Jim C,

He does agree with you that Eskimo is considered derogatory in some areas of
the north ..... "but is still acceptable in Alaska, mainly because Alaska
includes Yup'ik people who are closely related
culturally and linguistically but are not Inuit. 'Eskimo' includes Yup'ik as
well as Inuit."**

I think where you and Floyd disagree is if natives from the Alaska area
would prefer to be called Inuit or Eskimos. According to the two experts I
cited, those native to Alaska prefer to be called Eskimos verses Inuit.

Since I live in the lower 48 I meet very few Alaskan natives, but I did find
this discussion interesting.


"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Dr. Dr. K.G. Sherlock" wrote in message
...
Sorry, I forgot the link.
http://www.isteve.com/2002_Name_Game..._or_Eskimo.htm


Hi Dr. Sherlock: Here is another Cut & paste from the above web site:

** Tom Alton, the editor of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks' Alaska
Native Language Center, pointed out, "The name 'Eskimo' is considered
derogatory in some areas of the North but is still acceptable in Alaska,
mainly because Alaska includes Yup'ik people who are closely related
culturally and linguistically but are not Inuit. 'Eskimo' includes Yup'ik
as
well as Inuit."**

You will note that Tom Alton agrees that the term "Eskimo" is considered
derogatory.

James D. Carter

"Dr. Dr. K.G. Sherlock" wrote in message
...
Jim C,

He does agree with you that Eskimo is considered derogatory in some areas
of
the north ..... "but is still acceptable in Alaska, mainly because
Alaska
includes Yup'ik people who are closely related
culturally and linguistically but are not Inuit. 'Eskimo' includes Yup'ik
as
well as Inuit."**

I think where you and Floyd disagree is if natives from the Alaska area
would prefer to be called Inuit or Eskimos. According to the two experts
I
cited, those native to Alaska prefer to be called Eskimos verses Inuit.

Since I live in the lower 48 I meet very few Alaskan natives, but I did
find
this discussion interesting.

Yes, Dr. Sherlock, I also found this discussion very interesting and I also
learned something informative about Alaska.

James D. Carter

"Dr. Dr. K.G. Sherlock" wrote:
Jim C,

He does agree with you that Eskimo is considered derogatory in some areas of
the north ..... "but is still acceptable in Alaska, mainly because Alaska
includes Yup'ik people who are closely related
culturally and linguistically but are not Inuit. 'Eskimo' includes Yup'ik as
well as Inuit."**

I think where you and Floyd disagree is if natives from the Alaska area
would prefer to be called Inuit or Eskimos. According to the two experts I
cited, those native to Alaska prefer to be called Eskimos verses Inuit.

There are *no* people in Alaska who commonly refer to themselves
or anyone else as Inuit. The Inupiat people (and the majority
of people where I live are Inupiat) are in fact Inuit Eskimos.
And of course the more numerous Eskimos in Alaska are Yupik,
not Inuit. (My children and grandchildren are all Yupik.)

And we should note that appropriate use of the term Eskimo is
impossible to avoid in Alaska, since there is no other word with
the same meaning. That makes it a commonly used word here, but
in Canada and Greenland it is rarely needed simply because all
Eskimos there are in fact Inuit, and that *is* what they should
be called.

Since I live in the lower 48 I meet very few Alaskan natives, but I did find
this discussion interesting.

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)