How is it racist to call a Pakistani a Paki when I can call a British person a Brit?

Question

I am also allowed to called an Australian an Ozzie, aScottish person a Scot, etc. Where is the line drawn between a shortening of name and a racist slur?

Answer 1

its because of all of this political correctness sh**e

Answer 2

It probably comes down to context, we all know what a Paki shop is, but Oi Paki is not regarded as a term of endearment.
like all such problems the problem is that it is an insult to suggest anyone is of Pakkistanie descent, specially if they is an Azerbi or Bangla, worse still an injun or even a genuine decendent of Billy the conkerer wot come over in 1066.
Actually we bin callin Pakkys and the like OSSIES after Bin Laden for ages and they dont know how to cope!

Answer 3

I don't know but if I were a Pakistani I would not like to be called a Paki. On the other hand I don't mind to hear the words Pom or Brit or Scot or Ozzie.

Answer 4

I don't think its true Pakistani people that take offense to the term. From what I understand, "paki" is a generalized term used to describe someone of mid-eastern/asian origin, whether their from Pakistan or not. And considering the political tension between Pakistan and India, its the Indian people that take offense. They do not want to be referred to as Pakistani in any way. And in the west, there's little distinction between the two.

Answer 5

GOOD question... can't wait for the answers. I agree with you.

And I am not racist by a long way. Same as you can call someone fatty if the are fat.. or skinny if they are thin. I say I am a brit.. but I am not a paki.. actually I am welsh..but does that make me a taffy? wheyhey..........haha

Answer 6

This abbreviation was abhored from the people of Pakistan from the first day. It is the same as you cant call a black person Niger. We liked to be called Pakistani and not paki. And as someone has rightly pointed out, if you call an Irish a Brit or Scottish a Scotch, they will not be impressed.

Answer 7

I think the problem with the word 'paki' is that its most often used to describe anyone who is of indian origin, pakistani or not.

Answer 8

It would be considered racist despite, as you point out, we often shorten or abbreviate other races. This, i believe, is not because of the word itself but because of the negative use of the word by people who ARE racist - not saying they are racist because they use it but that many racist people deliberately use the word in a forceful, hateful derogatory way- often coupling it together in a sentence with insults and harsh swear words. This has gone on so widely for so long that now we only have to say or hear the word "Paki" and we automatically assosciate it with racism - because over time the word has taken on racist meaning. So due to how racists everywhere have used the word no one can now use it WITHOUT being called racist; you see racists long since claimed this word as their own and if we use it we get branded as being a racist ourselves...

Answer 9

It's just a question of the way the term has been used.

Since "Paki" has been used as racist abuse it should not be used by you if you don't want to appear racist.

Note, too, that you can't call Scottish people Scotch either, because it annoys them

Answer 10

Everyone from the Indian sub-continent was called 'paki', and it was used as a derogatory term. It used to be alright to call black people N.I.G.G.E.R. but white people nowadays are embarassed by the word they made up to describe a race of people people. Can't think why?

Answer 11

oh ffs,who on here from the U.K finds it offensive to be called a honky,because i dont.

Anymore than i am offended by being called a pom by the ozzies,get a life.