riddle@im4u.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle) (09/12/85)
I titled the previous article "A press for Indians in North America" for
lack of anything better, but I'm certainly not happy with the phrase.
What's preferable? I can think of the following choices, all with some
problems:
-- Indian-Americans (easily confused with American Indians)
-- South-Asian-Americans
-- Bharati-Americans
-- Deshi-Americans
-- "Paki" (often used derogatorily, I know)
And of course, the suffix "-Americans" can be replaced with lots of
variations on "(living) in (North) America." It seems to me I once saw an
acronym (reminiscent of "WASP" or "Yuppie") in India Abroad, but I don't
recall what it was.
Personally, I like "Bharati-Americans" best, but of course most non-Indians
don't know what "Bharat" means. Any ideas?
[And while we're at it, what do you call a non-Indian? My fiancee and I
sometimes use the word "gringo," but I wouldn't expect it to catch on. :-) ]
--- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.")
--- {ihnp4,harvard,seismo,gatech}!ut-sally!riddle riddle@sally.UTEXAS.EDU
--- Leaving the net soon: friends can write for my new snail-mail address.jis1@mtgzz.UUCP (j.mukerji) (09/16/85)
> I titled the previous article "A press for Indians in North America" for > lack of anything better, but I'm certainly not happy with the phrase. > What's preferable? I can think of the following choices, all with some > problems: > -- Indian-Americans (easily confused with American Indians) > -- South-Asian-Americans > -- Bharati-Americans > -- Deshi-Americans > -- "Paki" (often used derogatorily, I know) The Census Bureau uses the term "Asian-Indians" to refer to this group of people. I guess the fact that the "Asian-Indians" who are referred to are Americans, is implicit. Jishnu Mukerji AT&T Information Systems Labs Holmdel NJ
raghu@rlgvax.UUCP (Raghu Raghunathan) (09/17/85)
> I titled the previous article "A press for Indians in North America" for > lack of anything better, but I'm certainly not happy with the phrase. > What's preferable? > --- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.") How about "Indo-Americans"? (can't possibly be confused with American Indians. Pesonally, I think American Indians should be called Native Americans since the "Indian" in the American Indian is obviously a misnomer, but that is beside the point). Or how about "Indomericans"? - raghu
akhanna@bbncc5.UUCP (Atul C. Khanna) (09/20/85)
In article <517@im4u.UUCP> riddle@im4u.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle) writes: >I titled the previous article "A press for Indians in North America" for >lack of anything better, but I'm certainly not happy with the phrase. >What's preferable? I can think of the following choices, all with some >problems: > > -- Indian-Americans (easily confused with American Indians) > -- South-Asian-Americans > -- Bharati-Americans > -- Deshi-Americans > -- "Paki" (often used derogatorily, I know) I think that the term "Paki" (when used) refers exclusively to people of Pakistani origin.
welch@osu-eddie.UUCP (Arun Welch) (09/21/85)
I've always considered myself an Indo-American, if that helps out any.
--
Arun Welch
Ohio State University
uucp: {ihnp4,cbosgd}!osu-eddie!welch
csnet: welch@ohio-state.CSNET
Arpa: welch@rutgersajei@magic.UUCP (Ajei S. Gopal) (09/22/85)
In article <330@bbncc5.UUCP> akhanna@bbncc5.UUCP (Atul C. Khanna) > In article <517@im4u.UUCP> riddle@im4u.UUCP (Prentiss Riddle) writes: > >I titled the previous article "A press for Indians in North America" for > >lack of anything better, but I'm certainly not happy with the phrase. > >What's preferable? I can think of the following choices, all with some > >problems: > > -- "Paki" (often used derogatorily, I know) > I think that the term "Paki" (when used) refers exclusively to people > of Pakistani origin. I have heard the term "Paki" used in England, and it brings back unpleasant memories. When a racist feels that he has to make speak elequoently about the immigration issue ("You f*ing Paki! Get out of my country!"), he usually doesnt stop to clarify his victim's nationality. ajei