Difficult one
...because at what point is for example "Paki shop" - personally for me that's over the line; whereas saying "Going for a Chinky" is (I think) acceptable.

I don't think it's so much the words, as they way they are said. On the other hand, as a white person, what would I know ? The only time I've been racially insulted was being called a nigger by a black kid (and yes, it was meant as an insult, not a Tarrantino-style attempt at bonding).
(TheImmortalJenkins, Mon 31 Oct 2011, 15:59, 1 reply)

both terms are a bad as the other
as they cause offense to those races. Whether you think it is acceptable or not does not actually matter. The effect language has on the recipient does.

Would you feel comfortable going upto a Chinese person and saying "oi Chinky"?

Quote - "On the other hand, as a white person, what would I know ?" Being white is not really an excuse either, believe it or not I actually know one or two white people who are reasonably clever, not many but a few. (sorry I could not resist it...)
( sutit only the crumbliest, flakiest posts, Mon 31 Oct 2011, 20:28, closed)