"American-Born Confused Desi" ("ABCD") is an informal term used to refer to South Asian Americans particularly of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin, born or raised in the United States, in contrast to those who were born overseas and later settled in the US.[1]
"ABCD" or "American-Born Confused Desi" has become a polarizing factor in the South Asian diaspora in the United States, with first-generation immigrant parents and young South Asians of second or later generations.[2] Though the term was originally coined in reference to Indian Americans, it has been adopted by the South Asian diaspora at large. The term "desi" comes from the Hindi word देश (deś, lit.'homeland'). The word has its origin in Sanskrit, deśa, and is pronounced desh in the Bengali language. "Desi" means "of the homeland" and is generally used by diasporas of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Although it is not used much in South Asia and not as a set identity like the diasporas do. The term has been commonly known among diasporas since at least the 1980s. The term "confused" is used to describe the psychological state of many second-generation South Asian Americans who struggle to balance values and traditions taught at home with attitudes and practices that are more conducive to the culture of The United States.
The longer and lesser known form "American Born Confused Desi, Emigrated From Gujarat, House In Jersey" is also occasionally seen; playing on the alphabet theme, it has been expanded for K-Z variously as "Kids Learning Medicine, Now Owning Property, Quite Reasonable Salary, Two Uncles Visiting, White Xenophobia, Yet Zestful" or "Keeping Lotsa Motels, Named Omkarnath Patel, Quickly Reaching Success Through Underhanded Vicious Ways, Xenophobic Yet Zestful".[3] The former version of the A—Z expansion was proposed by South Asian immigrants as a reaction to the latter version that derogated them.[4]
Cultural implicationsEdit
Among South Asian Americans, the term may be considered divisive, as first generation South Asian Americans use it to criticize the Americanization and lack of belonging to Indian Asian culture they perceive in their second-generation peers or children. At times, it could also be used to mock their outdated perception of their country of origin. [5] Writer Vijay Prashad describes the term as "ponderous and overused" and notes it as one of the mechanisms by which new immigrants attempt to make second-generation youth feel "culturally inadequate and unfinished".[6]
MoviesEdit
The term American-Born Confused Desi first appeared in the movie American Desi (2001).[citation needed]ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi is a 2013 Malayalam language movie released in India. The film narrates the journey of two young American Malayalees to their motherland, Kerala, with the title based on the term "American-Born Confused Desi".
^Airriess, Christopher A., Contemporary Ethnic Geographies in America, page 287, Rowman & Littlefield, 2007, ISBN0-7425-3772-2
^Das, Diya (2007), The Evolution of an Identity: Indian American Immigrants from the Early 20th Century to the Present, Tribute Books, p. 60, ISBN978-0-9795045-6-3
^Skop, Emily (2007). "Asian Indians and the Construction of Community and Identity". In Ines Miyares; Christopher A. Airriess (eds.). Contemporary Ethnic Geographies in America. Rowman and Littlefield. p. 287. ISBN978-0-7425-3772-9.
^Prashad, Vijay (2000), The Karma of Brown Folk, University of Minnesota Press, p. 131, ISBN0-8166-3439-4
Further readingEdit
V., Smitha (2002-03-05), "ABCDs: American Born Confused Desis", Boloji.com, retrieved 2008-04-17
Hidier, Tanuja Desai (2002), Born Confused, New York: Scholastic Press, ISBN0-439-35762-4
Kurella, Vidya (April 2005), "From Confused to Confident: How do you say your name?", ABCDlady: A Magazine for the American Born Confident Desi, retrieved 2008-04-17
Hoque, Maher (Fall 2006), , Sapna Magazine Online, archived from the original on September 28, 2007, retrieved 2008-04-17
Ojha, Ajay K., Humor: A distinctive way of speaking that can create cultural identity, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, p. 161, Vol. 32, No. 3, September 2003.
