I am extreemly irritated by the use of this term “DESI” for people from Pakistan. What an insulting connotation to it. What would the people from West be called, “VALAITI”…
Amazing to say that this term Desi has been used by those who are themselves “American/British born confused desi”
People somehow tend to forget their “Asal” and wear fake identities which they will never be able to take up. How easy it is to insult others of your kind by calling them desi…
Re: Why the term "DESI"
How do you find the term desi derrogatory and what does it have to do with forgetting ones asal? I think if they started calling themselves strictly american or british or aussies or whatever, that would be forgetting ones 'asal'.
Re: Why the term "DESI"
Femme what this stems from is that back in the day the ppl back in the old country used the term desi for an uncouth, uncivilized, country bumpkin.
What the gentleman initiatlizing this thread does not realize that while he is accusing the 'abcds' and 'bbcds' of coming up with and using this term, the term is infact used by this group as well as the new arrivals on these shores (commonly referred to as FOBS) and the term is a generic term for items, ppl, events that have something to do with South Asia, and more specifically India and Pakistan. I have not realy seen people use the term desi for afghani, bangladeshi, nepalese, or srilankan stuff.
The term is not meant to be an insult, but is more a modern day alternative to the trm indo-pak.
Re: Why the term "DESI"
are u tryin to sayin its the same thing as nigga
and couldnt the word desi come from the saying "mera desh hai mahaan" (my country is great) desh:desi....have similar roots...u know
Re: Why the term "DESI"
i thought the word "desi" came from the word Pardesi....
Re: Why the term "DESI"
des-pardes 9where des means homeland)
desi-pardesi..
but the term lahore981 is using is a different meaning of the same word that could mean rural/country-side kinda like desi ghee, etc
Re: Why the term "DESI"
exactly..
Re: Why the term "DESI"
right-on! I personally use the term “desi” to avoid having to say “Pakistani slash Indian”. To me its simply an umbrella label to refer to a diverse group of people who share many experiences esp. in the context of living outside their native countries. I don’t see anything wrong with the vernacular use of the term while referring to the South Asian diaspora.
Re: Why the term "DESI"
You don't consider bangalis as desis?
Re: Why the term "DESI"
By the way "FOB" is used by other cultures/nationalities also. And Bengalis are included in the Desi set.
Re: Why the term "DESI"
never gave it that much thought but in my default mindset, I usually only include Pakistanis and Indians - perhaps because of the spoken language commonality.
Re: Why the term "DESI"
its better than being called hindi like in the middle east
Re: Why the term "DESI"
I know many people who use the word 'desi' just so they can group themselves with a larger number of people and feel cocooned. So, if there are 3 Pakistanis and 27 Indians in a location, they'd say, "oh, we have 30 desis here". Viola!
Re: Why the term "DESI"
I like the term desi. Its better than calling ppl paki or indu pindu etc.
Re: Why the term "DESI"
you prefer brown?
Re: Why the term "DESI"
"Desi" just means someone from the "des" (motherland). It's not a derogatory term in the least. You see Spanish speakers call themselves "Latinos," even though they are from different countries. It simply indicates a common language and heritage.
I think you're confusing "desi" with "paki." That's a derogatory term because it was coined by white people for that purpose. Like calling a black person the 'n" word (originally Negro) or calling a Chinese person a "chink" or a Japanese person a "jap" or a Mexican a "spic."
Re: Why the term "DESI"
nothign wrong with using the word desi...i used to say "brown pple" when referring to both indian and pakistani..now i say desi....i barely use the word FOB...instead i use the word Refs (for when i see loser desi guys staring at girls at desi events)....
Re: Why the term "DESI"
In the UK we tend to call asians from the subcontenent 'freshies'...as in fresh off the boat...