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Amerindian
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
Non-Canadianism
This is a word that our editors have determined is not a Canadianism.
1adj. — Ethnicities, slightly derogatory
of or relating to the Indians of the Americas.
The term Amerindian is a contraction of American and Indian that has been occasionally used as an umbrella term for all indigenous populations who inhabit North, Central and South America. It is particularly frequent in anthropological contexts (see AHD-5, s.v. "Amerindian"). It is dated, has acquired negative undertones and should be avoided. Moreover, it is noted that Amerindian is more frequently used when discussing the "native peoples of the Caribbean and Central and South America" (see AHD-5, s.v. "Amerindian"). COD-2, s.v. "Amerindian", marks this term as "much less common in Canadian English [in contrast to the term] Indian", which is supported by a comparison of frequency index points seen in Charts 1 and 2, as the total frequency points for Amerindian in the Canadian domain is 32.2, versus 939.9 for "Indian".
This term should be avoided in Canadian English, as it carries negative undertones today. Instead, use of the term aboriginal is recommended. Note the racist undertones of the 1922 quotation.
Quotations
1922
They are not all business men. Some are laborers striking for their hire. Others are doctors, lawyers, ministers, or even professors. They are a hybrid race, a mingling of the races of Continental Europe. But, again, they have the soft cheekbones of the Amerindian.
1956
With more than half the world's languages linked to intonation, with intensely complex grammatical structures such as the Dinka dialect of the Sudan and Amerindian, the difficult task of explaining the Bible is further complicated.
1960
In the capital you will surely visit the marketplace, where many races gather and you will hear the native tongue, takkie-takkie, which is spoken by every Surinamer, whether of Amerindian origin, or Bushnegro, Indonesian, East Indian, Chinese, Creole, or European.
1966
"These millions of so-called ethnic speakers and their descendants, combined with a large number of foreign students and foreign residents and the indigenous speakers of many Amerindian languages, make the United States - officially one of the 'most unilingual nations in the world' - in practice, one of the most bilingual."
1979
The Amerindian and Inuit communities, if they so desire, will be in full possession on their territory of institutions that maintain the integrity of their societies and enable them to develop freely, according to their own culture and spirit.
1986
The beliefs of the ancient Peruvians come through in the forms of twisting snakes, birds and jaguars. They merge with images of men on many of the vessels. The content is similar to Inuit and Amerindian art in that human-animal combinations symbolize supernatural power. Geometric markings are also widely used.
1987
Thereafter, Walter's on a quest. During a lunar eclipse at an ancient Amerindian site, he does "find" himself in a silly-serious epiphany, "imbedded in the central intelligence agency of the universe."
1999
Also bringing Roman Catholicism to Mexico, the Spanish imposed their legal and economic systems, and enslaved much of the native population in ventures such as the mining of gold. Forthwith, influenza, smallpox, and the measles helped reduce the Amerindian population from an estimated five million in 1500 to three-and-a-half million a century later.
2013
"It's infuriating but it's so pathetic to go and say that Quebec is xenophobic and racist - when from the start of our national adventure we intermingled with Amerindians. The majority of us have Amerindian roots, one-quarter of us have Irish roots, we have had six premiers of Irish origin. What are these people talking about? Why are they so misinformed in the rest of Canada?"
2014
"There's an Amerindian phrase: 'We don't inherit from our forefathers - we borrow from future generations.' If their language disappears, a lot of knowledge disappears with it. Same thing for the Quebecois. With our super technologies, we are capable of more than ever, yet we need to master the basics to make those advances pay off."
2n. — Ethnicities, derogatory
an Indian of the Americas.
This term should be avoided in Canadian English, as it carries negative undertones. Instead, use of the term aboriginal is recommended.
Quotations
1983
More than 100,000 WEST Indians in Toronto have brought with them a fascinating mixture of languages, culture and cuisine, enriching the city with their heritage. Hailing from an area which was the home of the original Amerindians of the Caribean [sic] and which has at one time or another, been affected by Spanish, French, British, Dutch, West African, Chinese and East Indian inhabitants, the people of the islands have incorporated a wide range of influences into their lives and their cooking.
References
- AHD-5
- COD-2
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 5 May 2014
