[OT] Inuit? Eskimo?

[Floyd Davidson]

Peter Hansen <peter at engcorp.com> wrote:
>Floyd Davidson wrote:
>> I've never heard that "American Indian" is not pc, nor that "Native
>> American" was ever meant to be a direct replacement for it.
>> 
>> Obviously some people mistakenly believe that "Eskimo" is not pc,
>> and just as mistakenly think the "Inuit" is a direct replacement.
>
>I think you've inadvertently expanded the scope of those beliefs.  

I've tried to provide some education on what they actually do
mean.

>In fact it was limited to "Eskimo is not PC for the _Inuit_".  I
>don't think anyone has really disproved this, unless someone 
>claiming to represent the Inuit's communal interest in the matter
>posted while I wasn't looking.

You do realize that most of my neighbors speak Inuit?  I'm not
suggesting that I read it somewhere in a newspaper or a book,
I'm talking about real live Inuit people.  Not to mention a lot
of Eskimos who are not Inuit (e.g., all of my children and
grandchildren).

Like I said, it is mistaken to believe the term Eskimo is
not pc, or that there is even a valid replacement for it
in the English language.

>But clearly there is also misunderstanding of which peoples call
>themselves Inuit.

That is what I was trying to clear up.  Just who is Inuit, and
who isn't.  And who wants to be called Inuit, and who doesn't.
And why.  (You might want to browse my web page.  The URL is
in my sig.)

-- 
Floyd L. Davidson           <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)                         floyd at barrow.com