ethnic minorities

[GrumpyPom]

we have lived in NZ for the last 6 years and have taken a lot of friendly banter about being "Poms".
Our 11 year old daughter started a new school this week and when she introduced herself the teacher said "oh no not another Pom" to which we all laughed.
however i couldn't help but think what would have happened in England if a teacher had said the same about a pupil of Pakistani or Indian origin.
Why is it when it is aimed at the English we supposed to take it in good humour but everyone raises a stink about such comments?

[123everton]

"A man who can't laugh at himself isn't fit to judge others" the Koran.
I see your point, and also your user name, I suppose it depends on the context.

[naomi24]

You have a point there, GrumpyPom.

Everton, can you give me the Koranic reference for that statement?

[jno]

Pom isn't an insult down under, more of a description - a fairly standard term (though slangy) for a Brit, particularly one from England. The vast majority of people are either Poms themselves or have great-grandparents who were, so it is indeed banter, not a slur.

But it was still boorish of the teacher. Even if she'd said 'Oh no, not another English girl', it would still have been a rude introduction for a new girl. If anything like that happens again, a quiet word to the headmaster/mistress would be in order.

[tamborine]

'cause other countries are not as p.c. as UK

[jake-the-peg]

I wouldn't feel comfortable with this especially the story about your daughter, I wouldn't be pleased if it were my daughter.

Words become insults through this path. The word N1gger was once no more than Pom is now.

It starts with the sort of scenario you describe, then becomes used in a more and more abusive manner until just the word had the same abusive feel on it's own.

Personally I'd have a quiet word with the teacher and point out that 11 year old girls changing school feel especially insecure and being singled out in this way doesn't help and that although you don't want to make an incident over it you'd be grateful if (s)he didn't do it again.

[ummmm]

I wouldn't be insulted by the pom comment. I would be insulted by the 'Oh no'

[Booldawg]

According to Wikipedia 'Pom' started off as a derogatory expression but is now considered to be a 'general' term from Brits. Nice to hear it works the other way as what was considered 'general' terms for other ethnic minorites are now considered derogatory these days!

I wonder at what point they crossed over? You could get away with calling anyone anything then!

[Verix]

I think this is a bit diifferent to a similar situation happening with, for example, a Pakistani child coming into a English classroom. New Zealanders and Brits have never held any annimosity towards each other (or at least haven't for several hundred years). However it has to be said that we've not exactly been perfect examples of tolerance when it comes to people with skin any colour other than white.

Maybe in a hundred years times when race has become less of a barrier these sort of things will seem more acceptable in Britain.

[hundreddolla]

I'm from NZ and i constantly get called Kiwi here in the UK. It does'nt bother me. Pom is used in New Zealand the same way the word Kiwi is used here. However the teacher should have known better than to say any thing that would single out an already "different" and new pupil. My parents are English, and they always referred to themselves as "Poms". Hllariously, as i've lived in London for 15 years, i have lost most of my accent. On trips home I have been called a Pommie baaaastard and an Indian lady called me a f£$%en' limey!