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Chink

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(Redirected fromChinky)
For other uses, seeChink (disambiguation).

An angry caricatured Chinese male face with spiny facial hair and a snake-like tail. Beneath is a five-line poem which begins, "He's a Yellow Peril Chink of surprising versatility."
A racist postcard by Fred C. Lounsbury, promoting the idea of theYellow Peril(1907)

Chink[1]is an English-languageethnic slurusually referring to a person ofChinesedescent,[2]but also used to insult people ofEast Asian,North Asian,Southeast Asianappearance. The use of the term describing eyes withepicanthic fold( "Asiatic eyes" ) is considered extremely offensive and is regarded as racist by many.[3][4]

Etymology

[edit]

Various dictionaries provide different etymologies of the wordchink;for example, that it originated from the Chinese courtesyching-ching,[5]that it evolved from the wordChina,[6]or that it was an alteration ofQing(Ch'ing), as in theQing dynasty.[7]

Another possible origin is thatchinkevolved from the word for China in anIndo-Iranian language,ultimately deriving from the name of the Qing dynasty. That word is now pronounced similarly in variousIndo-European languages.[8]

History

[edit]
A Chinese laborer loads salmon carcasses into an Iron Chink machine. A pile of salmon carcasses covers the floor.
TheIron Chink,a machine that guts and cleans salmon for canning,[9]alongside a Chinese fishplant worker, was marketed as a replacement for fish-butchers, who were primarily Chinese immigrants.

The first recorded use of the wordchinkis from approximately 1880.[10]As far as is ascertainable, its adjective form,chinky,first appeared in print in 1878.[11]

Around the turn of the 20th century, manywhite Americansin theNorthern United Statesperceived Chinese immigration as a threat to their living standards. However, Chinese workers were still desired in theWestern United Statesdue to persistent labor shortages. Chinesebutchercrews were held in such high esteem that whenEdmund A. Smithpatented his mechanized fish-butchering machine in 1905, he named it theIron Chink[12][13]which is seen by some as symbolic of anti-Chinese racism during the era.[14][15]Usage of the word continued, such as with the story "The Chink and the Child", byThomas Burke,which was later adapted to film byD. W. Griffith.Griffith altered the story to be more racially sensitive and renamed itBroken Blossoms.

Althoughchinkrefers to those appearing to be of Chinese descent, the term has also been directed towards people of other East and Southeast Asian ethnicities. Literature and film about the Vietnam war contain examples of this usage, including the filmPlatoon(1986) and the playSticks and Bones(1971, alsolater filmed).[16][17]

Worldwide usage

[edit]

Australia

[edit]

The termsChinamanandchinkbecame intertwined, as some Australians used both with hostile intent when referring to members of the country's Chinese population, which had swelled significantly during theGold Rushera of the 1850s and 1860s.[18]

Assaults on Chinese miners and racially motivated riots and public disturbances were not infrequent occurrences in Australia's mining districts in the second half of the 19th century. There was some resentment, too, of the fact that Chinese miners and laborers tended to send their earnings back home to their families in China rather than spending them in Australia and supporting the local economy.

In the popular SydneyBulletinmagazine in 1887, one author wrote: "No nigger, no chink, nolascar,nokanaka(laborer from the South Pacific islands), no purveyor of cheap labour, is an Australian. "[10]Eventually, since-repealed federal government legislation was passed to restrict non-white immigration and thus protect the jobs ofAnglo-CelticAustralian workers from "undesirable" competition.

India

[edit]

In India, the ethnic slurchinki(orchinky) is frequently directed against people with East Asian features, including people fromNortheast India,andNepal,[19]who are often mistaken for Chinese, despite being closer toTibetansand theBurmesethan toHan Chinese peoples.[20]

In 2012, theIndian Ministry of Home Affairsrecognized use of the term "chinki" to refer to a member of theScheduled Tribes(especially in the North-East) as a criminal offense under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with a penalty of up to five years in jail. The Ministry further warned that they would very seriously review any failure of the police to enforce this interpretation of the Act.[21]

United Kingdom

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Chinky: Strongest language, highly unacceptable without strong contextualisation. Seen as derogatory to Chinese people. More mixed views regarding use of the term to mean ‘Chinese takeaway’.

