It's not simply an abbreviation of Pakistani, though, is it?
The meaning, history and connotations of a word are not the same as its etymology.

I can understand that someone ignorant might use it without knowing it was offensive, since Afghanis come from Afghanistan and so on, but there's no excuse for growing up in this country not learning it's a hate-filled term. And let's not forget that it was being used as part of a joke implying that they're all lazy scroungers roffle.
( Newington, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 14:50, archived)

I wasn't brought up to be racist
But I was brought up calling my local newsagent the 'paki shop', simply as a slang term. In fact I got on with the owners of that shop pretty well.

I don't know any pakistani's personally, but I am good friends with Indian and Bangladeshis and if I were to meet a pakistani I would not hold any prejudice against them.
( shitshitshitshit x_x, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 14:55, archived)

Ever call it the paki shop in front of the owners?

( Newington, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 14:57, archived)

I can't imagine a situation where I would
Most of the time it was just things like.. "We're out of milk, is the paki shop still open?".

I don't say that anymore, and just because I used it as a kid doesn't mean I was racist.
( shitshitshitshit x_x, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:02, archived)

no, it means you didn't know better.
now you do. If you were to use it now, it would be racist.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:04, archived)

Oh fair enough
Can I still say i'm going for a chinkies without everyone wobbling?
( shitshitshitshit x_x, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:06, archived)

I'm not wobbling
Just find such a level of ignorance and prejudice astonishing in the 21st century.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:07, archived)

Predjudice?
Isn't it prejudiced to assume that someone who has used the word 'paki' is an ignorant, narrow-minded racist?
( shitshitshitshit x_x, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:10, archived)

No, it's entirely reasonable.

( rnuk http://flickr.com/rnuk, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:12, archived)

In that case
I had better introduce you to my Indian, Bangladeshi, Japanese, Nigerian, South African and Greek friends. And you can ask them if I have ever pre-judged them based on their ethnicity.
( shitshitshitshit x_x, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:15, archived)

What about
All the Pakistani cricket fans who go to matches with big banners reading "Paki Power?"
( Lord Gnome, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:15, archived)

That's a racist term in my eyes

( Blue Star was working part time at the 5 and Dime, Thu 26 Jun 2008, 15:08, archived)