Talk:Anglo-Indian (disambiguation)

Critical Omission!

As so often, the expression "Anglo-Indian" (used of a person) means two related but different things.

The meaning as usually understood today is as stated in this article and the main article.

Historically, however, the meaning was approximately as stated in the Wiktionary entry for the expression: "a person of English or British citizenship or ancestry living in India".

There should be a full article covering people within this definition. The essence, I think, is the distinction between those who were born in the UK, came to India 'for work' (eg, as an army or ICS officer) with the intention of returning to the UK to retire; and those born in India and intending to make a home and die there.

Only those in the second category would be called 'Anglo-Indians'. They would be viewed as eccentric by the army/ICS people - with suggestions of having 'gone native', the worst of crimes in their eyes. Anglo-Indians might be 'below the salt' (not 'pukka sahibs') for other reasons - because of being 'in trade' (box-wallahs), or by not sending their children back 'home' to be educated (essential to inoculate them against 'going native' so far as possible).

Those falling within this definition of Anglo-Indian were pure-bred Europeans. (Or that, at least, was the assumption!)

There is a comparison to be made (by those more expert than I am!) with the distinction between criollos and peninsulares in the Spanish Empire. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Skeptic12 (talk • contribs) 23:50, 19 December 2012 (UTC)