h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi

There is a conversation going on elsewhere on h2g2 about the use of a term which sounds like "packy" in Australia, and whether or not it is being used in a racist way. Some say that in Australia it isn't racist and it's just part of the Australian habit of abbreviating things, and others say that since it isn't that much more trouble to say "pakistani" it therefore shows a lack of respect.

It seemed easiest to come over and ask you guys what you think.

F135418?thread=2701059&skip=60&show=20#p31373518 and following.

B

it would probably depend on usage but it would be used similarly to poms especially when refering to cricket as in: we are playing the packys and the poms in the one day series next year.

I hope noone would take offense at that

okay i had to change the spelling of the word in question so someone must find it offensive which is a joke - no different to aussies rather than australians i would have thought

I agree - it's the Aussie way to add y to everything

Bickie - biscuit

Brecky - breakfast

Cocky - cockatoo

Naughty - oops ... never mind

I've never heard any Australian refer to Pakastani as Packys. Not that Australians never say anything racist, just it isn't something I'm familiar with as Australian slang.

pretty common around my pub - but as i said it is pretty much used only in reference to cricket.

I guess at the end of the day there aren't that many Pakistanis in Australia, certainly nothing like the concentration of them in certain parts of the UK mentioned in the other forum