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”?
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…
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.