COOLIE is it an offensive word...

[franksterr]

I remember growing up in Jamaica, where I had several friends we called "coolie" they never took offense. Just recently I received a new understudy and the young man introduced himself , noting that his Indian name was challenging me, he said I could call him "coolie" for convenience, as that is what he is known as....I said that I could not call him that as it might be thought of as being a racist term. He laughed.

Is it a Racist word somewhat akin "ni99er"?

[Skelly]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

well it has to be taken in context...

[franksterr]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

give an example when it is appropriate and when it is not?

[Skelly]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

wen is appropriate - wen dem seh it is ok

wen it is not - wen dem seh it is not or have not given any indication to the contrary....




jus like di nga usage....some folks refer to demselves as ngas...or dem colleagues will refer to dem as such...but mek a non blk person call dem dat den is grounds fi war....


to be safe altogether just avoid using terms that are generally regarded as derogatory....


btw...di man is indian but wen mi pist off wid him he is coolie

[Derek]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">btw...di man is indian but wen mi pist off wid him he is coolie </div></div>

How would you feel if he called you the N word when he's peed off? Does he?


Wasn't coolie originally the colonial, British Empire word for their indian workers?

[barosa]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: franksterr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I remember growing up in Jamaica, where I had several friends we called &quot;coolie&quot; they never took offense. Just recently I received a new understudy and the young man introduced himself , noting that his Indian name was challenging me, he said I could call him &quot;coolie&quot; for convenience, as that is what he is known as....I said that I could not call him that as it might be thought of as being a racist term. He laughed.

Is it a Racist word somewhat akin &quot;ni99er&quot;? </div></div>
Your question made me smile, because as a youngster I learnt the nuances of using the word &quot;coolie&quot;... The word itself is not a racist word as &quot;ni99er&quot; is.. &quot;Coolie&quot; was or still is a descriptive word which denotes a member of the labouring class in India, whereas &quot;ni99er&quot; was a made up word by Slavers in the American South...

Coolies may have belong to a paricular group of common labourers in India.. What level or types were they, when they were enticed or induced to to leave India for a better life in the New World?.. Only the British Colonisers knew, since they had a good knowledge of the rigid caste system in India... To the British, they were known as &quot;coolies&quot; and the rest of us just went along with it...

From my take, they were looked down on, even by we &quot;blacks&quot; not because of &quot;race&quot; but because of &quot;class&quot;; we always felt &quot;superior&quot; to them because they were virtually used as &quot;slaves&quot; after slavery was abolished when we stopped working as such... In more enlightened times, we got to be more tollerant of them, they of us and a more mutual relationship developed. We no longer used the word &quot;coolie&quot; in addressing them though it is used behind their backs.. In racial matters, they were Indians or East Indians... Today, they are <span style="font-weight: bold">Jamaicans</span> of East Indian descent.
____________________________

Just like oil, the truth always float to the top..

[f0rTyLeGz]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

World English Dictionary
coolie or cooly
— n , pl -ies
1. a cheaply hired unskilled Oriental labourer
2. derogatory an Indian living in South Africa
........
My two cents is that <span style="font-style: italic">some</span> people might take offense so why choose that word for a nickname?

[Derek]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

But Jamaicans like their daughters to have coolie hair...

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

Offensive tearms by a rule are country,culture or period specific.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: franksterr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I remember growing up in Jamaica, where I had several friends we called &quot;coolie&quot; they never took offense. Just recently I received a new understudy and the young man introduced himself , noting that his Indian name was challenging me, he said I could call him &quot;coolie&quot; for convenience, as that is what he is known as....I said that I could not call him that as it might be thought of as being a racist term. He laughed.

Is it a Racist word somewhat akin &quot;ni99er&quot;? </div></div>

[neutral]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But Jamaicans like their daughters to have coolie hair... </div></div>

Hopefully not while the coolie is still attached to it.

[Derek]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Natral</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But Jamaicans like their daughters to have coolie hair... </div></div>

Hopefully not while the coolie is still attached to it. </div></div>



<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">Boom! Boom!</span></span>

[Wahalla]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Offensive tearms by a rule are country,culture or period specific.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: franksterr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I remember growing up in Jamaica, where I had several friends we called &quot;coolie&quot; they never took offense. Just recently I received a new understudy and the young man introduced himself , noting that his Indian name was challenging me, he said I could call him &quot;coolie&quot; for convenience, as that is what he is known as....I said that I could not call him that as it might be thought of as being a racist term. He laughed.

Is it a Racist word somewhat akin &quot;ni99er&quot;? </div></div> </div></div>

I would also add to your thesis personal....

It is a simple rule.. never call refer to someone in terms that knowingly will cause hurt or offense... Simple basic manners....

[Derek]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is a simple rule.. never call refer to someone in terms that knowingly <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 11pt">will</span></span> cause hurt or offense... Simple basic manners.... </div></div>




Change WILL to MAY and that's it.

[Skelly]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skelly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">btw...di man is indian but wen mi pist off wid him he is coolie </div></div>

How would you feel if he called you the N word when he's peed off? Does he?


Wasn't coolie originally the colonial, British Empire word for their indian workers? </div></div>

he has never said it to me in anger but wen we r bullishing each other he says the jacan version which is nayga.....all mi do in retaliation is call him ppl dem curry nga but that is just us.,.



yes you are right on the origin

[Skelly]

Re: COOLIE is it an offensive word...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But Jamaicans like their daughters to have coolie hair... </div></div>



but they can buy it downtown