— Broadcasting regulatorOfcom,Attitudes to potentially offensive language and gestures on TV and radio(2016)[22]

Chinky(orchinky chonky[23]) is aslurfor aChinese takeawayrestaurant or Chinese food and Chinese people[24]which, in parts ofnorthern England,are known as achinkies,always in the plural.[citation needed]

The 1969 top 3 UK hit single forBlue Mink,"Melting Pot",has the lyric:" take a pinch of white man/Wrap him up in black skin. [...] Mixed with yellow Chinkees. You know you lump it all together/And you got a recipe for a get-along scene/Oh what a beautiful dream/If it could only come true ".[25]In August 2019, British broadcasterGlobalpermanently deleted the song from itsGoldplaylist after a complaint about offensive language was lodged with British broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Under the direction of theCommunications Act 2003,Ofcom ruled that "the phrase 'yellow Chinkies' had the potential to be highly offensive"[26]: 16 and "that the use of derogatory language to describe ethnic groups carries a widespread potential for offence".[26]: 17 Ofcom considered that the passage of time since the song's release and the song's positive message of racial harmony did not "mitigate the potential for offence."[26]: 17–18 Ofcom determined that the "potentially offensive material was not justified by the context"[26]: 18 and ruled the case resolved as the licensee Global had removed the song from Gold's playlist.[26]In September 2019, Scottishcommunity radiostation Black Diamond FM removed "Melting Pot" from its playlist and "planned to carry out refresher training with its staff" after two complaints about the song's broadcast were lodged with Ofcom. Ofcom ruled in December 2019 that Black Diamond was in breach of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code because "the potentially offensive language in this broadcast was not justified by the context".[27][28]

In 1999, an exam given to students inScotlandwas criticized for containing a passage that students were told to interpret containing the wordchinky.This exam was taken by students all over Scotland, and Chinese groups expressed offence at the use of this passage. The examinations body apologized, calling the passage's inclusion "an error of judgement."[29]

In 2002, theBroadcasting Standards Commission,after a complaint about theBBC OneprogrammeThe Vicar of Dibley,held that when used as the name of a type of restaurant or meal, rather than as an adjective applied to a person or group of people, the word still carries extreme racist connotation which causes offence particularly to those of East Asian origin.[30]

In 2004, the commission's counterpart, theRadio Authority,apologised for the offence caused by an incident where a DJ onHeart 106.2used the term.[31]

In a 2005 document commissioned byOfcomtitled "Language and Sexual Imagery in Broadcasting: A Contextual Investigation" their definition of chink was "a term of racial offence/abuse. However, this is polarising. Older and mainly white groups tend to think this is not usually used in an abusive way—e.g., let's go to the Chinky—which is not seen as offensive by those who aren't of East Asian origin; Chinky usually refers to food not a culture or race however, younger people, East Asians, particularly people of Chinese origin and other non-white ethnic minorities believe the word 'Chinky, Chinkies or Chinkie' to be as insulting as 'paki' or 'nigger'. "[32]

In 2006, after several campaigns by theScottish Executive,more people inScotlandnow acknowledge that this name is indirectly racist.[33]As of 2016,British broadcasting regulatorOfcomconsiders the word to be "Strongest language, highly unacceptable without strong contextualisation. Seen as derogatory to Chinese people. More mixed views regarding use of the term to mean 'Chinese takeaway'".[22]

In 2014, the term gained renewed attention after a recording emerged ofUKIPcandidate Kerry Smith referring to a woman of Chinese background as a "chinky bird".[34]

United States

[edit]

ThePekin Community High School District 303teams inPekin, Illinoiswere officially known as the "Pekin Chinks" until 1981, when the school administration changed the name to the "Pekin Dragons". The event received national attention.[35][36]

During early 2000,University of California, Davisexperienced a string of racial incidents and crimes between Asian and white students, mostly amongfraternities.Several incidents included "chink" and other racial epithets being shouted among groups, including the slurs being used during a robbery and assault on an Asian fraternity by 15 white males. The incidents motivated a school-wide review and protest to get professional conflict resolution andculturally sensitivemediators.[37]

