Is "Paindu" an ethnic slur?

[Bigboii]

This word is kinda confusing
In Punjab/Lahore people call each other Paindu all the time especially when someone is doing something dumb

I would call myself Paindu or a friend Paindu as term of endearment

But I feel that people outside Punjab use it as an insulting term to put down Punjab natives as stupid/ignorant

I personally felt that whenever the term Paindu was invoked by people who never lived in Punjab they always had a negative tone

Like you could feel that it was used to insult not just an individual but the whole group of people

I personally think unless you grew up in Punjab you shouldn't be using this term especially to someone from Punjab as it comes across as a bit insulting

But am I over analyzing it?

 

[sweep_shot]

I believe it is derogatory.

I never want to use this word or anything similar to describe someone.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

It is quite derogatory but I haven't really seen it used specifically for someone dumb, more so for someone with questionable social etiquette or lack of technological prowess. I've never said it to anyone face that isn't a close friend/family but must admit to have used the word to describe others behind their backs.

Is it used as an insult by people outside of Punjab? I find this quite strange to be honest, Pakistan is full of villages and rural areas so I don't understand why non Punjabis would call Punjabis villagers when there is an abundance of these across the whole of Pakistan.

 

[Bigboii]

It is quite derogatory but I haven't really seen it used specifically for someone dumb, more so for someone with questionable social etiquette or lack of technological prowess. I've never said it to anyone face that isn't a close friend/family but must admit to have used the word to describe others behind their backs.

Is it used as an insult by people outside of Punjab? I find this quite strange to be honest, Pakistan is full of villages and rural areas so I don't understand why non Punjabis would call Punjabis villagers when there is an abundance of these across the whole of Pakistan.

There might be villages in other parts of Pakistan but there's only "pinds" in punjab so whenever you want to insult someone from Punjab it's more apt to use Paindu as it means that you all are ignorant villagers (as it's passed down generation to generation just because of your ethnicity)

 

[golagunda]

I feel the context determines how derogatory the term is perceived to be. For example, if someone from Karachi calls someone from Punjab a Paindu, it will certainly be perceived as derogatory because of the ethnic angle and the rural/urban divide. In other situations it is more like calling someone unsophisticated. Not the best analogy but it sort of reminds me of the term hillbilly. You may be living in some really nice place in the midwest, but people living on the east/west coast would tease you for being a hillbilly.

 

[Ryw]

Its derogatory, villager etc

 

[srh]

This word is kinda confusing
In Punjab/Lahore people call each other Paindu all the time especially when someone is doing something dumb

I would call myself Paindu or a friend Paindu as term of endearment

But I feel that people outside Punjab use it as an insulting term to put down Punjab natives as stupid/ignorant

I personally felt that whenever the term Paindu was invoked by people who never lived in Punjab they always had a negative tone

Like you could feel that it was used to insult not just an individual but the whole group of people

I personally think unless you grew up in Punjab you shouldn't be using this term especially to someone from Punjab as it comes across as a bit insulting

But am I over analyzing it?

It is derogatory but it is not Punjab based, it is for any villager from any province who comes in city

 

[Itachi]

Any word is offensive or not depends upon the context.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

This word is kinda confusing
In Punjab/Lahore people call each other Paindu all the time especially when someone is doing something dumb

I would call myself Paindu or a friend Paindu as term of endearment

But I feel that people outside Punjab use it as an insulting term to put down Punjab natives as stupid/ignorant

I personally felt that whenever the term Paindu was invoked by people who never lived in Punjab they always had a negative tone

Like you could feel that it was used to insult not just an individual but the whole group of people

I personally think unless you grew up in Punjab you shouldn't be using this term especially to someone from Punjab as it comes across as a bit insulting

But am I over analyzing it?

Yes. You by living in the US for a long time it, are trying to make it like the n word, where one group can say it and if others say it you will say you racist. That stuff is not going to work in Pakistan

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

It is obviously meant to be derogatory, but then so is fatso, nerd, burger kid, fairy, bhaiya etc. There are derogatory terms for most people types or regions. It's not exclusive to villagers.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Most people's fathers, or grandfathers would be paindus. So how come the following generation turned it into a derogatory term?

