Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith Talk Forums General Topics Q&A about words eskimo
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
My adolescent son gives a UC Berkeley freshperson as his citation of authority for the following: "Eskimo" is a term applied by Europeans to Inuit peoples. She says that in the Inuit language the word "Eskimo" is an obscene reference to female genitals. This is NOT the etymology I have found in the Merriam Webster college or other dictionaries. (Although the dictionaries' references to 'one who eats raw flesh' is at least suggestive.)
Any better authorities for the etymology of this word?
BobFrisbeeMay
Don't DO this to me, BFM! This is the second time today
that I thought I'd lost my mind!
I answered this in Info. and Announcements.
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,915Posts230,262Members9,208 Most Online4,606
Sep 17th, 2025
Newest Members JerryC, blvd, Tony Hood, Wood Delivery, Forix Richard
9,208 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days) John Fox 1JerryC 1
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 11,122tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,974Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith Talk