Sarah Silvermanappeared onLate Night with Conan O'Brienin 2001, stirring up controversy when the wordchinkwas used without the usualbleepappearing over ethnic slurs on network television. The controversy led Asian activist and community leaderGuy Aokito appear on the talk showPolitically Incorrectalong with Sarah Silverman. Guy Aoki alleged that Silverman did not believe that the term was offensive.[38]

New York City radio stationHot 97was criticized for airing the "Tsunami Song".Referring to the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake,in which over an estimated 200,000 people died, the song used the phrase "screaming chinks" along with other offensive lyrics. The radio station fired a co-host and producer, and indefinitely suspended radio personalityMiss Jones,who was later reinstated. Members of the Asian American community said Miss Jones' reinstatement condoned hate speech.[39]

A Philadelphia eatery,Chink's Steaks,created controversy beginning in 2004 with articles appearing in thePhiladelphia Daily Newsand other newspapers.[40]The restaurant was asked by Asian community groups[41]to change the name. The restaurant was named after the original Jewish-American owner's nickname, "Chink", derived from the ethnic slur due to his "slanty eyes".[42]The restaurant was renamed Joe's in 2013.[43][44][45][46][47]

In February 2012,ESPNfired one employee and suspended another for using the headline "Chink in the Armor" in reference toJeremy Lin,an Americanbasketballplayer of Taiwanese and Chinese descent.[48][49]While the wordchinkalso refers to a crack or fissure andchink in the armoris anidiomand common sports cliché, referring to a vulnerability,[50]the "apparently intentional"double entendreof its use in reference to an Asian athlete was viewed as offensive.[51]

In September 2019, after it was announced thatShane Gilliswould be joiningSaturday Night Liveas a featured cast member, clips from Gillis' podcast in 2018 resurfaced, in which Gillis made anti-Asian jokes, including using the word "chink". The revelation sparked public outcry, with several outlets noting the disconnect of hiring Gillis along withBowen Yang,the show's first Chinese American cast member.[52][53]After Gillis issued what was characterized as anon-apology apology,[54][55]a spokesperson forLorne Michaelsannounced Gillis would be let go prior to his first episode due to the controversy.[53]

In May 2021,Tony Hinchcliffewas videotaped insulting Peng Dang, anAsian Americancomedian who had introduced Hinchcliffe after performing the previous set at a comedy club inAustin, Texas,by referring to Dang as a "filthy little fucking chink".[56]Dang posted the video onTwitter,resulting in heavy backlash against Hinchliffe, who was subsequently dropped by his agency and removed from several scheduled shows.[57]