 

[Stewie]

This word is kinda confusing
In Punjab/Lahore people call each other Paindu all the time especially when someone is doing something dumb

I would call myself Paindu or a friend Paindu as term of endearment

But I feel that people outside Punjab use it as an insulting term to put down Punjab natives as stupid/ignorant

I personally felt that whenever the term Paindu was invoked by people who never lived in Punjab they always had a negative tone

Like you could feel that it was used to insult not just an individual but the whole group of people

I personally think unless you grew up in Punjab you shouldn't be using this term especially to someone from Punjab as it comes across as a bit insulting

But am I over analyzing it?

In Lahore we use it to refer to someone from dehat. It’s really a word for a villager albeit with a bit of an insulting connotation, but not too severe.

Karachi folks might use it in an ethnic way as a derogatory term, but as far as I am concerned, most Lahoris at least hear it and think it’s a funny word often used as a joke amongst ourselves. So no I do t find it offensive no matter who is saying it. Not Punjabis are not thin skinned when it comes to this word.
I call my wife pendoo all the time because she has a dehati background. She responds by saying “pendoo and proud” hahaha

 

[Giannis]

It depends on who's saying it; If you're Punjabi then it has classist undertones which obviously is something we should avoid, however if you're not Punjabi then it comes off as an ethnic slur. I notice non-Punjabis use it as an insult and at the back of their minds they associate it with Punjabis, I think non-Punjabis from both Pakistan and India shouldn't say paindu and instead should use a word from their language, like in Urdu a village is called a "dehati" so they should stick to if they're trying to call someone backward.

 

[Bilal_103]

I thought paindu is what burgers call the kids that come from the pinds?

 

[Stewie]

It depends on who's saying it; If you're Punjabi then it has classist undertones which obviously is something we should avoid, however if you're not Punjabi then it comes off as an ethnic slur. I notice non-Punjabis use it as an insult and at the back of their minds they associate it with Punjabis, I think non-Punjabis from both Pakistan and India shouldn't say paindu and instead should use a word from their language, like in Urdu a village is called a "dehati" so they should stick to if they're trying to call someone backward.

Personally I don’t like being told what word to use or not if I my intentions are not offensive. So I would hate to act as the word police and impose restrictions on anyone. I think we should be all free to say what we want. If someone wants to insult me by calling me a paindoo, I really wouldn’t feel insulted. I feel the world is getting too thin skinned for our own good.

 

[Giannis]

Personally I don’t like being told what word to use or not if I my intentions are not offensive. So I would hate to act as the word police and impose restrictions on anyone. I think we should be all free to say what we want. If someone wants to insult me by calling me a paindoo, I really wouldn’t feel insulted. I feel the world is getting too thin skinned for our own good.

Everyone's free to say what they want, I think most Punjabis don't care either way

 

[Stewie]

Everyone's free to say what they want, I think most Punjabis don't care either way

Agreed. We use it all the time. Paindoo is a word to describe people, a state of mind, social status, to s of other things leave it up to the person to decide when or how to use it. You want to be an ess o bee and use it as an insult, fine. Good for you! Haha.

 

[Kroll]

Most people's fathers, or grandfathers would be paindus. So how come the following generation turned it into a derogatory term?

"Most" being the operative word. The ones that weren't obviously could use it against the "paindus".

 

[Stewie]

In a way we are all paindoos, is what you mean?


Maybe 9/10th generation paindoos?

 

[DeadBall]

Everyone's free to say what they want, I think most Punjabis don't care either way

Yeah from what I've seen Punjabis tend to casually swear a lot at each other and have a lot of "ek dusray ki laina" and thus have a coarser skin. Karachites also are pretty vulgar but Punjabis are next level.

 

[Stewie]

Yeah from what I've seen Punjabis tend to casually swear a lot at each other and have a lot of "ek dusray ki laina" and thus have a coarser skin. Karachites also are pretty vulgar but Punjabis are next level.

I don’t know who you have been hanging out with but no Punjabis don’t casually swear anymore or less than other Pakistanis, and definitely don’t utter vulgarities in a family setting. We are talking about the word “pendu” which is not considered vulgar by Punjabis.
In fact it’s a term of endearment at times and people refer to themselves as pendu because they take pride in living a country life.

I guess clear and evident vulgarities come under a different category.

 

[Giannis]

Yeah from what I've seen Punjabis tend to casually swear a lot at each other and have a lot of "ek dusray ki laina" and thus have a coarser skin. Karachites also are pretty vulgar but Punjabis are next level.

