[OT] Inuit? Eskimo?

[Peter Hansen]

Floyd Davidson wrote:
> 
> Skip Montanaro <skip at pobox.com> wrote:
> >    >> Skip Montanaro wrote:
> >    >>> "Native American" is to "American Indian" as ______ is to "Eskimo".
> >
> >    Floyd> The problem with the above is that there is no way to fill in the
> >    Floyd> blank and be correct!  The terms are reversed...
> >
> >I don't think so.  My intent was to answer the question, "What's the current
> >politically correct term to use in place of 'Eskimo'?"  I believe the above
> >SAT-style question captures the correct relationship.  "Native American" is
> >p.c., "American Indian" (or simply "Indian") is not.  "Eskimo" is apparently
> >also not p.c.
> 
> 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.  

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.

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

-Peter