See also

[edit]
Look upChinkin Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

[edit]
  1. ^Alsochinky,chinkie,chinki,chinker,chinka,orchinkapoo
  2. ^"Chink | Definition of chink by Merriam-Webster".Archivedfrom the original on 24 January 2013.Retrieved23 January2013.
  3. ^Hsu, Huan (21 February 2012)."No More Chinks in the Armor".Slate.Archivedfrom the original on 8 May 2012.Retrieved9 May2012.
  4. ^McNeal, Greg (18 February 2012)."ESPN Uses 'Chink in the Armor' Line Twice UPDATE- ESPN Fires One Employee Suspends Another".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2012.Retrieved9 May2012.
  5. ^Cassell's Dictionary of Slang.Orion Publishing Group. November 2005.ISBN978-0304366361.
  6. ^The Oxford Dictionary of Slang.Oxford University Press. December 2003.ISBN978-0198607632.
  7. ^21st Century Dictionary of Slang.Random House, Inc. 1 January 1994.ISBN978-0-440-21551-6.
  8. ^The Oxford Dictionary of Slang.Oxford University Press. December 2003.ISBN978-0-19-860763-2.
  9. ^"Automated salmon cleaning machine developed in Seattle in 1903".HistoryLink.org. 1 January 2000.Archivedfrom the original on 7 August 2007.Retrieved20 July2007.
  10. ^abHughes, Geoffrey. An Encyclopedia of Swearing. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2006.
  11. ^Tom Dalzell; Terry Victor, eds. (12 May 2005).New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English.Routledge.ISBN978-0-415-21258-8.
  12. ^Jo Scott B,"Smith's Iron Chink – One Hundred Years of the Mechanical Fish Butcher",British Columbia History,38(2): 21–22, archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2007
  13. ^Philip B. C. Jones."Revolution on a Dare; Edmund A. Smith and His Famous Fish-butchering Machine"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 25 July 2011.Retrieved1 June2011.The myth arose that Edmund Smith had designed the machine specifically to fire Chinese workers
  14. ^Wing, Avra (14 January 2005)."Acts of Exclusion".AsianWeek. Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2006.
  15. ^"HistoryLink.org- the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History".Archivedfrom the original on 22 June 2011.Retrieved1 June2011.
  16. ^http:// imsdb /scripts/Platoon.htmlArchived30 October 2006 at theWayback MachineAccessed 31 March 2007.[verification needed]
  17. ^New York Times, 26 April 1971, p. 10.[verification needed]
  18. ^Yu, Ouyang (1993)."All the Lower Orders: Representations of the Chinese Cooks, Market Gardeners and Other Lower-Class People in Australian Literature from 1888 to 1988".Kunapipi.15(3).Archivedfrom the original on 10 March 2023.Retrieved10 March2023.
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  20. ^"Indians Protest, Saying a Death Was Tied to Bias".The New York Times.1 February 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2017.Retrieved26 February2017.
  21. ^Sharma, Aman (3 June 2012)."North-East racial slur could get you jailed for five years".India Today.Archivedfrom the original on 5 August 2012.Retrieved27 July2012.
  22. ^ab"Attitudes to potentially offensive language and gestures on TV and radio, Quick Reference Guide"(PDF).ofcom.org.uk.Ipsos MORI. September 2016. p. 12.Archived(PDF)from the original on 7 October 2016.
  23. ^Ray Puxley (2004).Britslang: An Uncensored A-Z of the People's Language, Including Rhyming Slang.Robson. p. 98.ISBN1-86105-728-8.
  24. ^"TV's most offensive words".The Guardian.21 November 2005.
  25. ^"Melting Pot Lyrics".metrolyrics.Archived fromthe originalon 14 December 2017.Retrieved9 May2017.
  26. ^abcde"The Music Marathon: Gold, 27 May 2019, 12:45".Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin(PDF).Ofcom. 27 August 2019. pp. 15–18.Archived(PDF)from the original on 20 November 2020.Retrieved19 December2023.
  27. ^"Geoff Ruderham: Black Diamond FM 107.8, 2 September 2019, 12:23".Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin(PDF).Ofcom. 12 December 2019. pp. 12–15.Archived(PDF)from the original on 4 June 2023.Retrieved19 December2023.
  28. ^"Complaints upheld against station playing Melting Pot by Blue Mink".RadioToday.2 December 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 15 April 2021.Retrieved19 December2023.
  29. ^"Chinese 'slur' wins apology".BBC News.29 June 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2008.Retrieved6 April2007.
  30. ^"The Vicar Of Dibley"(PDF).The Bulletin.56(56).Broadcasting Standards Commission:19. 25 July 2002. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 January 2004.
  31. ^"Radio Authority Quarterly Complaints Bulletin: April – June 2001"(PDF).Radio Authority.June 2001. p. 25. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 January 2004.
  32. ^The Fuse Group (September 2005)."Language and Sexual Imagery in Broadcasting: A Contextual Investigation"(PDF).Ofcom. p. 85. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 18 April 2017.Retrieved9 April2022.