I don't think so, I guess it depends ones background, I know the Urdu side of my family are too proper and "high brow", even among Punjabis mainly just the guys that cuss

 

[ElRaja]

paindoo aint racist, pbly classist, pretty much equivalent to hick in english

 

[Stewie]

i think it all depends on the demographic. School/college guys curse like sailors no matter what. As boys, if you hung out with other boys your age belonging to a different ethnicity and they cursed all the time, you would think thats how they speak inside their homes in front of families which is of course not true.

I have seen urdu speaking friends curse as much as the next guy when we were just shooting sh**.

In scientific terms, the curse variable is not a function of mother tongue or ethnicity.

 

[DeadBall]

I don't think so, I guess it depends ones background, I know the Urdu side of my family are too proper and "high brow", even among Punjabis mainly just the guys that cuss

I don’t know who you have been hanging out with but no Punjabis don’t casually swear anymore or less than other Pakistanis, and definitely don’t utter vulgarities in a family setting. We are talking about the word “pendu” which is not considered vulgar by Punjabis.
In fact it’s a term of endearment at times and people refer to themselves as pendu because they take pride in living a country life.

I guess clear and evident vulgarities come under a different category.

Well I am talking about guys within their friends circle obviously who aren't high brow or come from "better" backgrounds. The mc/bc/etc is part and parcel of guys lingos especially at a certain age or maybe I just hung out with the wrong crowd.

And of course no one will swear in a family setting.

 

[Stewie]

Well I am talking about guys within their friends circle obviously who aren't high brow or come from "better" backgrounds. The mc/bc/etc is part and parcel of guys lingos especially at a certain age or maybe I just hung out with the wrong crowd.

And of course no one will swear in a family setting.

Agreed. By the way speaking of, i just noticed your avatar. Isnt that the lady who also cursed like a sailor in a video? I thought that was hilarious. So out goes the theory only guys curse. Even some women curse as much as guys. Loved the cursing old aunty (she probably is not that old but looks aged) LMAO

 

[DeadBall]

Agreed. By the way speaking of, i just noticed your avatar. Isnt that the lady who also cursed like a sailor in a video? I thought that was hilarious. So out goes the theory only guys curse. Even some women curse as much as guys. Loved the cursing old aunty (she probably is not that old but looks aged) LMAO

Yeah, Gormint Aunty.

I was raised an Arab from my mothers side and Pakistani from my fathers side but I was bought up in my mothers family side in Dubai so it was all Arab culturally and environmentally till the age of 15, although I did visit Pakistan a few times as a kid and then lived in Pakistan for around 5 years (between 2001 to 2002 and 2011 to 2014) and the amount of cussing the Arab kids did was way less than Pakistanis, and locally Punjabis were way more than Karachiites.

Also as you mentioned the women also do swear but when really ****** off, I heard a few of my Punjabi friends mothers scold the guys (never the girls) with extreme expletives but with the Arab moms it was much lighter.

Although this could've just been my personal experience so don't want to generalize.

 

[Stewie]

Yeah, Gormint Aunty.

I was raised an Arab from my mothers side and Pakistani from my fathers side but I was bought up in my mothers family side in Dubai so it was all Arab culturally and environmentally till the age of 15, although I did visit Pakistan a few times as a kid and then lived in Pakistan for around 5 years (between 2001 to 2002 and 2011 to 2014) and the amount of cussing the Arab kids did was way less than Pakistanis, and locally Punjabis were way more than Karachiites.

Also as you mentioned the women also do swear but when really ****** off, I heard a few of my Punjabi friends mothers scold the guys (never the girls) with extreme expletives but with the Arab moms it was much lighter.

Although this could've just been my personal experience so don't want to generalize.

You are coming from a unique perspective. I dont understand arabic and I dont know any curse words in the language or know any arabs so closely that I would know such stuff. You do, so obviously you are better informed and I will accept your opinion.

My experiences within different pakistanis lead me to believe though that most of us curse about the same.

Now that you are here, I would like to ask you, and I assure you its not meant to be an offensive question, but how to Arabs react to someone calling them a bedouin or "baddu" or whatever is the arabic word for bedouin? Especially if say a white man calls them that vs a pakistani?

Is it offensive to them? Hope this doesnt derail the thread, but I was just curious to not ask this question.
Thanks.

 

[Bigboii]

[MENTION=17315]Stewie[/MENTION] c'mon be honest punjabis swear a LOT!...

