The Skakagrall

Because the vast majority of Asians resident in the UK are from the sub-continent.

For similar reasons "Asian" in the US refers to East Asia.

It's all very complicated, isn't it? Anyway, it's not 'Asians' that are the problem (wherever they come from). It's Islam.

To be more specific (and before everyone jumps on me) it's 'radical' Islam. Or anyone who thinks the 'Nation of Islam' (whatever the hell that is) is more important than the society they live in.

I agree, Simon, it is very strange. The only merit I can find in restricting, in practise, the usage of the term 'asian' to Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans is that it avoids usage of the pretty offensive term 'Paki' as a generic.

I've sometimes heard the term 'south asian' used instead, but this tends to be by people who have some knowledge of the region, which most people in this country don't.

Welcome David, and thanks for your comment!

As an inclusive term 'Asian' is obviously accurate and in my experience it is used in that way in America. The Chinese are 'Asian' but so are the Japanese, Indians etc.

In Britain 'Asian' seems to be used, officially as well as unofficially, as an exclusive term.

Bill,

It's interesting to note that Pakistan is in fact a 20th invention, an acronym for Punjab, Afghan frontier, Kashmir, and the Indus valley.

Before 1947 I believe most people would have called themselves 'Indian' - and of course Bengali, Punjabi, Kashmiri etc.

Simon, is that really true, that the p.a.k.i. bit of the word Pakistan is simply an acronym of the names of four constituent states? I slap my thigh in joy - it is true that you learn something every day! (... if you read The Skakagrall...)

How about the B. for the Bengali bit that was the old East Pakistan? Or would "Pakibstan" just not have rolled off the tongue very well? The K. from Kashmir is also an interesting feature.

Yours impressedly, Stuart

Stuart,

Thank you for the compliment. The Skakagrall is a rambling publication but I hope it occasionally has its uses.

The PAKI-stan acronym was apparently invented by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, the founder of the Pakistan National Movement, in 1933. He was at Cambridge . . . [insert your smiley of choice here]. Apparently he wanted Muslim Bengal to be called 'Bang-i-Islam'. It's odd that it ended up as 'East Pakistan'. Perhaps that was indicative of the unequal relationship which led to the breakup in 1971.

Kashmir is majority Muslim but due to a quirky history (involving Mountbatten and a maharaja) it became part of India rather than Pakistan. A beautiful place, incidentally, great for tourism - house boats on Lake Dal, Mughal gardens, the Himalayas, ski resorts, wonderful food etc. - if only they can have peace.

Well... given that we Italians are the best in Europe, I guess it would be an honour for the rest of Europe to be refered as "Italy". Big nose, why did you think, among other countries, especially to Italy? ;-)