# re: the 9 'Eskimo' words for snow... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 15, 2000, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666 "2000-07-15T14:09:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/21 "2000-07-25T04:53:57Z")
Hey I wonder if the [Eskimo Nebula](http://www.seds.org/billa/twn/n2392.html) will have to be renamed. Another site: [http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2000/07/pr-photos.html](http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2000/07/pr-photos.html) While we’re on this topic; I looked up the ethymology: Main Entry: Es·ki·mo Pronunciation: 'es-k&-"mO Function: noun Etymology: obsolete Esquimawe, prob. from Spanish esquimao, from Montagnais (Algonquian language of eastern Canada) aiachkime8 Micmac, Eskimo; probably akin to modern Montagnais assime.w she laces a snowshoe, Ojibwa askime. Date: 1584 ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/22 "2000-07-25T14:33:20Z")
This may just be a Canadian vs American thing again. Interestingly, my French-English dictionary, in translations for “esquimau”, lists: > [@](#): > > **2** _n_ **E.** Eskimo, _Can_ Inuit, _Can Péj_ Eskimo It may just be an insult in Canadian English, like how “homely” is an insult in American but not in British. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/23 "2000-07-25T17:54:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by foolsguinea \* > Arnold, you’re missing my point. The term “Inuit” is implicitly racist. Its definition in the “Inuit” language is “those of our species”–it connotes a belief that _all_ non-Eskimos are _not human._ > This is not unique to the Eskimos. A similar belief is quite explicitly held by the Hopi, incidentally. Do you see why this offends me? As I mentioned before, if the term offends you then you can start a movement to have it changed. If you can convince a sufficient number of language or Inuit experts to agree with you, perhaps you will be successful in bringing the word “Eskimo” back in vogue! Personally, the term doesn’t bother me. As to the term Eskimo, it doesn’t bother me either, but obviously it bothers the people being referred to by that appelation, so I’m quite willing to make the small sacrifice of changing to the term Inuit, which seems to be the generally accepted term. > [@](#): > > Also–speaking of Germans–I am quite aware of the practice of calling Germans “Huns” as insulting term during the World Wars. I was making a joke, while pointing out why I find this silly. All right then! Allow me to chortle. 😃 Though what do you find silly? The fact that a German might be offended by the word Hun? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/24 "2000-07-25T17:58:52Z")
Maybe matt\_mcl has a clue to the right answer! OK then sailor, next time you are in a seaside bar in the great frozen north and use the word “Eskimo”, when a group of Inuit bring out the pool cues to teach you a little lesson in manners, just whip out your American passport (I’m assuming you’re American.) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/25 "2000-07-25T19:19:04Z")
Well, I can accept it _may_ be offensive in Canadian English and if this is the case I would refrain from using it in front of people whom it may offend. But it is definitely _not_ offensive in the brand of English _I_ speak. My apologies to any Canadians or eski… er, inuit, who I may have offended. If I ever go to Canada (now, why on earth would I _ever_ want to do that?) I will try to be respectful and adapt to their usage. But as long as I stay south of the border I do not think it is within their jurisdiction to tell us how to speak. Every major language has it’s major variations. There are words that are offensive in Britain that are not offensive in the US and viceversa. Does that mean one side should change their language? I don’t think so. OTOH it _would_ be quite rude for someone to be using language which is offensive to his audience with the argument that it is not offensive to him. But the audience should also make allowances and not jump on the “I have been offended” bandwagon. ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/26 "2000-08-08T18:37:10Z")
Inuk, plural inuit, means “human being”. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666/27 "2000-08-12T09:05:13Z")
Hi Y’all. It seems this discussion is a little theoretical. I’m not an eskimo, but I _did_ grow up in Alaska. I had an eskimo room-mate for several semesters at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. There were lots of eskimos at school. My good friend is married to a woman who is 3/8 eskimo, and they’ve adopted an eskimo kid (native adoptions are very easy if you are X% native). And they all refered to themselves as Eskimos. They held the Eskimo Olympics on campus. I never heard anyone use the word inuit. Of course, in Alaska most people use the term “native” since there are indians as well as eskimos. And there are people that can make a neutral term like “native” sound offensive, like Andy Sipowicz calling someone an african-american. _Any_ name can sound racist if it’s used in a racist spirit. So next time I go back home and I’m talking to an eskimo and he corrects me and says he’d rather be called inuit, I’ll say I’m sorry and call him inuit. Till then I’ll stick with eskimo. Heck, maybe everyone I met was just too polite to correct me. Most natives are pretty shy around people they don’t know very well. Maybe they’ve gotten more outspoken in the last couple of years. I hope that clears things up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-9-eskimo-words-for-snow/25666.md?page=1)