 

[Stewie]

[MENTION=17315]Stewie[/MENTION] c'mon be honest punjabis swear a LOT!...

Compared with who though? I have hung out with punjabis and non punjabi Pakistanis alike and i honestly did not see much difference when its a bunch of guys just being guys.

 

[DeadBall]

You are coming from a unique perspective. I dont understand arabic and I dont know any curse words in the language or know any arabs so closely that I would know such stuff. You do, so obviously you are better informed and I will accept your opinion.

My experiences within different pakistanis lead me to believe though that most of us curse about the same.

Now that you are here, I would like to ask you, and I assure you its not meant to be an offensive question, but how to Arabs react to someone calling them a bedouin or "baddu" or whatever is the arabic word for bedouin? Especially if say a white man calls them that vs a pakistani?

Is it offensive to them? Hope this doesnt derail the thread, but I was just curious to not ask this question.
Thanks.

Yeah its beddu or bedwi. It is a very complex question as it depends on the place, history and context.

In the UAE it could mean many things depending on the contest. It could mean beddu in a paindu/hilbilly kind of way because the people still stick to their old timey ways or it could mean as an honorable title because they are considered the actual Arabs with actual roots going back centuries and also they are seen as old wise souls due to their remarkable poetry. All in all they are mostly revered in the older and more powerful families and tribes (mostly the ruling families) and not so much in the newer ones.

There is also a third one known as 3'abd beddu (but mostly used just as 3'bd now) or slave beddu which is used for the black bedouin slaves and is actually used a lot by white Arabs for the descendants of those black slave Arabs or just plain black Arabs actually. The black Arabs also use it amongst themselves like the African Americans use the N word.

 

[Stewie]

Yeah its beddu or bedwi. It is a very complex question as it depends on the place, history and context.

In the UAE it could mean many things depending on the contest. It could mean beddu in a paindu/hilbilly kind of way because the people still stick to their old timey ways or it could mean as an honorable title because they are considered the actual Arabs with actual roots going back centuries and also they are seen as old wise souls due to their remarkable poetry. All in all they are mostly revered in the older and more powerful families and tribes (mostly the ruling families) and not so much in the newer ones.

There is also a third one known as 3'abd beddu (but mostly used just as 3'bd now) or slave beddu which is used for the black bedouin slaves and is actually used a lot by white Arabs for the descendants of those black slave Arabs or just plain black Arabs actually. The black Arabs also use it amongst themselves like the African Americans use the N word.

wow very interesting. So is it normal for non arabs to use that word in conversations with arabs there in the UAE? Do pakistanis use that word often in conversations with them?

 

[Giannis]

Yeah, Gormint Aunty.

I was raised an Arab from my mothers side and Pakistani from my fathers side but I was bought up in my mothers family side in Dubai so it was all Arab culturally and environmentally till the age of 15, although I did visit Pakistan a few times as a kid and then lived in Pakistan for around 5 years (between 2001 to 2002 and 2011 to 2014) and the amount of cussing the Arab kids did was way less than Pakistanis, and locally Punjabis were way more than Karachiites.

Also as you mentioned the women also do swear but when really ****** off, I heard a few of my Punjabi friends mothers scold the guys (never the girls) with extreme expletives but with the Arab moms it was much lighter.

Although this could've just been my personal experience so don't want to generalize.

Haha yeah Arabs do curse a lot more but I've been told by Arabs here that most of them are from a country background or as they call "falayhee?" background. My ex was Arab and she would get jokingly called "yakhmar" by her mom, I can't think of an Urdu equivalent.

 

[DeadBall]

wow very interesting. So is it normal for non arabs to use that word in conversations with arabs there in the UAE? Do pakistanis use that word often in conversations with them?

Nope, Non Arabs almost never use the term because they mostly don't know or don't have such familiar relations with the Arabs, the interactions are strictly professional or formal at best and thus are not included in their personal lives or they are too afraid to use it because the Arabs are very protective of their culture/heritage and tend to lash out on those who tend to interfere.

 

[DeadBall]

Haha yeah Arabs do curse a lot more but I've been told by Arabs here that most of them are from a country background or as they call "falayhee?" background. My ex was Arab and she would get jokingly called "yakhmar" by her mom, I can't think of an Urdu equivalent.

