Kaffy Mintcake

Uh, no it's not. Here's another American who thinks a British accent on a man is pretty sexy. No, he won't sound like a meathead, he'll sound like a gentleman. Nothing wrong with that.

NC Penguin

I'm a born and bred Londoner and I've never heard anyone refer to their Chinese takeaway as a "chinky". I really do suggest you try saying that within earshot of either Chinatown in London and then you can decide whether it's a racist term or not.

Are you a closet BNP member?

Anna Clare

It's tiresome to "defend" sayings of yore. Rightly or wrongly (have it your way) that's how we order(ed) chinky food in London for 20 years.

My point (!) was that there are our UK "ways" and there are USA "ways" (including weird use of "Asian" to describe all Chinese, Japanese and Korean; but not Indian or Pakistani people).

I do not know,as it is a cultural issue, which is right or wrong . . . I live in USA so I live by USA mores.

Yawwn as to endless debate about "who is racist"?

Anna Clare

By the way, I worked for the London NHS and for London boroughs as a senior manager until May 2007. I think I am able to manage "political correctness" particular to UK.

Elvira

Freedom of speech does not give anyone the right to be offensive.

Londoners most certainly do not use that word to describe a Chinese takeaway.

*I am a Londoner*

Anna Clare

Yes they do! (Argument continues (but without me from here on!) : yes / no yes/ no lalala ad nauseum).

By the way my best friend is married to a Chinese man and they run a "Chinky" aka Chinese takeaway. Not an "Asian takeout" which i find offensive to all the differing peoples of Asia.

I think this one is exhausted, don't you?!

coachd

Hopefully!

Umpatan

Getting off the boat, being 'fresh off the boat' only applies to those of colour, especially those Asians (both South and East). I have heard of even funnier, about a Japanese Briton who spoke with an English accent in Vancouver. He is asked if he is Hong Kong Chinese, with people wondering if he was one of those elite Hong Kong Chinese who had a British education. When he travelled to Hong Kong, they also thought that he was one of theirs, except that he was a white washed banana for not being able to speak Cantonese. And to add to the fun, his girlfriend is actually a Hong Kong Chinese Canadian dual citizen.

jmh

Maybe you are not racist, but if you continue to use that term in London most people will assume you are. They are probably just too polite to say anything.

Umpatan

People are polite maybe in Canada, but Americans will probably tell you to your face if you are racist. Could you imagine the USA breaking up into five and parts of it joining Canada? I like the idea of the Quebec being given to the USA in exchange for California! I will then go live in San Francisco in the winter.

Not to change the topic a bit here, but I wonder how many US Marines will be saying SEMPER FI and Oorah, if the US economy collapse while they were in Iraq, and they learned that their Montgomery GI Bill was going to be worthless as the paper currency itself? I wonder how many will wonder rather than focusing on rebuilding some remote nation in the middle east, the fixing of their own homeland will be requiring attention instead?

I wonder if some people who are fan of Art Bell and George Nooray on 1410am Coast to Coast would think of this? (now, I don't give a damn about Whitley Strieber, but Catherine Austin Fitts, I am interest in listening to.)

Xebedee

We sound "gay"??
Hahahhhaahhha ha hahahhaa aahhhahah hahahahahh ha!
That's a new one.
Mind, the rare times I've ever had Yanks poke fun or make disparaging remarks about my accent or language, they've been the same predictable type. F150 with added goatee.

Of course, these same "guys" usually lay claim that a deep Southern accent on a Woman is "real sexy". A la Alabama or Georgia - yeah, if you like Women who sound like their last brain cell just evacuated their right ear.

Gay. Yeah, of course we sound gay.
'kin ell.

Xebedee

I use the word "chinky" all the time and have only been beaten up 27 times.

And I do like Chinese.

-even though they only come up to your knees
-but they're cute and cuddly and ready to please
-their ying and yang'ese
-they come from a long way overseas

I also like traffic lights.

clarissageo

I've been here about 4 months now, and when I first got here the endless stream of blank looks in Walmart (which was pretty much my limit of speaking to Americans) drove me to the point where I hated opening my mouth, and felt like my accent was a real hindrance....

However....

I started work about 5 weeks ago at a hotel that has just opened (2 days ago in fact) and up until our opening day it was very much an 'all hands on deck' situation with the whole team helping out the construction workers / housekeepers / cleaners etc.... it was then that I actually realised that my accent was a huge bonus, and a fantastic Icebreaker - the whole 'where are you from' was still there, but the comments were:
'I love your accent' (usually the girls).....
'damn thats a sexy accent'........ 'How about you follow me around all day and just talk to me'........ from the construction workers
oh, and the classic, which I struggled to control my bladder and my laughter at was 'Do you know what a xenophile is?..... its someone who is addicted to foreigners..... I realised last night that I am one, because I find your accent intoxicating.... honestly ma'am..... when you speak to me I feel drunk.... and please, don't get me on the subject of your beauty...'
I guess he thought he was being smooth!!

Since the hotel opened, I've worked two check ins, and about 50% of guests have commented on my accent. Its been a great Icebreaker, and has really got them talking - my manager has even had me playing problem solver when things have gone wrong (as they have, teething problems in a new building of course)...... apparently the theory is because I'm little, and I have this soft, british voice, it catches people on the back foot so they are less likely to shout!...... They've also said that my voice is more calming than some of the harsher accents that we have working with us!

Although I've changed some of the words I use (bin / garbage, trolley / cart, Dinner / Tea etc) to make life easier, I've now started to realise the benefits of having this 'sexy accent'!

Paul S

and Monty Python too I'm guessing

Floridared

I'm asked if I'm Irish almost daily, I have a Restaurant, so get many people coming through the door. Also if I'm Australian, but the one I always smile at, is when I'm asked if I'm Scottish!! I'm a Bristolian, so putting that accent on a par with Scottish would really upset our Northern cousins!!
I had been here for about a year, when two very nice old ladies wanted to see around the dance hall we have. After the usual questions, about where I come from, and finding out I'm English, one asked how lond I'd been in the States. I said about a year, and she replied "What's it like to live in a Free Country"