[OT] Inuit? Eskimo?

[Skip Montanaro]

    >> 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.

    Floyd> Whatever, in Canada all Eskimo people are in fact Inuit, and it
    Floyd> is considered impolite to call them anything else.  By the same
    Floyd> token, the *only* word in the English language which properly
    Floyd> describes all Eskimo people is the term "Eskimo".  "Inuit" does
    Floyd> not, because in Alaska there are many Eskimos who are not Inuit,
    Floyd> and in Siberia all Eskimos are Yupik.  Moreover, in Alaska the
    Floyd> Inupiat people, who are the same as the Canadian Inuit people,
    Floyd> simply do *not* like to be called Inuit!  (They use the word
    Floyd> Inupiat.)

Thanks for the clarification.  Sounds like there's no one best term.

Skip