Yes I was going to mention ya himaar (donkey) in my OP but thought no one would understand. Other words are ghabi (stupid) or Allah e gharbalk the equivalent to Urdu would be tera bera gharak ho jaye.

 

[Giannis]

Btw [MENTION=146530]DeadBall[/MENTION] how did your dad go about marry an Arab, knowing that Gulf Arabs are very strict about marrying out? Is your mother from a tribe or something cause I heard they never marry out.

 

[DeadBall]

Btw [MENTION=146530]DeadBall[/MENTION] how did your dad go about marry an Arab, knowing that Gulf Arabs are very strict about marrying out? Is your mother from a tribe or something cause I heard they never marry out.

The women rarely do (and if they do the husband and children get citizenship after a very long time)but many men back in the 60s, 70s and 80s married many Indian women (especially from Hyderabad) as cheaper options for 2nd, 3rd and 4th wives.

My mother was from one of the rare progressive local Arab families and she met my father abroad during Uni. There were a lot of hardships but they made it in the end.

Anyway, we seem to have deviated quite a bit from the topic at hand.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

It means someone from the pind meaning villager. Has nothing to do with ethnicity.

 

[Slog]

Never thought about it and don’t know if it’s a slur but it almost always refers to Punjabis or Seraikis.

 

[Slog]

It is derogatory but it is not Punjab based, it is for any villager from any province who comes in city

Nope. It is almost always reserved for Punjabis.

 

[Giannis]

Nope. It is almost always reserved for Punjabis.

Not really, It's for villagers from Sindh and various parts of Pakistan but if someone is using it with ethnic undertones then they should stop

 

[Slog]

It means someone from the pind meaning villager. Has nothing to do with ethnicity.

But isn’t “pind se aya hai?” also classist/racist. I’ve rarely seen the word pind being used in a positive way

 

[Slog]

Not really, It's for villagers from Sindh and various parts of Pakistan but if someone is using it with ethnic undertones then they should stop

Nah. Villagers from Sindh are called Saeein or Sindhi maroo or sth. At least in Karachi paindu or pind almost always refers to Punjab. And I think it’s how it is (if you take out any negative aspect) Heck hell will freeze over before you ever see any Pathan or Sindhi refer to their village as pind. I think it’s an exclusively Punjabi word which has found way to nations collloquilism.

 

[Slog]

It means someone from the pind meaning villager. Has nothing to do with ethnicity.

Yea but across Pakistan (Karachi or well off Lahore, Islamabad circles) people say “Pind se aya hai?” To refer to unsophisticated, uncouth people. So at the very least it is classist if by default you’re saying villager=No class

 

[Giannis]

Nah. Villagers from Sindh are called Saeein or Sindhi maroo or sth. .

My mom's from Karachi and I'm familiar with the culture, pendoo refers to anyone from a rural background or anyone that is "backward", Saeen is an honorific to refer to a wealthy landowner or an elder person of Sindhi background and it's also used in Seraiki.

At least in Karachi paindu or pind almost always refers to Punjab. And I think it’s how it is (if you take out any negative aspect) Heck hell will freeze over before you ever see any Pathan or Sindhi refer to their village as pind. I think it’s an exclusively Punjabi word which has found way to nations collloquilism

It's used for anyone that as percieved as backward or rustic, of course it's mainly used for people from rural Punjab but not for Punjabis in general such as people from the city

 

[Stewie]

Not really, It's for villagers from Sindh and various parts of Pakistan but if someone is using it with ethnic undertones then they should stop

It’s an actual Punjabi word for dehati but it’s become synonymous with someone naive or country or simple or without any sophistication or education.

I have used it to describe southern hill billy whites, blacks, latinos, fellow Pakistanis of all ethnicities, a dear Chinese friend who had trouble figuring out the Mac OS (and yes he laughed when I told him what the word means), and even GW Bush back when he was president and pronounced Nuclear as Nukiler..


So like I said, it’s the context In which you use it.

 

[Shaddy86]

I know a guy who's a definition of paindu yet he uses that word to describe many other people/things on regular basis. I have come very close to pointing out how much of a paindu he himself is but I guess it's not something you could just say to someone you deal with on regular basis.

 

[Stewie]

I know a guy who's a definition of paindu yet he uses that word to describe many other people/things on regular basis. I have come very close to pointing out how much of a paindu he himself is but I guess it's not something you could just say to someone you deal with on regular basis.

Don’t see why not!

