BLEEN

Member
Oct 27, 2017
22,072
source.gif
"dirty boogie", "dirty sax"
 

Mechaplum

Enlightened
Member
Oct 26, 2017
19,206
JP
She may have used the term without malice you gotta admit that having "dirty food refined" right next to "Asian specialist" seems a bit...tactless.
 

Bunga

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
1,251
Have definitely heard of the phrasing "a dirty [insert food thats stereotypically bad for you]" quite a lot here in the UK.
 

rras1994

Member
Nov 4, 2017
5,803
With orientalmart.co.uk being a thing, the oxford dictionary not classifying it as offensive and wikipedia saying that the word (in the UK) "can be offensive depending on context", I don't think it's that simple. Not the thread to discuss this, I think, but I was taught that the word is usable in the UK, but not in the US.
Let's put it this way: don't ever refer to people by that term.
 

Kaivan

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,390
I'm going to get reported and banned again, am I?

Being Asian is hard in this site.

It's not a competition, but there's a weight of history and feeling behind the n-word that dirty can't even begin to match.

The first clue is that you didn't feel able to type out the n-word, of course.
Yes, because tha's the rule of this site, which consist of 99% Westerners. How do you know that dirty is not as offensive if being used to adress people in Asian countries?
 

Kingpin Rogers

HILF
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,459
So my understanding is this was just a slang misunderstanding thing? Like if an American was confused by someone in the UK saying they wanted a fag because they didn't understand the meaning properly?

Personally, I'm from Northern England and I've never heard anyone ask for "dirty" food.
 

Deleted member 4274

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,435
User banned (2 weeks): History of dismissive commentary
Her explaination almost makes sense but it's best not to say any groups food is dirty. Of course others will take it the wrong way... not everyone knows her food lingo. And the apology doesn't do enough to apologize lol. Why are people so bad at this?
Honestly, nah. I think this is the only time "if you were offended" is appropriate. And honestly, if I were her, I WOULDN'T have apologized for principality reasons...


I'm going to get reported and banned again, am I?

Being Asian is hard in this site.


Yes, because tha's the rule of this site, which consist of 99% Westerners. How do you know that dirty is not as offensive if being used to adress people in Asian countries?

ok... you can stop trolling now.
 

ClassAndFear

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,595
🧢

No one has ever gone out to get a dirty burger.
There's literally a burger place in London called Dirty Burger in Shoreditch. It's a colloquial phrase used a lot here. Not saying that makes this okay in the context, but it's definitely a phrase. Dirty burger, dirty breakfast, that sort of thing.
 

PinkSpider

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,237
I'm going to get reported and banned again, am I?

Being Asian is hard in this site.


Yes, because tha's the rule of this site, which consist of 99% Westerners. How do you know that dirty is not as offensive if being used to adress people in Asian countries?
It's referring to street food aka takeaway; cooked up quick and often fried or in large amounts. Nothing to do with it being Chinese; now I think maybe if I was appealing to an international audience then I'd of called it Street food but it's got the same meaning over here (Also junk is considered dirty so junk food is surely as bad).
 

kubus

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,502
I was assaulted this year by someone who threatened to beat me up because I am half Asian and according to him "responsible for corona", so I am more than pissed off by people like Trump who intentionally try to frame covid as the China virus, but I seriously think this dirty food thing is overblown.

It's just some food slang, people.
 

Loud Wrong

Member
Feb 24, 2020
15,424

rckvla

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,841
People just love twisting shit huh.

Where's the common sense? How she can disrespect asian food when it's her specialty. I understand that she could have selected a better word for it, but still.
 

MrCibb

Member
Dec 12, 2018
5,349
UK
I hate this snobbishness when it comes to language. Local dialects exist, words can be used differently in different areas. How about understanding that and being willing to be educated on it, rather than demanding everyone only use the language in a way that you personally deem to be correct?
 

Ravensmash

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,797
There's literally a burger place in London called Dirty Burger in Shoreditch. It's a colloquial phrase used a lot here. Not saying that makes this okay in the context, but it's definitely a phrase. Dirty burger, dirty breakfast, that sort of thing.

Used to work near one of their other restaurants - was amazing.