  33. ^One Scotland Many Cultures 2005/2006 — Waves 6 and 7 Campaign Evaluation(PDF).Scottish Executive.13 September 2006.ISBN0-7559-6242-7.ISSN0950-2254.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 11 August 2016.
  34. ^"Farage defends 'rough diamond' former UKIP candidate".BBC News.19 December 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 9 April 2022.Retrieved9 April2022.
  35. ^"1981: The Pekin Chinks high school team becomes the Pekin Dragons".Chinese-American Museum of Chicago.Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2015.Retrieved30 July2015.
  36. ^Stainbrook, Michael (26 September 2014)."The hunt for 'Red' alternatives".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on 19 October 2015.Retrieved30 July2015.
  37. ^Banerjee, Neela (16 February 2001)."Hate Crimes Galvanize U.C. Davis Students".Asianweek. Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2007.Retrieved3 April2007.
  38. ^"ABC's Politically Incorrect Tackles Comedian's 'Chink' Joke".AsianWeek. 24 August 2000. Archived fromthe originalon 27 May 2006.Retrieved22 March2007.
  39. ^Fang, Jennifer; Fujikawa, James (16 February 2005)."'Tsunami Song' Host Miss Jones Returns ".Yellowworld.org. Archived fromthe originalon 18 July 2006.Retrieved3 April2007.
  40. ^Says, Gary (28 April 2008)."Northeast cheesesteak joint shows prejudice - The Temple News".temple-news.Archivedfrom the original on 14 December 2023.Retrieved14 December2023.
  41. ^Aoyagi, Caroline (6 February 2004)."AA Groups demand name change for Philadelphia eatery," Chink's Steacks ""(PDF).Pacific Citizen.Vol. 138. pp. 1–2.ISSN0030-8579.Archived(PDF)from the original on 17 November 2021.Retrieved13 October2023.
  42. ^"Only 21, she's leading steak-shop fight".The Asian American Journalists Association – Philadelphia. 1 April 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 3 April 2007.Retrieved22 March2007.
  43. ^"Chink's Steaks changing its name".28 March 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 19 February 2014.Retrieved29 January2014.
  44. ^"Chink's Steaks Sign No Longer Hanging In Northeast Philadelphia « CBS Philly".April 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 2 February 2014.Retrieved29 January2014.
  45. ^"Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop".Archivedfrom the original on 30 January 2014.Retrieved29 January2014.
  46. ^"Take that, racists: Eat at Joe's (formerly Chink's Steaks)".Archivedfrom the original on 2 February 2014.Retrieved29 January2014.
  47. ^"Chink's Steaks Is Now Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop – Foobooz".28 March 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 3 February 2014.Retrieved29 January2014.
  48. ^Boren, Cindy (19 February 2012)."ESPN fires employee for offensive Jeremy Lin headline;" SNL "weighs in".The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon 20 February 2012.
  49. ^Collins, Scott (19 February 2012)."Jeremy Lin and ESPN: Network rushes to quell furor over 'chink' comments".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon 19 February 2012.
  50. ^"chink in one's armor".Dictionary.Houghton Mifflin Company.Archivedfrom the original on 14 March 2012.Retrieved19 February2012.
  51. ^Dwyer, Kelly (18 February 2012)."Apparently intentional, ESPN's since-deleted headline about Jeremy Lin was distressing".Yahoo!. Archived fromthe originalon 18 February 2012.
  52. ^*Sims, David (13 September 2019)."'Saturday Night Live' Made a Mistake Hiring Shane Gillis ".The Atlantic.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2021.Retrieved13 September2019.
  53. ^abLewis, Sophie (13 September 2019)."New" SNL "cast member Shane Gillis exposed in videos using racist and homophobic slurs".CBS News.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2021.Retrieved13 September2019.
  54. ^Abad-Santos, Alex (13 September 2019)."Racist jokes by new SNL cast member Shane Gillis prompt backlash — and a non-apology about" risks "".Vox.Archivedfrom the original on 14 March 2021.Retrieved13 September2019.
  55. ^Herreria, Carla (13 September 2019)."New 'SNL' Cast Member Spews Racist Asian Jokes, Slur In Resurfaced Video".HuffPost.Archivedfrom the original on 25 June 2021.Retrieved13 September2019.
  56. ^"Tony Hinchcliffe goes on racist rant after being introduced by Asian-American comedian".The Daily Dot.12 May 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 12 May 2021.Retrieved12 May2021.
  57. ^"Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe dropped by WME and Joe Rogan gigs after slur against Chinese comedian: reports".New York Daily News.13 May 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2021.Retrieved15 May2021.

Sources

[edit]
  • Foster, Harry.A Beachcomber in the Orient.New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1930.
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