I don't think that's sound etymology

The whole POINT of the Hindu caste system is that you end up with people who are not "whole people" - for example the whole caste known as "The Untouchables", who are the lowest of the low in India and are the victims of appalling discrimination.

The term half-caste was coined by the English to describe of the offspring of European men having sex with Indian girls during colonial days: the so-called "Eurasians". So the child had one parent in the caste system and one outside it: it was "half caste". Nothing to do with not being a whole person. It then moved to become a general description of anyone of mixed race origins.

It is generally regarded as offensive these days, though. "Mixed race", "mixed origin" and "mixed herotage" I think are usually regarded as inoffensive terms for the same thing .

Posted By: Old Git on June 8th 2005 at 14:08:15

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