Sorry if this has been asked before. But, the way I see it, it's an amalgamation of Chinese and Rickenbacker.
It really has nothing to do with chicken per say. It is the "Chi" in China, and the "kenbacker" from Rickenbacker. Throw in the "c" from chicken and it just rolls off the tongue better. But some don't realize that and think you are calling Chinese people chickens..... or some such nonsense.
Racist? I didn't know it was considered anything except a description of a Chinese made Ric fake. Learn something new every day, I guess.
I've been wondering the same thing for quite some time, as I saw it mentioned in a previous message here on TB, when someone was referring to their Chinese made Rickenbacker (can't remember who). The preferred to call it a Chinabacker as opposed to Chickenbacker so as to not be "racist". I found it odd.
The only way I can see is that "chicken" somehow denotes inferior, and you are implying that their work is inferior. I see it as no different than MIM or MIA - shorthand. People also mix up the fact that some people have an issue with illegal copies of an instrument, no matter where it is made. Personally, I love many chinese chicken dishes, but not illegal copies.
I have never heard anybody call chickenbacker racist and I have read a lot of racist posts in those threads.
I feel this is relevant to the conversation....some folks will be offended by anything or try to find some type of offensive meaning to near anything. As for calling anyone a chicken, chickens are delicious and are pretty boss at crowing if they are a rooster. Those who don't agree with me are just a spoonfaced apple-picking door donkey.
There are crybabies that will be offended at everything. Let them be offended. It's not like the term was intentionally meant to be racist. Like Freud said, sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar...
I am of Chinese descent and in no way do i find "Chickenbacker" to be offensive. However, adding an "n" between the "i" and the "c" could lead someone to construe it as racist.
Sometimes I feel like I really miss out, being white. We don't get any of the good derogatory names. We live in a time where people let their entire life revolve around finding things to be offended about. To me, that's existing, not living. Call it whatever you want, but Chickenbacker is pretty doggone catchy.
^^and I NEVER have heard anybody do that here. I agree that if they did, it would be racist, because "chink" has negative racial connotations.