 

[JaDed]

What is the slur for people that say party as “Pawri”? Burgers?

 

[Stewie]

What is the slur for people that say party as “Pawri”? Burgers?

Burger, ABCD, mummy daddy, white washed, coconut.

 

[Bigboii]

What is the slur for people that say party as “Pawri”? Burgers?

Coconuts, punchable faces, legally obligated to body slam on sight...

 

[Bigboii]

^ if they're males

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Yea but across Pakistan (Karachi or well off Lahore, Islamabad circles) people say “Pind se aya hai?” To refer to unsophisticated, uncouth people. So at the very least it is classist if by default you’re saying villager=No class

Yeah, you can say classist.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Burger, ABCD, mummy daddy, white washed, coconut.

Pronounced mummy dayddy for extra hit factor.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

[MENTION=17315]Stewie[/MENTION] c'mon be honest punjabis swear a LOT!...

Can confirm this. First words my father learned on landing in Britain were the swear words, he had an impressive artillery of them by the time I arrived.

 

[Stewie]

Can confirm this. First words my father learned on landing in Britain were the swear words, he had an impressive artillery of them by the time I arrived.

I don’t know, maybe my family is different then. I learnt most swear words from school where kids would utter them. Never men in my family.

 

[topspin]

The English equivalent is "village idiot" I guess.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I don’t know, maybe my family is different then. I learnt most swear words from school where kids would utter them. Never men in my family.

I learned them at school as well, my father only swore in Punjabi at home, he kept his English swear words for when he was out and about.

 

[Halaribo]

Negative connotations, yes, ethnic slur? Behave

 

[srh]

Nope. It is almost always reserved for Punjabis.

What would you know, you have never been out of Karachi. There is more to Pakistan than just Karachi.

 

[Stewie]

What would you know, you have never been out of Karachi. There is more to Pakistan than just Karachi.

LMAO!

It’s true, though, had a bunch of karachiite friends in college back in the day in Texas and I think I was the only Punjabi guy. One day one of them said something idiotic and I just said “yaar Tu to Buhat bara paindoo hai” and they all stared at me as if I had said something deranged.

They don’t get how commonly that word is used in other areas and is not exclusively used for Punjabis as a derogatory term

 

[Stewie]

I learned them at school as well, my father only swore in Punjabi at home, he kept his English swear words for when he was out and about.

Ok now maybe we need to clarify what’s “cursing”

There is stuff like “ulloo da patha” or “pagal da putter” “pendu”, “zaleel”, which are low level PG curses, and yes they can be used frequently in the house, still I don’t think such low level curse words are used more frequently in a Punjabi household than others. Because there are other ways to express your displeasure or frustration with other ethnicities.

I’ll say I had never heard the urdu word that starts with ch and ends at a more than a few times when I was in lahore. But it seems like a commonly used word in the urdu speaking community. Isn’t that a curse word? It’s hurled around like a “stupid”, “ahmaq” “bewakoof” all the time in certain circles.

But when it comes to maan behan stuff, I never heard those curses in my house from my family members at all. Never!

 

[DeadBall]

But when it comes to maan behan stuff, I never heard those curses in my house from my family members at all. Never!

Yeah, it was usually zaleel, badtameez, beghairat, kaam ka na kaj ka dushman anaj ka etc, the ultimate gaali was lakh laanat hai with the outstretched hand and palm at your face.

 

[Stewie]

Yeah, it was usually zaleel, badtameez, beghairat, kaam ka na kaj ka dushman anaj ka etc, the ultimate gaali was lakh laanat hai with the outstretched hand and palm at your face.

That’s hilarious. I can relate to “lukh di lanat” . Got it a few times from my daadi (RIP) when I did something wrong.

 

[Bi_Jamalo]

Paindu isn’t the only term. In karachi Dugga and Chopaya are also commonly used to refer to Punjabis.

Mainly because of their demeanour, loud voice and lack of social etiquettes. May be its because a certain type of pujabi (i.e business minded and from rural background is commonly found in khi exploiting the perks of Quota system and birdari based nepotism).

Once i got out of Khi and met a few educated punjabis from lahore at University, I was actually a bit a bit surprised to find out that there can be sensible minded, reasonable and well educated punjabis. Speaking loud and in a crude way (i.e swear words in every day language and the use of “Tu” for their elders etc) is just part of their culture.

