August 24, 2006

Pluto had to go & The origin of "eskimo"

As of today, after a vote made with Astronomers earlier this afternoon in Prague, Pluto has lost its status as a planet. A status it has had since its discovery in 1930. And then there were 8...

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The word eskimo was given by colonialists to all people living on the coasts from East Greenland to The Bering Strait, and is today concidered demeaning in both Canada and Greenland and thus has been replaced by the word inuit, meaning the people. (The singular of inuit is enuk.)

Why eskimo is concidered demeaning I do not know. Perhaps because of the meaning of the word; those who eat raw flesh.

7 comments:

i, Bobo said...

For the life of me, I can't understand why I feel sad that Pluto is no longer a planet.

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

bobo welcome! well, I know what you mean. It is sad though if you think of it. The smallest and cutest of them all, not to mention giving name to a disney character. No wonder you're devastated! lol

Boo! said...

I'd heard that they were thinking of adding a planet or two to our solar system... but this is a real shocker! Its like all we learnt in school can be tossed out the window with one vote! *sighs*

and about the eskimo thing...the entire world eats raw fish and calls is Sashimi or Sushi or whatever else it may be called. Why would Eskimo be demeaning. So you are telling me those cute furry people in big round igloos (talk about stereo-typing) aren't eskimos anymore? ... that sucks.

This post is all bad news. I'm scarred for life!

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

lolll boo sorry for turning your world upside down!

I remember in pak when I went to school we used to learn all the planets in 4th grade...so basically...if one was asked to name them in an exam and replied with all including pluto one was in fact wrong...hmm...we must go back and review exam results!

lol lame joke I know...it's late...

Boo! said...

i'm sure nobody ever missed pluto when naming the planets... you could miss earth, but not pluto!

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

exactly! but the thing is, had they mentioned pluto it would technically be the wrong answer...

see I am continuing the trail of this very lame joke of mine... lol

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