Eskimo

See also: eskimo

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Attested since 1584,[1][2] from French Esquimau, ultimately from an Old Montagnais term. Ives Goddard's theory, accepted by most linguists today, is that it derives from Montagnais ayaškimew (“snowshoe-netter”). An older theory, defended by John Steckley due to its greater acceptance in Native oral traditions, but discredited[3] by linguists, is that it derives from a term meaning "eater(s) of raw meat".

Details.
  • The theory most accepted among linguists today is that it derives from ayaškimew (“snowshoe-netter”) (compare Montagnais assime·w (“she laces a snowshoe”), Ojibwe ashkime (“s/he nets snowshoes”)), a term applied to the Mi'kmaq[4][2] and apparently later transferred to the Labrador Inuit.
  • An older theory derives it from a term meaning "eaters of raw meat"; compare Cree askamiciw (“s/he eats it raw”) (Inuit are referred to in some Cree texts as askipiw, "eats something raw").[5][6][7] John Steckley argues in favor of this theory because of its greater acceptance in native oral traditions, and because the Huron, historical allies and trading partners of the Montagnais who loan-translated many names, also denote the Inuit using terms (e.g. Lorette Huron ok8ch iechronnon, Wyandot ok8chtronnon, both including -ok8ch- "to be raw") meaning "people of the raw", "people who eat something raw".[2]

In 1978, Montagnais-speaking Quebec anthropologist Jose Mailhot alternatively suggested Eskimo meant "people who speak a different language",[8][9] but Steckley considers her theory unlikely.[2]

The term may have entered English via Spanish esquimao, esquimal (used by Basque fishermen in Labrador).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɛs.kɪ.məʊ/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Hyphenation: Es‧kimo

Noun

Eskimo (plural Eskimo or Eskimos or Eskimoes)

  1. (dated, sometimes offensive) A member of a group of indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic, from Siberia, through Alaska and Northern Canada, to Greenland, including the Inuit and Yupik.
    Hyponyms: Inuk, Inuit, Yupik
  2. A dog of the American Eskimo breed.
    • 1958, Henry P. Davis, The Modern Dog Encyclopedia, page 292:
      Yet many pure-bred, if unregistered, Eskimos are still kept along the Canadian border for use in sled racing.
  3. A dog of the Canadian Eskimo breed.
  4. (Canadian football, historical) A team member of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. (Obsolete as of 2020 with the team dropping this name in favour of Elks in 2021.)

Usage notes

  • Eskimo has come to be considered offensive, especially in Canada, because it was widely thought to stem from a Cree pejorative meaning "eaters of raw meat"[10][8][9][5][6] (although both the Cree and Inuit ate raw meat).
  • In Canada, it has been superseded by Inuit (for the peoples, and Inuvialuit for those in the Western Arctic). The term is still used worldwide by historians and archaeologists.
  • In Alaska, indigenous Alaskans find this term too imprecise and prefer "Alaska Native", as "Eskimo" encompasses (and is the only encompassing term for) all the Arctic peoples including the Inuit Inupiat and the non-Inuit Yupik. However, Eskimo does not include the related Aleut people (Unangan).
  • Greenland natives also call themselves Greenlanders (Greenlandic: kalaallit), and their language Greenlandic (kalaallisut).

Translations

Derived terms

  • husky (“dog”)
  • Husky (“an Eskimo person; an Eskimo language”) (dated)

Proper noun

Eskimo

  1. Any of the languages of the Eskimo people.

Translations

Adjective

Eskimo (comparative more Eskimo, superlative most Eskimo)

  1. (sometimes offensive) Of or relating to the Eskimo peoples.
  2. In, of, or relating to the Eskimo languages.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ in the writings of Richard Hakluyt, in the (now obsolete) spelling Esquimawes (compare French Esquimaux (“Eskimos”))
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 John Steckley, White Lies about the Inuit (2008)
  3. ^ “Eskimo”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  4. ^ Ives Goddard, "Synonymy", in Arctic, ed. David Damas, vol. 5 of Handbook of North American Indians (1984), ed. William C. Sturtevant, pages 5–7 (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution); cited in Lyle Campbell, American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America (1997), page 394 (New York: Oxford University Press)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 “Setting the Record Straight About Native Languages: What Does "Eskimo" Mean In Cree?”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎[1], Native-languages.org, 13 June 2012 (last accessed)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 “Eskimo”, in American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition, 2000‎[2], Bartleby, (Can we date this quote?), archived from the original on 12 April 2001
  7. ^ Pamela R. Stern, Historical Dictionary of the Inuit
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jose Mailhot, L'étymologie de «Esquimau» revue et corrigée, Etudes Inuit/Inuit Studies 2-2:59–70 (1978)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 “Cree Mailing List Digest: November 1997”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎[3], 6 August 2018 (last accessed), archived from the original on 20 June 2012
  10. ^ Mark Israel, Eskimo (2012-06-13), archive (2012-04-03)

Anagrams

Dutch

Etymology

From French Esquimau; for more, see Eskimo. The theory that it derives from a word meaning “eater(s) of raw meat” is discredited.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛs.ki.moː/
  • Hyphenation: Es‧ki‧mo

Noun

Eskimo m (plural Eskimo's, diminutive Eskimootje n)

  1. Eskimo (person)

Proper noun

Eskimo n

  1. the Eskimo language (group)

French

Alternative forms

Noun

Eskimo m (plural Eskimos)

  1. an Eskimo

Derived terms

German

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛskimo/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

Eskimo m (strong, genitive Eskimos or Eskimo, plural Eskimo or Eskimos or Eskimo's)

  1. Eskimo

Declension

Declension of Eskimo [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Eskimo die Eskimo, Eskimos, Eskimo's
genitive eines des Eskimos, Eskimo der Eskimo, Eskimos, Eskimo's
dative einem dem Eskimo den Eskimo, Eskimos, Eskimo's
accusative einen den Eskimo die Eskimo, Eskimos, Eskimo's

Derived terms

  • eskimoisch

Proper noun

Eskimo n (proper noun, strong, genitive Eskimo)

  1. Eskimo (language)

Synonyms

  • Eskimoisch

Further reading

  • “Eskimo” in Duden online
  • “Eskimo” in Duden online
  • “Eskimo” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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