 

[FreakCricket]

Pendu can be anyone from a smaller city or village i.e if you are from Mirpur you probably are pendu

 

[Giannis]

Paindu isn’t the only term. In karachi Dugga and Chopaya are also commonly used to refer to Punjabis.

Mainly because of their demeanour, loud voice and lack of social etiquettes. May be its because a certain type of pujabi (i.e business minded and from rural background is commonly found in khi exploiting the perks of Quota system and birdari based nepotism).

Once i got out of Khi and met a few educated punjabis from lahore at University, I was actually a bit a bit surprised to find out that there can be sensible minded, reasonable and well educated punjabis. Speaking loud and in a crude way (i.e swear words in every day language and the use of “Tu” for their elders etc) is just part of their culture.

Never heard my urdu speaking relatives ever use those words, you must be from a certain subculture

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Ok now maybe we need to clarify what’s “cursing”

There is stuff like “ulloo da patha” or “pagal da putter” “pendu”, “zaleel”, which are low level PG curses, and yes they can be used frequently in the house, still I don’t think such low level curse words are used more frequently in a Punjabi household than others. Because there are other ways to express your displeasure or frustration with other ethnicities.

I’ll say I had never heard the urdu word that starts with ch and ends at a more than a few times when I was in lahore. But it seems like a commonly used word in the urdu speaking community. Isn’t that a curse word? It’s hurled around like a “stupid”, “ahmaq” “bewakoof” all the time in certain circles.

But when it comes to maan behan stuff, I never heard those curses in my house from my family members at all. Never!

No we are definitely talking the real deal curse words, not the soft versions you mentioned there, but I wouldn't say they were used that much in the household. We were a fairly open home where my dad's friends were always dropping in and it was when they were all gathered together with some smokes that they would let loose with the language.

 

[Stewie]

No we are definitely talking the real deal curse words, not the soft versions you mentioned there, but I wouldn't say they were used that much in the household. We were a fairly open home where my dad's friends were always dropping in and it was when they were all gathered together with some smokes that they would let loose with the language.

Then I maintain I do not believe Punjabis curse more than others. Although Punjabi curses are a lot more... can I say “entertaining”? I went to school with a pretty diverse group and played cricket with a very diverse group as well and Punjabi curses were the main “go to” on the field and off it.

 

[Slog]

What would you know, you have never been out of Karachi. There is more to Pakistan than just Karachi.

Lolwut?

 

[Bigboii]

Lolwut?

People don't call a Balochi a paindu
People don't call a Pashtun a paindu
People don't call an Urdu speaking guy a paindu
I am positive that people don't call a Sindhi a paindu
There are other terms/slurs for people with different ethnic background
there's the answer to the guy...

 

[Bi_Jamalo]

These are street language terms, which your Urdu speaking relatives may not be using in a conversation with you.

- “Dugga”is derived from the urdu word Dungar, which means a farm / agriculture related animal.
- “Chopaya” means one which walks on 4 feet like a donkey or goat.

Both are derogatory terms.

 

[DeadBall]

These are street language terms, which your Urdu speaking relatives may not be using in a conversation with you.

- “Dugga”is derived from the urdu word Dungar, which means a farm / agriculture related animal.
- “Chopaya” means one which walks on 4 feet like a donkey or goat.

Both are derogatory terms.

Never heard these terms on the streets either and I was quite the sadakchaap during my time in Karachi. I thought it was a more "backward" kind of place thing but I hung out in places like Lyari (mostly) and then sometimes in Korangi, Landhi etc and never heard these terms.

Google also didn't come up with any thing.

Must be cool though to know such words where you can cuss someone without them even knowing.

 

[Seen Sheen]

Coming from Lahore, I thought I should chip in with my experience about the word paindu in particular and cussing culture in general in Punjab.

The term paindu even though a perfectly fine term for somebody who hails from rural area in Punjab, is used as a derogatory term in urban centers to look down upon people coming from rural backgrounds. It is also extended for people who have typical rural social etiquettes and don't conform to the urban lifestyle completely/are not up to pace with the modern social trends.

