Is the term "Gora" a racial slur or not?

[Chak Bamu]

Depends on three things. 1. Context, 2. Location, 3. User.

I can use it without it being meant as a racial slur. But then that is Lahore. It could be different elsewhere and by someone else.

 

[jaunty]

It doesn't matter whether you find it offensive or not, what matters is whether the "Gora" finds it offensive or not.

If someone calls a black guy, you black guy, he d definitely find it offensive, if someone calls me a brown guy I would find it offensive, similarly if someone calls a White guy, a white guy he may find it offensive too.

Yet the words white or black are commonly used in the mainstream without any racial connotations right? Similarly it's wrong to say that gora or kala are outright racist words.

 

[Awesome]

"Goray" just means westerner... colloquially. Literally it means white guy.

White skin is appreciated and while Goray may be used negatively, it will purely be in its "westerner" meaning.

The other day I met someone say "Obama drone attacks se baaz nahi araha, goray kabhi apne goals se backoff nahi karte"

"Obama's not going to stop the drone attacks, these goray never backoff from their goals".

Of course its also normally used like "Yeh Pathan kitna gora hai". "How white is that Pathan!"

Kaala is almost always referred as negatively. When you have to mention someone is not white - one always prefers to use politer terms like Sanwala (brownish color, like Musharraf or Shaukat Aziz). In Pakistani terms Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif would also be called Goray - but not negatively.

In Pakistan its considered okay to make fun of someone Pakistani a kaala, like it won't be AS big a deal as it is in America. Its not meant to be the same.

Of course, we mean it just as bad when referring to a black American as a kaala. In Va you'd notice the desis prefer or seek out white neighborhoods, for being safer, although thats pretty much what so many others may be doing.

Its complex and all very much to do with the situation. If you think the racism is light-ish, better to live with it. Mostly there'd be other issues of your personality and their personalities causing the friction.

Of course on PDF we follow international standards and do raise an objection when people might go down that path.

 

[Hyperion]

Dude, aren't ***** white as well? I don't know of one who isn't. As far as I know, most Kashmiris are white.

So if you are a real Butt from the republic of Buttistan, you better be white!

Never leave an opportunity unturned in impressing upon the rest of us Brownies your ever so chitiiii chamriiii !

 

[Armstrong]

Dude, aren't ***** white as well? I don't know of one who isn't. As far as I know, most Kashmiris are white.

So if you are a real Butt from the republic of Buttistan, you better be white!

Of course I am but I don't go about doing the whole 'Cometh the White Man bow before me Brownies like you do' !

 

[Awesome]

Hell back in the 90s we had songs dedicated to the awe of gora skinned (Pakistani gora, i.e.)

"Goray rang ka zamana, kabhi hoga na purana, gori dar tujhe kis ka hai, tera toh rang gora hai"

"The era of the white won't ever end, white girl what are you afraid of, your color is white"

If it wasn't clear - that was meant as high praise for a woman.

 

[Hyperion]

I love darker tones. Never in my life have I cared about color of skin, of any person. All throughout the summers, I force myself to get as "kaala" as possible. Looks awesome!

Of course I am but I don't go about doing the whole 'Cometh the White Man bow before me Brownies like you do' !

LOL, I remember!

Can you recall the song which came as a reply to this one? Went something like: "Saanwli saloni...."

Hell back in the 90s we had songs dedicated to the awe of gora skinned (Pakistani gora, i.e.)

"Goray rang ka zamana, kabhi hoga na purana, gori dar tujhe kis ka hai, tera toh rang gora hai"

"The era of the white won't ever end, white girl what are you afraid of, your color is white"

If it wasn't clear - that was meant as high praise for a woman.

 

[Armstrong]

I love darker tones. Never in my life have I cared about color of skin, of any person. All throughout the summers, I force myself to get as "kaala" as possible. Looks awesome!

See you're doing it again....'I force myself to get as Kaala as possible' !

I left you a post in the Afghan Refugee thread....koi lift hi nahin ?

 

[livingdead]

"Goray" just means westerner... colloquially. Literally it means white guy.

