Quote Originally Posted by Hamish Sporrano
Slightly Off Topic this but I am interested to see that several of you chaps across the pond use the word "Indians". I have understood for some years that such a name is almost an insult and that they should be referred to as "Native Americans".
This is mostly a creation of the overly Political Correct in American society. Many people feel slighted to be called "Indian" or "Black" or whatever and insist on being hyphenated Americans. i.e. "African-Americans" or "Native-Americans". But it is silly and it usually ends up offending other people. For example, "Native-American" technically describes anyone born in north or south America, regardless of skin color. "African American" usually implies "black" but you should see the debacles that can be started when a person with alibaster skin checks off that box on a form, when they are a white person from South Africa.

Most Americans aren't that uptight. We end up having to use those names to avoid litigation from the people who are that uptight.

My wife is half Scot, half Blackfoot Indian (Siksika). I don't even call her "Indian"; I call her "Skraeling" which is the old Viking word used to describe Indians and Eskimoes. "Indian" isn't really right because you could be talking about red Indians or brown Indians which are totally different cultures. Native American is such a mouthful and doesn't work well either. If you know the tribe that the person is from, it's very polite to describe a person as "Cherokee" or "Navajo" specifically rather than the catch-all "Indian". I only use "Skraeling" inside of the family because it is not a word in common use these days and can be considered to be rude if used in the wrong context.