Especially appreciated them selling beer which you could drink whilst waiting.
 
Nov 9, 2017
3,777
"chink" is a racist term whether in the uk or not, your UK friends are probably a bit racist.

"dirty" is used to describe a type of food, usually a burger or kebab, ordered at 10pm, drunk.

See, that's the thing. It's not a "bit" racist, it's a full blown slur meant to make someone feel inferior. The perception just seems to be different in the UK. Not trying to attack anyone's home country, just always thought this was strange being an Asian American myself.
 

HardRojo

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,487
Peru
So why didn't you say "street food refined" or "casual dining refined"
Because it seems like "dirty food" is common slang where she's from. I'm fine with this explanation, language varies a lot even within the same country, so this seems to be a case of "lost in translation" or something like that. Hell, I'm sure between Latin American countries we'd have a lot of trouble understanding each other's slang.
 

Zoe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,442
I can maybe see why those outside the UK may not have heard the term but the fact alone that her bio right under that says she is from London in the UK, maybe it's just me but if I see a term and it seems to be used in a weird context for my country I would Google it to see why it was used there, dirty burger etc is a common as fuck thing in parts of the UK and elsewhere and the idea that people jump right on attacking her when she actually did have a reasonable response to tell them that they maybe didn't understand the British slang, instead they could have maybe done a Google search, saw it was in fact slang and not related to any one culture or food type and maybe moved on, I don't get why this became such a big deal, especially when a quick Google search would have shown all different foods from all different cultures and backgrounds having the same term used, including basic ass English foods. Just seems like people got offended, saw her try and explain it then got more offended as opposed to actually checking for 2 minutes online if what she says was true, which again, is true. It's a common slang word and not used as an offensive word and again used on just as much British food as it is any other type.
She was trying to make a hashtag happen. You have to be aware of the global implications on social media, especially when it comes to food which knows no borders.
 
Oct 7, 2019
243
I can see this happening with people thinking there is nothing wrong about it because it is the UK. I have some UK friends who I got in an argument with because they think it's wholly acceptable to use the work "chink" or to say "lets go get some chinkys" if they want Chinese food. Their excuse was that they don't really have Chinese people where they live and it is just slang so no harm no foul.

Your UK mates are being racist, them trying to pretend that there's not really Chinese people here is pretty brazen.
 

PinkSpider

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,237
See, that's the thing. It's not a "bit" racist, it's a full blown slur meant to make someone feel inferior. The perception just seems to be different in the UK. Not trying to attack anyone's home country, just always thought this was strange being an Asian American myself.
A bit in British English doesn't necessarily mean 10% racist. I don't think the poster was implying it was not a full blown racist slur.
 

Dwebble

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
9,706
Look. I'm sorry that I bring that up, but can we focus on the point I'm trying to make here? Follow the conversation.
The point you're trying to make is crass and ill-thought-out, and pretty outrageously ignorant.

Some words, like the word "dirty", have many different potential meanings, and using one of them and not the other is not inherently disrespectful.

Some words, like the n-word, mean exactly one thing.
 

rras1994

Member
Nov 4, 2017
5,803
See, that's the thing. It's not a "bit" racist, it's a full blown slur meant to make someone feel inferior. The perception just seems to be different in the UK. Not trying to attack anyone's home country, just always thought this was strange being an Asian American myself.
It's a full blown slur in the UK too, your friends just racist. I'm from the UK, we know it's a slur.
 

Putosaure

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,982
France
User banned (3 days): This is not how "dirty" is used in the UK and an Asian spouse should not be used to dismiss concerns
I mean one of my wife's favorite food when home is what she calls "dirty vegetables", and she's from Beijing, so I don't find this shocking really. I get her point.
 

Dervius

Member
Oct 28, 2017
5,086
UK
I don't know if dirty matters, but UK food is trash. The worst of any country I've been to. Definition of basic bitch shit.

This seems unnecessary.

I'm going to get reported and banned again, am I?

Being Asian is hard in this site.


Yes, because tha's the rule of this site, which consist of 99% Westerners. How do you know that dirty is not as offensive if being used to adress people in Asian countries?

