I'm pissed, yo.
This phrase is a normalized part of the English language for me. Not to say I am pissed all the time - but when I am, I rarely will express it as: Well, I am angry.
Slang is associated with many things - the evolution of language, the re-appropriation of terms and the misappropriation of terms.
Slang can be so whacked out in your own language, so why does it always seem even stranger in other languages? The connection from the slang term to the actual term seems so much more distant in other languages because of our own ignorance of the language and it's many intricacies.
So, while visiting my dear friend Andreea in Spain, she mentioned to me that the word for variety store here is Paki. And for dollar store, Chino.
Huh?
Those who grew up in Spain have assured me these are not racist terms. They simply refer to the short-form term for ethnicities that tend to own these kind of stores. They are perceived as innocuous terms with no latent negative meaning.
I am most interested in the use of Paki, given it's long ugly history. The power to create this slang and make it a mainstream phrase is not with Pakistanis, but most seem to think Pakistanis likely don't mind.
So how do the Pakis feel about this?
Andreea and I have decided to explore the subject further. Stay tuned.
