Just wondering, from a thread on the AMV that mentioned an older song called "Pretty Fly (for a white guy.)" Personally, I never really got into the song because I always considered the title phrase to be a kind of mildly offensive put-down at least, and at most overtly racist.
Consider the structure:
"You're pretty [ADJECTIVE] for a [COLLECTIVE NOUN]"
I can't think of any phrase that doesn't fall between the range of a back-handed complement and a really discriminatory insult.
Example: "You're pretty smart for a lowlander."
What do you infer about how the speaker feels about the geographic class 'lowlander?'
I think it's prejudice; in this example it says, "Because of where you are from, you must be less competent than I should otherwise expect - and I formulate that opinion even before** I get a chance to see you work, or get to know you otherwise."
(** and that's the pre- part of prejudice.)
Anyways, I'm interested in how others react to phrases like that.