One word has literally no other meaning or usage other than the racist perjorative it is. The other has many common, benign, usages including apparently the common colloquialism of 'dirty food' which is more or less the equivalent of 'guilty food'. The latter has also been used in an offensive way, but it's quite obvious why people are commenting on the comparison being ridiculous.

What no one is doing is outrightly criticising anyone for finding it offensive, most people are just trying to highlight the common usage in the UK.
 

erlim

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,562
London
When I think of the terminology 'dirty' in food I would think of something like Kuma' corner burgers just lathered with eggs and onions and gravy and whatever, it's not the opposite of 'clean' food which I would just consider non processed, organic, etc. That burger with super extra over the top ingredients could absolutely be dirty and clean in a descriptive food sense at the same time.

edit: East Asian-American living in London here.
 

DIE BART DIE

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,891
I can see this happening with people thinking there is nothing wrong about it because it is the UK. I have some UK friends who I got in an argument with because they think it's wholly acceptable to use the work "chink" or to say "lets go get some chinkys" if they want Chinese food. Their excuse was that they don't really have Chinese people where they live and it is just slang so no harm no foul.

People who say "Fancy going to the chinkys?" or "I'm going to the Paki shop" are usually white, lower educated "political correctness gone mad" types who live in white majority areas, probably over 40 but I'm sure some young still people say it. Both terms are absolutely racist here in the UK today. It's not uncommon to hear things like that in 80s sitcoms like Only Fools and Horses, where it was "acceptable" for the white majority to say what they wanted (maybe even "affectionately") with no regard for the feelings of new immigrants or minorities.
 
Last edited:
Oct 27, 2017
5,071
I've definitely heard comfort food referred to as dirty/naughty/guilty before and that clearly seems to be her intention. There is always a 1% chance she could be a secret Nazi that is trying to push a racist agenda but did anyone read her bio description and assume that she's most likely being racist?

Basically, I think changing the language is more to take away potential ammo from racists than it is because most Asians interpreted that as an insult. How long has her profile had "dirty" used in that way?
 

CatAssTrophy

Member
Dec 4, 2017
7,771
Texas
I have heard "dirty food" numerous times in reference to "junk food" or fat/calorie bombs like chili dogs and what not, but I've never heard the word adjacent to or in any way associated with asian food.

This sounds like people misinformed about less-used slang assuming the worst than racism. Akin to someone specializing in soul food and using a "street food" hash tag. They wouldn't be using "street" in the derogatory "im an uninformed white person in regards to black culture so i just use the word 'street' since i'm ignorant and shitty" way but in regards to actual street vendor foods, etc.
 

AndyD

Mambo Number PS5
Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,602
Nashville
"The way I mean food to be 'dirty' is indulgent street food; food that comforts you as in 'going out for a dirty burger'."

Never in my life have I heard of this.
It's not uncommon in Southern food lingo. I think it's the idea of a "side of a dirty road shack burger/chicken". That said, I hear it much more as "street food" than "dirty food".
 

Orbis

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,376
UK
"The way I mean food to be 'dirty' is indulgent street food; food that comforts you as in 'going out for a dirty burger'."

Never in my life have I heard of this.
There's literally a restaurant called Dirty Burger where I work in London. It's such a common phrase; dirty burger, dirty kebab etc.

I can see this happening with people thinking there is nothing wrong about it because it is the UK. I have some UK friends who I got in an argument with because they think it's wholly acceptable to use the work "chink" or to say "lets go get some chinkys" if they want Chinese food. Their excuse was that they don't really have Chinese people where they live and it is just slang so no harm no foul.
That's offensive in the UK, and everyone knows it is.
 

Praxis

Sausage Tycoon
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,366
UK
Seems like a misunderstanding and a dumb use of the word.

I can relate, when I see younger people describe things as fire
 

SeeingeyeDug

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,023
Dirty Food Refined *devil emoji* *gyoza emoji* Asian Specialist

It seems like bad placement if it's an innocent mistake.
 

Forsaken82

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,972
Has no one ever had Mexican dirty rice before?

I'm in Canada and it's pretty common, especially in jambalaya and Mexican restaurants.



It's a food descriptor, used in a lot of cultures.


Is this just people getting angry again at something they aren't familiar with?

Yes, but is it really that surprising?