White skin is appreciated and while Goray may be used negatively, it will purely be in its "westerner" meaning.

The other day I met someone say "Obama drone attacks se baaz nahi araha, goray kabhi apne goals se backoff nahi karte"

"Obama's not going to stop the drone attacks, these goray never backoff from their goals".

Of course its also normally used like "Yeh Pathan kitna gora hai". "How white is that Pathan!"

Kaala is almost always referred as negatively. When you have to mention someone is not white - one always prefers to use politer terms like Sanwala (brownish color, like Musharraf or Shaukat Aziz). In Pakistani terms Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif would also be called Goray - but not negatively.

In Pakistan its considered okay to make fun of someone Pakistani a kaala, like it won't be AS big a deal as it is in America. Its not meant to be the same.

Of course, we mean it just as bad when referring to a black American as a kaala. In Va you'd notice the desis prefer or seek out white neighborhoods, for being safer, although thats pretty much what so many others may be doing.

Its complex and all very much to do with the situation. If you think the racism is light-ish, better to live with it. Mostly there'd be other issues of your personality and their personalities causing the friction.

Of course on PDF we follow international standards and do raise an objection when people might go down that path.

even then 'gore' or 'kale' have little hatred in it taken as word alone. One can use it just to refer to white, sometimes praise their virtue...'gorey log humse jyada polite hain'..(white are more polite than us) or to show negative trait like you said.

As the word themselves are used just to identify 'them white people' , it has no intrinsic negative connotation.

However you try, you cannot use 'paqi' is a good way, it is a hateful word... not a neutral word.
Nobody will say 'my paqi friend knows good curry joints'.... the right way will be 'my asian friend' or 'pakistani friend' of 'indian friend'.

Although in practice, 'kale' is mostly used in negative way, mostly to denote violent behaviour.

 

[Armstrong]

Does anyone remember that old Indian song 'O Goreii Goreii O Bag-i-Choreii kabhi meriii galiii ayaa karoooo....aooo gori gori or bag-i-chorii kabhi mujhe bulayaa karooo' !

 

[Hyperion]

Manhoos, why don't you get it through your thick skull. I am NOT an afghan.

I may have a soft spot for "Afghan" Pashtuns, but that's about it. Btw, not ALL Pushto speakers are Pashtuns, infact MANY MANY Pashtuns such as Yousafzais who migrated from Delhi don't speak Pushto at all, yet they are all Pashtun.

See you're doing it again....'I force myself to get as Kaala as possible' !

I left you a post in the Afghan Refugee thread....koi lift hi nahin ?

 

[livingdead]

Does anyone remember that old Indian song 'O Goreii Goreii O Bag-i-Choreii kabhi meriii galiii ayaa karoooo....aooo gori gori or bag-i-chorii kabhi mujhe bulayaa karooo' !

gori tera gaon bada pyara (dont change the lyrics please.. )

gore gore mukhde pe kala kala chshma

 

[Raja.Pakistani]

Gora is not racial slur

Gorey rung ka zamana kabhi ho ga na purana
Gori dar tuje kiss ka ha tera tu rung gora ha

Gorey gorey mukhrey pe kala kal chishma lol


The word gora/kala is not negative word in itself but it can be perceived negative if you say it in negative tone. Context/intentions/tone matter here more than the word itself

 

[livingdead]

Gora is not racial slur

Gorey rung ka zamana kabhi ho ga na purana
Gori dar tuje kiss ka ha tera tu rung gora ha

Gorey gorey mukhrey pe kala kal chishma lol


The word gora/kala is not negative word in itself but it can be perceived negative if you say it in negative tone. Context/intentions/tone matter here more than the word itself

Gore Rang Pe Na Itana Gumaan Kar
Gora Rang Do Din Mein Dhal Jaayega

 

[Raja.Pakistani]

Gore Rang Pe Na Itana Gumaan Kar
Gora Rang Do Din Mein Dhal Jaayega

gorey ha kalayaan ne la de muje hari hari choryaan

are we playing Antakshari here ?