Good points. And, I didn't realize that about Sherman Alexie. I wonder where Louise Erdrich, Leslie Silko, James Welch and others come down on the subject. Not to suggest that "Indian" is in the same camp with the "n-word", but that's one of the problems with attempting to be PC. What is safe for one person, might be offensive to another. Michael MacBride English/Humanities Minnesota State University, Mankato On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 11:31 AM, Sharon McCoy <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Interesting question about "Indian" -- I don't feel confident enough > about > this to post on the list, but I'll offer three speculations: > > > --It is closest to "Injun" and therefore makes the change seem minor > --Either of the other two choices would be anachronistic as well as > euphemistic > --The most well-known and widely read "Native" author today is Sherman > Alexie > (Spokane-Couer d'Alene), who prefers and uses the term "Indian." > > > Just possibilities . . . . > > Sharon > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Michael MacBride <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Sent: Thu, January 6, 2011 11:20:37 AM > Subject: Re: a new Adventures of Huckleberry Finn > > I suppose, if nothing else, it will make for some good classroom > discussions... particularly for those of us teaching Huck Finn this > semester. Effectively, I have several pre-fab discussions ready to rock. > > In related matters: > Does anyone know why they chose "Indian" instead of "Native American" or > "Amerindian"? > > I was a little surprised to open Where the Sidewalk Ends randomly at a book > store and to find that Shel Silverstein's work has also been edited > (though, > with little fanfare). His poem "The gypsies are coming" has been changed > to > "The googies are coming". Weird. > > I will admit to being made uncomfortable by the n-word in Huck Finn, but > that uncomfortableness just makes it that much more challenging to teach, > and to ensure that we have thoughtful discussions about language, rhetoric, > and the like. Of course, I'm not teaching the novel at a high school > level, > so I can't vouch for how successful it is in that setting. > > In either case, thanks for all the material and the lively discussion. > I've > enjoyed it. > > Michael MacBride > English/Humanities > Minnesota State University, Mankato > > > On Thu, Jan 6, 2011 at 12:27 AM, <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > I am pleased to learn that you gave up on the Politically Correct (but > Wre= > > cked) version. The snippet you have given makes it clear that your > transl= > > ation goes from the unforgettable to the unreadable. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Kent_Rasmussen <[log in to unmask]> > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Sent: Wed, Jan 5, 2011 10:33 am > > Subject: Re: a new Adventures of Huckleberry Finn > > > > > > Like that of many others posting on this subject, my first reaction to > thi= > > s > > news was one of astonishment. However, after giving the matter further > > thought, I wonder if it wouldn=E2=80=99t be better to carry the revision= > > of > > _Huckleberry Finn_ even further. And, I=E2=80=99m happy to report, > I=E2=80= > > =99m ready to > > help. About sixteen years ago, just for fun, I started to rewrite the > book > > myself, with the idea of publishing it as _The Politically Correct (but > > Wrecked) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_. To provide some of the flavor > of > > my 100% non-offensive text, here=E2=80=99s my version of Pap=E2=80=99s > dru= > > nken diatribe. > > (Note, by the way, how neatly it handles the uncomfortable matter of > > substituting =E2=80=9Cslave=E2=80=9D for the uncomfortable word that > begin= > > s with the letter > > following M in the alphabet.) > > > > "Oh, yes, we have wonderful institutions! How's this for an example: I > hea= > > rd > > of a free African American from Ohio who dressed better than any European > > American in town. He even had a gold watch and chain and silver-headed > can= > > e. > > Oh yes, he was quite the dandy. What's more, they said he was a > multilingu= > > al > > college professor with a vast repertoire of knowledge. That was bad > enough= > > . > > When they said he could vote in his home state, that was too much. What,= > > I > > wondered, is our country coming to? Well, it happened to be election day= > > and > > I would have gone to vote myself, if I been in a condition to get there > > safely, but when I heard that there's a state which actually lets a > person > > of color vote, I stopped and said that I would never vote again. Those > are > > my exact words--everyone heard me. Why, the country can founder for all I > > care. And to think of the presumption of that man--why, he wouldn't have > > conceded my right-of-way unless I pushed him aside! When I asked why he > > wasn't sold back into involuntary servitude, do you know what people > said? > > That he couldn't be sold unless he spent six months in the state. How's > th= > > at > > for an example of our government institutions? Pretty sad, if you ask > me."= > > =20 > > =20 > > > > =20 > > > >