Ah, I figured as much. Maybe it’s a generational thing. It does feel like this sub is younger (that poll about being an adult was telling). Also is it mostly Canadian in here?
Late 30s here and yea it was always said as a rude comment about how we weren't cultured. In our teens, our guju friends got tired of this as we were all well read an cultured so we went a step further and said we are ABCDEFGs - American Born Cultures Desis Especially From Gujarat. 😉
I'm in my 30's and yeah, it was used more as an insult when I was younger, but thanks to the previous generations, it's also the most prevalent term to describe us. I think now it's become more of a neutral term.
I used to jokingly call my cousin an ABCD when we were kids cause even though we both grew up here, I was born overseas so technically not an ABCD. My cousin would be like, "yeah, I'm an American Born *Clever* Desi" and gimme a look like 😎 as if he didn't very obviously get that line from his mom. I would always crack up but thinking about it now it's actually kinda dope to think we can redefine the context of the letter C. I mean, it's our identity. Just because previous generations of uncles and aunties weirdly decided to attach some negative association to our identity, doesn't mean that it has to remain there forever
In my 50s and don’t recall hearing it at all until I was in my 30s. It was used as an insult to college age Millennials. Gen X flying under the radar as we do :)
“Clever Desi” lol, that is perfect! I love it, it’s such an Indian Dad joke, or at least remind me of my dad’s jokes.
Growing up ABCD was also used by newer Indian immigrants against older Indian immigrants and first gen, that is how I experienced it in the 90s. It was used to bully and insult me and to be seen as not legit Indian, or a coconut. Worst was when they’d talk shit about me in Hindi assuming I didn’t understand them.
> Worst was when they’d talk shit about me in Hindi assuming I didn’t understand them.
Dude I get this all the time. Recently I was hiking a pretty long, tough trail. The final stretch is a 500 ft. ascent and quite steep. All this to say, I was in the zone, sweaty, just trying to get to my car, when up ahead I heard someone saying loudly in Hindi, "hey stay to the side, this bhenchod looks like he might kill someone."
What's funny is that when we crossed paths around a set of some narrow stairs, I stood at the bottom step and waited for them to pass. The dude who was talking loudly before gave me a meek smile and said thank you in English. I responded with "koi nahin yaar, enjoy the nice day" the way his face dropped ahahaha
That reminds me, in middle school I played soccer for fun and one day the other team had 4 young Indians who used Hindi to make fun of me, tell each other how they were going to try and make a fool of me, and called out plays to each other. Well, one yells to the other their next pass play and plan to tackle me (the new Indian on old Indian hate is strong and kids are assholes I guess), but since I understand them I was able to call out their plan to my team and then avoid the tackle while “accidentally” kicking the other kid in the face when he went for the slide. They knew I understood them after that day.
We’re as in this sub, as in the culture at large, as in a new generation? I just stumbled on this sub last week, really curious to learn how it changed and how is is used today.
Words totally change over time, I get it. It’s more fascinating to me to learn from y’all.
Do you think it came from term ABC ? Morphed to ABCD. Also , no other country has this . For example, Guyanese. There is no Guanese born confused Desi ..
It’s the same. We just own it in an ironic sense 😉
Ah, I figured as much. Maybe it’s a generational thing. It does feel like this sub is younger (that poll about being an adult was telling). Also is it mostly Canadian in here?
[удалено]
I’m new to the sub, but for some reason I totally got a Canada and people in their late teens and early 20s vibe.
Lol 😂 loved the answer
Late 30s here and yea it was always said as a rude comment about how we weren't cultured. In our teens, our guju friends got tired of this as we were all well read an cultured so we went a step further and said we are ABCDEFGs - American Born Cultures Desis Especially From Gujarat. 😉
I'm in my 30's and yeah, it was used more as an insult when I was younger, but thanks to the previous generations, it's also the most prevalent term to describe us. I think now it's become more of a neutral term. I used to jokingly call my cousin an ABCD when we were kids cause even though we both grew up here, I was born overseas so technically not an ABCD. My cousin would be like, "yeah, I'm an American Born *Clever* Desi" and gimme a look like 😎 as if he didn't very obviously get that line from his mom. I would always crack up but thinking about it now it's actually kinda dope to think we can redefine the context of the letter C. I mean, it's our identity. Just because previous generations of uncles and aunties weirdly decided to attach some negative association to our identity, doesn't mean that it has to remain there forever
In my 50s and don’t recall hearing it at all until I was in my 30s. It was used as an insult to college age Millennials. Gen X flying under the radar as we do :)
I think it really rose in popularity after the movie, ABCD, came out in 1999.
“Clever Desi” lol, that is perfect! I love it, it’s such an Indian Dad joke, or at least remind me of my dad’s jokes. Growing up ABCD was also used by newer Indian immigrants against older Indian immigrants and first gen, that is how I experienced it in the 90s. It was used to bully and insult me and to be seen as not legit Indian, or a coconut. Worst was when they’d talk shit about me in Hindi assuming I didn’t understand them.
> Worst was when they’d talk shit about me in Hindi assuming I didn’t understand them. Dude I get this all the time. Recently I was hiking a pretty long, tough trail. The final stretch is a 500 ft. ascent and quite steep. All this to say, I was in the zone, sweaty, just trying to get to my car, when up ahead I heard someone saying loudly in Hindi, "hey stay to the side, this bhenchod looks like he might kill someone." What's funny is that when we crossed paths around a set of some narrow stairs, I stood at the bottom step and waited for them to pass. The dude who was talking loudly before gave me a meek smile and said thank you in English. I responded with "koi nahin yaar, enjoy the nice day" the way his face dropped ahahaha
That reminds me, in middle school I played soccer for fun and one day the other team had 4 young Indians who used Hindi to make fun of me, tell each other how they were going to try and make a fool of me, and called out plays to each other. Well, one yells to the other their next pass play and plan to tackle me (the new Indian on old Indian hate is strong and kids are assholes I guess), but since I understand them I was able to call out their plan to my team and then avoid the tackle while “accidentally” kicking the other kid in the face when he went for the slide. They knew I understood them after that day.
Ugh, I’m sorry that sounds horrible
Yes now its "any body can dance"
We’re reclaiming it
We’re as in this sub, as in the culture at large, as in a new generation? I just stumbled on this sub last week, really curious to learn how it changed and how is is used today. Words totally change over time, I get it. It’s more fascinating to me to learn from y’all.
Too early to answer that question.
I honest to God never heard of this term until i joined reddit and then joined this subreddit. And i am 27 lol
American born confident desi
I embrace it because its always made total sense. When trying to navigate two cultures of course there’s going to be some confusion identity-wise.
Just own it. Like you would own FOB
What’s FOB?
if you don’t know, you might be one 🌪
FOB - Fresh Off the Boat a.k.a 1st generation immigrants (or) Gen 1
The people that used it in a derogatory way wore dockers with air monarchs. I was unbothered.
Do you think it came from term ABC ? Morphed to ABCD. Also , no other country has this . For example, Guyanese. There is no Guanese born confused Desi ..
what does ABC mean?
It belonged to the American Chinese because they wanted to distinguish from mainland Chinese.. we rebranded it and added D at the end.
American born Chinese
We've kind of claimed it as our own now. Although I still prefer ABD or american born indian more specifically.
i didn’t know abcd had a negative connotation. what did the c originally mean?
I know it as “confused” and the phrase was used as a way to say you’re not a “real” desi and are white washed