Should we order pizza or Chinese?

[it-is-niaz]

A: Should we order pizza or Chinese?
B: I don't mind.

Does "Should" mean "Is it a good idea to order pizza or Chinese"?

 

[bubbha]

It's a suggestion.

 

[Skrej]

More specifically, it's asking for a suggestion.

 

[emsr2d2]

More specifically, it's asking for a suggestion.

Or an opinion.

 

[jutfrank]

Or a preference.

 

[tedmc]

"Pizza" is a noun whereas "Chinese" (as in "Chinese food") is an adjective, so they don't really go together.

 

[nigele2]

"Pizza" is a noun whereas "Chinese" (as in "Chinese food") is an adjective, so they don't really go together.

In this context and usage "Chinese" is very much a noun. "I had a Chinese last night". It may be informal usage but incredibly common.

 

[tedmc]

"I had/eat a Chinese" sounds weird to me.
I guess it is a slang? It is surely not written that way, is it?

 

[emsr2d2]

It's both said and written and I don't consider it slang. I simply count it as one of those words that has become a noun in its own right in BrE. You'll hear the following when Brits are talking about food:

Shall we get a Chinese tonight?
I really fancy an Indian. You?
His boss took him out for an Italian last night.

Those are the only common ones I can think of at the moment. I don't think I've heard/used "Let's get a Greek/Spanish/Thai tonight". Those would be used as adjectives and followed by either "meal" or "takeaway".

 

[TheParser]

"I had a Chinese last night". It may be informal usage but incredibly common.

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Nigele:

Of course, I am not an expert on the idioms in all 50 American states, but I can assure you that no one in California (where I have spent my 81 years) would ever say, "I had a Chinese last night." They would simply say, "I had Chinese last night."

(In fact, out of context, your sentence has a naughty meaning for some speakers.)

 

[Raymott]

I doubt anyone would say (a Chinese/Indian) in Australia either. Maybe it just hasn't reached here.

 

[jutfrank]

In Britain, I would interpret the use or lack of use of the article as such:

I had Chinese last night. [= Chinese food]
I had a Chinese last night. [= a Chinese takeaway]

One difference being then that in the first it is at least possible (though unlikely, I think) that I cooked it myself, whereas in the second it is not.

 

[nigele2]

Hi TheParser. I've had many happy times in your state. However, the only comments I receive are about my accent.

But, to be fair most people I have met, in the many parts of the world I've been lucky enough to visit, are very tolerant of foreign visitors.

If you ever visit the UK I'll take you for a Chinese, or Chinese, as you wish. But whichever you'll have a good time.

 

[Rover_KE]

Hi, TheParser. I've had many happy times in your state. However, the only comments I receive are about my accent.

But to be fair, most people I have met in the many parts of the world I've been lucky enough to visit are very tolerant of foreign visitors.

If you ever visit the UK I'll take you for a Chinese, or Chinese, as you wish. But whichever — you'll have a good time.

Your profile says you're in Spain, nigele2.

 

[nigele2]

Your profile says you're in Spain, nigele2.

Rover, if only life was so simple. I commute to the UK for work frequently. And when I'm there I spend a lot of time eating Indian and Chinese. These exist in Spain but are not so great.

But going to and from makes me very popular with my Spanish family.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's both said and written and I don't consider it slang. I simply count it as one of those words that has become a noun in its own right in BrE. You'll hear the following when Brits are talking about food:

Shall we get a Chinese tonight?
I really fancy an Indian. You?
His boss took him out for an Italian last night.

Those are the only common ones I can think of at the moment. I don't think I've heard/used "Let's get a Greek/Spanish/Thai tonight". Those would be used as adjectives and followed by either "meal" or "takeaway".

You use an article? We say "I'd like some Italian" or "We went out for Chinese."

 

[Raymott]

I wasn't claiming that's it's unacceptable in AusE. If most of us have never heard it or used it, I suppose we've never made a judgement about its acceptability.