2006-11-23 06:11:13 · 10 answers · asked by LondonLou 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Indian giver is an American English expression used for any individual who gives something and then either takes it back or wants to take it back.
The expression Indian giver is based on the belief that Native Americans would lend items to the settlers, in other words, let them borrow necessities. The settlers thought that this was a gift from the Native Americans; hence, they were shocked when the Native Americans asked for their items back.
The expression also may have derived from the Native American tribes lack of a conception of property rights, which would have been an alien notion to European settlers. Most tribes utilized only communal property standards.
Some consider the phrase a racial stereotype because using the term to denote a person who takes back what they previously gave implies that Native Americans might commonly practice this. It also uses the term Indian to denote Native American, which can be offensive to some.
2006-11-23 06:13:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 1⤋
Indian Giver Definition
2016-09-30 02:06:59 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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RE:
What does the term 'Indian giver' mean and where did it originate from?
2015-08-10 23:51:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When we were kids we would call each other Indian givers if one of us gave something away then wanted it back, Im not sure where this originated from, maybe it has something to do with the land?
2006-11-23 09:02:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its a term for a person that gives you a gift and then either takes it back or wants it back. I believe that it originated in america with the indians.
2006-11-23 06:20:45 · answer #5 · answered by butterfly*effect 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Taking back what was given, not following through on promises. Comes from all the broken treaties whites had with native american Indians.
2016-03-15 05:18:27 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
indians from india,in my former south africa,we knew a lot of indians.they give you something ,but lo and behold if they dont ask for it back,it happened to me many times.from mikhal in israel.
2006-11-23 07:02:10 · answer #7 · answered by mikhal k 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has to do with a misunderstanding of property traditions practised by natives when early settlers came to Amercia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_giver
2006-11-23 06:18:32 · answer #8 · answered by Lynn K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it means someone who gives something, then wants to take it back
2006-11-23 06:55:29 · answer #9 · answered by ניקול 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means after you give someone a gift then tell them you want it back....i dunno where it came from
2006-11-23 06:13:19 · answer #10 · answered by Jilm_Jones 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