I would say in general, people don't take too much offence with that term but it should be used cautiously; you don't want to mentally scar somebody who might be quite sensitive to such mocking. Yes we Pakistanis in general are more thick-skinned than most others but still you should be careful.
I have friends who have rural background and some of them have had really struggles competing academically and more importantly socially with the urban people. I really respect this aspect of their make-up as who they are now. This doesn't mean that there is no leg-pulling and juggat-baazi; we are very much adept at dishing typical Punjabi mocking to each other but I personally refrain from taking jibes at friends who have had rural up-bringing (Ok, if the subject has no qualms whatsoever with you saying it, then of course you may use it; two of you can joke about it and laugh together). On the other hand, I don't let go any opportunity to mock those friends who have had more of an elitist exposure growing up (posh lifestyle, private schooling, etc.) as I feel it is only just that people coming from upper classes experience the mocking as well as they are the ones dishing it out mostly, to people from humbler backgrounds..!(All in good spirits of course)

Coming to the point of who it is mostly used for in ethnic terms, then I would say it is definitely reserved for Punjabis only. I have seen people from Karachi use it as a derogatory term for Punjabis with 'questionable' social manners. Just like most Urban, upper class Punjabis, even hearing two Punjabis talking in Punjabi would make them paindoo in their eyes. I have a friend from Karachi who says that whenever he hears us or anyone else speaking Punjabi, he cant help but think that it is a very vulgar language! (Goes without saying that the first time he said that he was grilled extensively about this statement by a group of five others who all happened to be Punjabis!)

Talking about cussing culture, I would say over the last decade or so, cussing and swearing has started to become more and more common in most Pakistani languages. These days, people in general can't complete a sentence, especially if they want to emphasize on the meaning, without adding a host of profanities. I cant say for certain if Punjabis curse more than lets say Karachiites. I have limited sample of people from Karachi here in where I live so probably would have to visit Sindh and especially Karachi to compare. However, Punjabi do accommodate curse words more easily than Urdu.
Urdu definitely has been historically a more polite and cultured language and most of the severe cuss words actually are not Urdu-rooted words. Those cuss words have originally come from different languages and now started to rear their ugly head in colloquial Urdu language. Personally speaking, I am not a fan of cussing even during light-hearted conversations and such language was never used even in the male-only, cousin-conversations in our family.

 

[Giannis]

People don't call a Balochi a paindu
People don't call a Pashtun a paindu
People don't call an Urdu speaking guy a paindu
I am positive that people don't call a Sindhi a paindu
There are other terms/slurs for people with different ethnic background
there's the answer to the guy...

It's not used for a particular ethnicity, it's used to refer to someone that's percieved as backward it's similar to when we call someone a FOB. You can't define the word when a) You're not Punjabi/don't speak Punjabi b) You don't understand the class driven undertones of the word. When you pick up slang word from another language you're going to use it with the original meaning, you can't just adopt jamaican slang and then say "wagwan" means something completely different.

 

[sindhiboy]

Burger, ABCD, mummy daddy, white washed, coconut.

Fun fact : anyone who calls you a mummy daddy is most like a mummy daddy himself.

 

[Stewie]

People don't call a Balochi a paindu
People don't call a Pashtun a paindu
People don't call an Urdu speaking guy a paindu
I am positive that people don't call a Sindhi a paindu
There are other terms/slurs for people with different ethnic background
there's the answer to the guy...

Totally disagree, obviously you are coming from a very narrow personal perspective on the usage of the term.

 

[cric_man]

Never heard these terms on the streets either and I was quite the sadakchaap during my time in Karachi. I thought it was a more "backward" kind of place thing but I hung out in places like Lyari (mostly) and then sometimes in Korangi, Landhi etc and never heard these terms.

Google also didn't come up with any thing.

Must be cool though to know such words where you can cuss someone without them even knowing.

Lyari is mostly makrani culture (mixture of sindhi/balochi and african!) so can't be considered a good representation of Karachi streets

But Dugga / Chopaya for punjabis , Akhrot for Pathans, Marhoon for sindhis were common derogatory slurs on the street. Ofcourse never used inside the house as it was considered extremely bad.

Growing up in an urdu speaking household, the most you heard was "Ahmaq" or "Paaji". Even ullo ka patha was a no no and you would get into real trouble.
My dad who was an Airforce officer taught by the British since 8th grade and could swear like a sailor when triggered would at most mutter "Soowar" or pig in a family surrounding and that at best when he had turned red due to something.

I grew up all over Pakistan (Peshawar, Chaklala, Sargodha, Mianwali, Karachi) and I would lament on not having a gaoon or pind to go to! Majority of your friends would go back to their ancestral places during Eid or summer breaks and you would be left alone