this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2026
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[–] REDACTED@infosec.pub 21 points 15 hours ago (4 children)

Seriously, I've heard people say "Pakis" as a short for Pakistani in a non-insulting way, similar to Spaniards or Aussies.

[–] Sanctus@anarchist.nexus 1 points 2 hours ago

Ah, but it is such a fun word! Shortening it takes out the fun of saying the full Pakistani.

[–] Nora@lemmy.dbzer0.com 29 points 13 hours ago

Funny enough it actually mentions in the Wikipedia article that most Americans are unfamiliar with the slur. I'll be honest without this thread if I heard someone say it, I would probably have used it unknowingly just assuming it was similar to Aussie or something.

This is not to make light of the slur, but if someone called me an "Ameri" I would probably just assume they're French, which might be meaner than anything they're trying to say to me.

[–] KingKong33@lemmy.ml 8 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Is Spaniard not the correct term?

[–] turdburglar@piefed.social 5 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

the one person from spain that i knew told me not to use it. she said it was like using ‘chinaman’

[–] Telodzrum@lemmy.world 10 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

“Spaniard” is the preferred and most-official demonym. IDK what she was on about.

[–] turdburglar@piefed.social 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

um, being from spain.

where you from internet stranger?

[–] Telodzrum@lemmy.world 10 points 12 hours ago

Canada originally, but I worked in Caceres and then Madrid for almost 15 years.

[–] Nora@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

NGL I sat here for like 40 seconds wondering what you call people from Spain before remembering that Spanish can refer to both language and people.

[–] Zagorath@quokk.au 3 points 4 hours ago

The bigger issue is that Spanish is an adjective, and we're looking for nouns. You can say "an Aussie" or "a Spaniard". You can't say "a Spanish".

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I’ve heard people say “Pakis” as a short for Pakistani in a non-insulting way

Non-insulting according to whom? Some people are so ingrained to racism that they don't even sound racist. It's like old people who say "negro" but don't mean to offend. They're just unconsciously recycling the racism in which they were indoctrinated.

[–] Nora@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 11 hours ago

As discussed in this thread, America doesnt really have the same historical racist context. I would not be shocked if Pakistani people here were okay with it because the context is different or i would not be shocked if American Pakistanis also didn't know. This is not a defense of the word, I will not (and really have never used it) just idly noting that context is very important.