[ElProximo]

Originally Posted by DigitalSid

Caste = latin word for pure therefore half caste = half pure
It comes from the Indian class system.
When you call someone half caste you are calling them half pure and lower class.
That^'s why it's offensive.

Wrong.
See the lesson I gave you in another thread about how words work and evolve and meanings change as the users decide them.

In fact, almost everyone who uses that term today believes they are using the word 'cast'.
As in casting in a mold. As in the substance being poured into, put into (cast) the mold.
They do not even suppose it is from an Indian 'caste' system and even if they did they don't believe it is 'caste' as a latin for 'pure'.
and,
EVEN IF they supposed 'caste' referred to 'pure' they still do not intend this to mean 'less than half pure',
but,
are saying it in the sense of "My mother was pure German and my Father was pure English".
They mean that 'either half' was 'pure ___' and not that one is 'half pure and half impure'.

But none of that really matters when the truth is the modern usage will be they think and intend it to mean 'mixed-race' and in no way derogatory or demeaning.

You should also know there are PLENTY of words for which the original latin origins centuries ago would NOT mean what they do today.
If you actually applied to that rule yourself it would render you nearly speechless.
Which might be nice.

(nice.. a french town I mean huh?)