Shocked at my friend.

summerspring

Person_one wrote: »

A very very brief google will provide you with plenty of historical information as to why the term 'half caste' is inappropriate, and the views and experiences of many people who have been referred to as such and how it makes them feel.

Even if you don't understand why it might be offensive, why take a chance? If there's even a possibility that a word you use (but don't have to use at all) is hurtful and upsetting to others, why would you use that word? Is continuing to say 'half caste' regardless more important to you than potentially hurting other people's feeling and offending them? If so why?

I can't say it's a term I use particularly often. Unless I know who someone's parents are I wouldn't know if they were mixed race/half-caste/whatever the current politically correct word is, or whether they were just a light-skinned black person anyway. You can't always tell.


Interesting that in the one case where I DID know the parentage of the person, namely her mum was white and her dad was black, the girl herself described herself as half-caste. So it's not offensive. Only to those who delight in taking offence, and there are quite a few of them around.

missbiggles1

My reference to the USA was in relation to the word coloured, nothing to do with half caste - they had their own offensive words for that!

Given that the caste part of the term comes from the Latin term for pure, it's by definition offensive and has all sorts of negative links (both sociological and linguistic) to the concept of racial purity.

Person_one

summerspring wrote: »

the girl herself described herself as half-caste. So it's not offensive.

All that tells you is that one individual didn't mind on that occasion.

summerspring

Person_one wrote: »

All that tells you is that one individual didn't mind on that occasion.

ASSUME:

Making an !!! out of U and ME

Your assumption that it was one person and one occasion is wrong. Therefore your assertions are falling flat and you are showing yourself to be an offence-taker on behalf of others.

It was actually someone I knew well, for many years.

Person_one

summerspring wrote: »

ASSUME:

Making an !!! out of U and ME

Your assumption that it was one person and one occasion is wrong. Therefore your assertions are falling flat and you are showing yourself to be an offence-taker on behalf of others.

It was actually someone I knew well, for many years.

summerspring

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Given that the caste part of the term comes from the Latin term for pure, it's by definition offensive and has all sorts of negative links (both sociological and linguistic) to the concept of racial purity.

It's been known to mean race since the 16th century :rotfl:
About 30% of English words originally come from Latin, how far do you want to go back?

The word miracle comes from the Latin mira, meaning strange. So if you call someone a miracle, you're calling them strange :rotfl:

You are really clutching at straws with this argument of yours that the original Latin meaning of a word gives you the green light to take offence on behalf of others.

Air_Cooled_75

There is no such thing as 'race', certainly from a scientific view. We all belong to the human race. You can be a bigot by all means (well, you shouldn't be but you know what I mean) but I think it's time to consign race/racism/racist to the same bin as the words already discussed here. Although I think it's still used as it's more emotive that bigotry etc.

summerspring

Person_one wrote: »

I see you bolded just the bit that suits you.. I knew her for many years. Not just one occasion. So your assumption was wrong, as you know.

You've run out of arguments to back up your assertions so you just look for internet memes, ha!

barbarawright

summerspring wrote: »

I see you bolded just the bit that suits you.. I knew her for many years. Not just one occasion. So your assumption was wrong, as you know.

You've run out of arguments to back up your assertions so you just look for internet memes, ha!

So you use the term half-caste because you know *one* person who doesn't find it offensive even though you are aware that many people do? Nice.

summerspring

barbarawright wrote: »

So you use the term half-caste because you know *one* person who doesn't find it offensive even though you are aware that many people do? Nice.

Sorry, can you tell me what part of the following sentence you don't understand?

summerspring wrote: »

I can't say it's a term I use particularly often.

And look at old silly-nose, thanking your post, lol