Souter, Kay; Raja, Ira (January 2008), "Mothering Siblings: Diaspora, Desire and Identity in American Born Confused Desi" (PDF), Narrative, The Ohio State University Press, 16 (1): 16–28, doi:10.1353/nar.2008.0002, S2CID 161480631, retrieved 2008-04-17
George, Sam (May 2006), Understanding the Coconut Generation
August 25, 2023
american, born, confused, desi, indian, films, abcd, disambiguation, abcd, informal, term, used, refer, south, asian, americans, particularly, indian, pakistani, bangladeshi, origin, born, raised, united, states, contrast, those, were, born, overseas, later, s. For the Indian films see ABCD disambiguation American Born Confused Desi ABCD is an informal term used to refer to South Asian Americans particularly of Indian Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin born or raised in the United States in contrast to those who were born overseas and later settled in the US 1 Contents 1 Neologism 2 Cultural implications 3 Movies 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingNeologism EditSee also Bangladeshi American Indian American and Pakistani American ABCD or American Born Confused Desi has become a polarizing factor in the South Asian diaspora in the United States with first generation immigrant parents and young South Asians of second or later generations 2 Though the term was originally coined in reference to Indian Americans it has been adopted by the South Asian diaspora at large The term desi comes from the Hindi word द श des lit homeland The word has its origin in Sanskrit desa and is pronounced desh in the Bengali language Desi means of the homeland and is generally used by diasporas of India Pakistan and Bangladesh Although it is not used much in South Asia and not as a set identity like the diasporas do The term has been commonly known among diasporas since at least the 1980s The term confused is used to describe the psychological state of many second generation South Asian Americans who struggle to balance values and traditions taught at home with attitudes and practices that are more conducive to the culture of The United States The longer and lesser known form American Born Confused Desi Emigrated From Gujarat House In Jersey is also occasionally seen playing on the alphabet theme it has been expanded for K Z variously as Kids Learning Medicine Now Owning Property Quite Reasonable Salary Two Uncles Visiting White Xenophobia Yet Zestful or Keeping Lotsa Motels Named Omkarnath Patel Quickly Reaching Success Through Underhanded Vicious Ways Xenophobic Yet Zestful 3 The former version of the A Z expansion was proposed by South Asian immigrants as a reaction to the latter version that derogated them 4 Cultural implications EditAmong South Asian Americans the term may be considered divisive as first generation South Asian Americans use it to criticize the Americanization and lack of belonging to Indian Asian culture they perceive in their second generation peers or children At times it could also be used to mock their outdated perception of their country of origin 5 Writer Vijay Prashad describes the term as ponderous and overused and notes it as one of the mechanisms by which new immigrants attempt to make second generation youth feel culturally inadequate and unfinished 6 Movies EditThe term American Born Confused Desi first appeared in the movie American Desi 2001 citation needed ABCD American Born Confused Desi is a 2013 Malayalam language movie released in India The film narrates the journey of two young American Malayalees to their motherland Kerala with the title based on the term American Born Confused Desi See also EditAmerican born Chinese ABC References Edit Radhakrishnan Rajagopalan Diaspora Hybridity Pedagogy Peripheral Centres Central Peripheries ed Ghosh Schellhorn Martina amp Alexander Vera page 116 LIT Verlag Berlin Hamburg Munster 2006 ISBN 3 8258 9210 7 Airriess Christopher A Contemporary Ethnic Geographies in America page 287 Rowman amp Littlefield 2007 ISBN 0 7425 3772 2 Das Diya 2007 The Evolution of an Identity Indian American Immigrants from the Early 20th Century to the Present Tribute Books p 60 ISBN 978 0 9795045 6 3 Mitra Kalita S Suburban Sahibs page 13 Rutgers University Press 2005 ISBN 0 8135 3665 0 Skop Emily 2007 Asian Indians and the Construction of Community and Identity In Ines Miyares Christopher A Airriess eds Contemporary Ethnic Geographies in America Rowman and Littlefield p 287 ISBN 978 0 7425 3772 9 Prashad Vijay 2000 The Karma of Brown Folk University of Minnesota Press p 131 ISBN 0 8166 3439 4Further reading EditV Smitha 2002 03 05 ABCDs American Born Confused Desis Boloji com retrieved 2008 04 17 Hidier Tanuja Desai 2002 Born Confused New York Scholastic Press ISBN 0 439 35762 4 Kurella Vidya April 2005 From Confused to Confident How do you say your name ABCDlady A Magazine for the American Born Confident Desi retrieved 2008 04 17 Hoque Maher Fall 2006 A Former Coconut s Guide to Getting Cultured Sapna Magazine Online archived from the original on September 28 2007 retrieved 2008 04 17 Ojha Ajay K Humor A distinctive way of speaking that can create cultural identity Journal of Intercultural Communication Research p 161 Vol 32 No 3 September 2003 Souter Kay Raja Ira January 2008 Mothering Siblings Diaspora Desire and Identity in American Born Confused Desi PDF Narrative The Ohio State University Press 16 1 16 28 doi 10 1353 nar 2008 0002 S2CID 161480631 retrieved 2008 04 17 George Sam May 2006 Understanding the Coconut Generation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title American Born Confused Desi amp oldid 1170331883, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
