I’m an Indian (and not the American kind.)
Is is Columbus’s mistake that the term coined for natives on the American continents are called “Indians” ?
According to this Staff Report, which includes links to Columbus’s original letter, Columbus is the one responsible.
I think you meant to post this in GQ. (Or more accurately, in Comments on Staff Reports - which I’ll link to, as the Straight Dope has covered this topic.)
Does “Indian” derive from Columbus’s description of Native Americans as “una gente in Dios”?
Yup! That Chris, what a card…
From Biography.com
I hate you forever, SpoilerVirgin. You spoiled everything.
Including my virginity.
No, wait …
*Look for
The Indian label
When you are buying
A shirt, dress, or pants*
Columbus… what a doof. (Except, he did have internet access, if a staff report can link to his letter… Hmmm…)
One wonders what American aboriginals would’ve been called…? I’ll search/post that in Comments.
Blackfeet, crow, sioux, eighty some other names…
No, no, no. As a group
American Aboriginals sounds pretty good to me.
Or if you’re Canadian, you might say First Nations. But that’s rare south of the border. And I don’t know if all groups were organized enough to be called nations in the modern sense of the word.
Why is this in The Pit?
Moderator’s Note: This was probably originally intended for GQ, but since there was a Staff Report, I’ll move it to CSR instead.
I normally use “Amerind”, although some linguists are now using the word in a somewhat restricted sense.
He thought he’d landed in India so they were all called “Indians.” Imagine if he thought he’d landed in China, they’d all be called Kung Pao.