Thread: Language Timothy

Female pop star Billy Eilish has had to prostrate herself before the media because of having once used a word which apparently is so bad that it could not be referred to even using the *** notation on any major news website.

A lot of googling turned the word up to seemingly be 'chink'

There was one website that was crazy enough to explain that she had said 'c***k' from which I was able to cunningly deduce that the word must probably be chink.

I then googled chink and found the Wikipedia page that claims it is a highly offensive racial slur akin to 'n****r'.

I know in these racially hyper-sensitive times of the past 12 months that everyone is walking on linguistic ethnic eggshells but I was surprised that the Wikipedia page does not make any reference to what I understand to be the term's relatively benign historical use.

When I was a kid 'chinky' was a name for a chinese restaurant or takeaway and was not thought of or intended to be disparaging. It was if anything a familiar and affectionate nickname.

By Wikipedia saying that the term is and always has been exclusively a highly offensive slur it seems like history is being rewritten for the benefit of the ultra-sensitive modern day frumps.

In these matronly and frowning times I would be unlikely to use the term myself in the company of chinese people but I don't think of it as especially offensive as an ethnic nickname.

By all means mark it as impolite today, and to be avoided, but don't rewrite linguistic history for the purposes of white-washed political newspeak.

Yeah like fuck, I bet her money men have been all over her about sales in Chinastan.

The term "chink" has always been derogatory. No idea what shit looper is smoking, but must be some good stuff for him to come up with that crock of shit.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

No idea what shit looper is smoking

Just another Aussie stuck in 1974.

The days when people said 'Nigger' and he thought it wasn't racist. Because he was six.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

The term "chink" has always been derogatory

Yup, can't remember when it wasn't . . . and never heard heard the local Chinese restaurant being called 'chinky'. Maybe in Qld, but not NSW

^ No idea why my post got deleted.

Originally Posted by Looper

ut I don't think of it as especially offensive as an ethnic nickname.

Just because you think it is offensive, does not mean it is not offensive.

Originally Posted by Looper

In these matronly and frowning times I would be unlikely to use the term myself in the company of chinese people but I don't think of it as especially offensive as an ethnic nickname.

...if you don't think the term chinky is offensive, why not use it in the company of Chinese folks? A good example of smug white supremacist condescension...again...

I suppose I am partly thinking of the distinction between chinky as a reference to a meal or restaurant vs chinky as a reference to a person.

I don't see the meal/restaurant reference as offensive except that it shares the word with the slightly more dubious person reference so you probably would not use the meal reference when talking to a chinese person.

But even as a reference to a person, chinky is essentially simply a shortening of the work Chinese. Nobody considers Aussie to be offensive or other nicknames like kiwi.

It all seems to be symptom of a kind of matronly frumpiness that has crept into certain areas of language policing.

Jap is short for Japan. Brit is short for Britain. You might not call a Japanese person a Jap to their face but it is hardly an offensive word generally. Indo for Indoniesian.

What is so offensive about abbreviating a country name to refer to citizens in some cases but not others?

Even calling an Irishman a paddy is acceptable if it is done in good humour. So why is calling a chinese person a chinky such a capital offence that it cannot even be printed using asterisks?

It may seem slightly casual and familiar but that is in the nature of nicknames. You have to choose when it is appropriate to use them.

To retrospectively caste 'chinky' in the same class as n*****r and then publicly shame people who have used the term in the past seems like unnecessary linguistic political revisionism.

Looper, since you have trouble.

Originally Posted by Looper

chinky

Not OK.

Originally Posted by Looper

Jap

Not Ok.

Originally Posted by Looper

Brit

OK.

Originally Posted by Looper

Aussie

OK.

Originally Posted by Looper

kiwi

OK.

Originally Posted by Looper

Indo

OK.

Indon

Not OK.

Originally Posted by Looper

paddy

depends.

Wog

Not OK.

Paki

Not OK.

Abo

Not OK.


Any others you are unsure about?

Originally Posted by TheRealKW

Any others you are unsure about?

...I hope Looper prints out this handy pocket guide for quick reference in the event he encounters a non-white mowing his lawn, cleaning his pool, preparing his meals or admiring his smugness...

Originally Posted by tomcat

I hope Looper prints out this handy pocket guide for quick reference in the event he encounters a non-white mowing his lawn, cleaning his pool, preparing his meals or admiring his smugness

Perhaps we could summarize it for him

Nicknames for non-whites - Not OK.
Nicknames for whites - depends, but usually ok.

Originally Posted by TheRealKW

Nicknames for non-whites - Not OK.
Nicknames for whites - depends, but usually ok.

Why is one OK but the other not ok.

Originally Posted by Slick

Why is one OK but the other not ok.

You need to educate yourself if you really don't know the difference. It's not my job.

Originally Posted by Norton

We humans must like these slurs as we and some more than others seem to relish their use. Reckon it's a way folks elevate themselves by pushing down others?

Indeed it is.

Originally Posted by Slick

Why is one OK but the other not ok.

Because one has been used innocuously or as a term of endearment over the years and one, well, hasn't.

You really need that explaining?

It seems a lot of posters are offended? Trying to re-write history through contemporary perspectives is not a very good idea. Times change and language used will be adapted over time. No need to be virtuous about it. Let transitions develop at individual levels rather than slating or defending any ethnic group, just because it’s fashionable to do so.

The preposterous BLM developed from just this kind of virtue signaling.

I happen to be an older white male who has benefitted from the ‘privilege’ attached to growing up in the west.

Originally Posted by Switch

Trying to re-write history through contemporary perspectives is not a very good idea.

Recognizing the pain that ethnic slurs can cause is not rewriting history.

Originally Posted by TheRealKW

Recognizing the pain that ethnic slurs can cause is not rewriting history.

Mr. Social Justice over here....

Originally Posted by Slick

Mr. Social Justice over here....

...Mr. White-is-Right over there...