 33

jb9191

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pL6iuw-g0

Reply 34

digistar_100

Original post by SatanIsAwesome

Why would 'paki' be considered racist?
It has no negative connotations that I can think of and i've never met anyone who gets offended by it.

idiot

Reply 35

Chengis

Original post by MagicNMedicine

I totally agree & get 100% what you mean. White people are nowadays so scared to offend others that they either offend them anyway by being so patronising or get offended more by the comment than the person of that race would.

Reply 36

jb9191

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgd8tzct3ZY

Reply 37

NeonSkies

Original post by jb9191

I wouldn't in case some politically correct idiot decided to go over the top and prosecute however in real terms I don't see the issue.

We use abbreviation terms every day

Welsh - Taffy/Sheepshagger
English - Manc/Cockney/Scouser/Brummie
Scottish - Scots/Jocks
Irish - Paddies/Tinkers

Americans - Yanks

British - Brits

Spanish - Spaniards

French - Frogs

Polish - Poles

Czechoslovakians - Czechs

Australia - Aussie

Saudi Arabian - Arab

Japanese - Jap

Chinese - Chinc

Argentinians - Argies

Turkish - Turks

----

Its just the stupid PC brigade in this country going over the top.

Actually if you were to call a Japanese person a 'Jap' this is a huge insult to them which was used during the second World War. I wouldn't be so complacent about the terms not causing offence; it's not the fact it is not politically correct, it is just downright offensive.