New Post
Search
Helpgreat post, & questions
in reply to a message by cait
.. very interesting! Not the sort of info that's easy to find all in one place, I don't think. Technically it "belongs" on the Facts Board, but I am glad you posted it here, because I think it might get better / more diverse exposure.
OT: So do Alaskans really refer to "Outsiders" as such? That's a juicy tidbit, if true .. ! and probably appropriate. I find it hard to imagine living somewhere where there was limited road access.
Some more questions:
What do Natives and villagers think of whites and city folks naming their kids Alaskan place names or a native name like Panika - are they approving, or not?
Do village non-Natives pronounce native names correctly as a matter of course, since they're familiar, or are they phonetic in English? Or is there a distinct accent you can't fake?
Do you think naming sets village whites and Natives apart at all, or is it a positive thing for everybody when native-sounding names identify someone as a Native? I am suspecting there's some kind of social pressure that's only partially successful, since Natives give kids non-native names as well...
When Natives and whites intermarry, are the kids more likely to get a non-native-sounding first name?
This reminds me -- a patient at the vet clinic where I worked was a Husky named Chena. I also met Malamutes and Huskies named Denali and Kodiak.
- chazda
OT: So do Alaskans really refer to "Outsiders" as such? That's a juicy tidbit, if true .. ! and probably appropriate. I find it hard to imagine living somewhere where there was limited road access.
Some more questions:
What do Natives and villagers think of whites and city folks naming their kids Alaskan place names or a native name like Panika - are they approving, or not?
Do village non-Natives pronounce native names correctly as a matter of course, since they're familiar, or are they phonetic in English? Or is there a distinct accent you can't fake?
Do you think naming sets village whites and Natives apart at all, or is it a positive thing for everybody when native-sounding names identify someone as a Native? I am suspecting there's some kind of social pressure that's only partially successful, since Natives give kids non-native names as well...
When Natives and whites intermarry, are the kids more likely to get a non-native-sounding first name?
This reminds me -- a patient at the vet clinic where I worked was a Husky named Chena. I also met Malamutes and Huskies named Denali and Kodiak.
- chazda
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Answers
Yes, we do call everyone else Outsiders. You live Outside. With a capital "O" :-)
You know, I doubt there's any kind of consensus among Natives about non-Natives naming their kids Alaskan names. It probably depends a lot on the person, but I imagine that if the parents thought it out and used it for a reason instead of just liking the sound -- if the parents actually knew what the heck they were talking about -- then people would be fine with it.
Non-Natives who grew up in the villages would pronounce Native names (of the area where they live) correctly. If they move in from outside, there's probably an accent. There is definitely a Native accent (which of course differs depending on the tribe), which is pretty common among elders in the villages. It's less common with young people. It's a gorgeous accent...sort of crisp. Also, usually people who grew up speaking a Native language as their first language speak English a bit slower than you or I would. It's a cultural difference as well as a linguistic one.
I'm not sure I understand your fourth question. Are you asking if it's a bad thing when people can identify a Native person by their name? Actually, it's often the surname that sets it apart: most Native people have 1) Native surnames, 2) Male Biblical first-names-as-surnames (Joseph, Luke, Peter), or 3) Russian surnames (from when much of Alaska was controlled by the Russians.
When Natives and whites intermarry, kids more likely to get a non-Native first name. When Natives marry each other, they're still likely to give their kids a non-Native name these days. Native names are very uncommon nowadays.
~ Cait
Yes, we do call everyone else Outsiders. You live Outside. With a capital "O" :-)
You know, I doubt there's any kind of consensus among Natives about non-Natives naming their kids Alaskan names. It probably depends a lot on the person, but I imagine that if the parents thought it out and used it for a reason instead of just liking the sound -- if the parents actually knew what the heck they were talking about -- then people would be fine with it.
Non-Natives who grew up in the villages would pronounce Native names (of the area where they live) correctly. If they move in from outside, there's probably an accent. There is definitely a Native accent (which of course differs depending on the tribe), which is pretty common among elders in the villages. It's less common with young people. It's a gorgeous accent...sort of crisp. Also, usually people who grew up speaking a Native language as their first language speak English a bit slower than you or I would. It's a cultural difference as well as a linguistic one.
I'm not sure I understand your fourth question. Are you asking if it's a bad thing when people can identify a Native person by their name? Actually, it's often the surname that sets it apart: most Native people have 1) Native surnames, 2) Male Biblical first-names-as-surnames (Joseph, Luke, Peter), or 3) Russian surnames (from when much of Alaska was controlled by the Russians.
When Natives and whites intermarry, kids more likely to get a non-Native first name. When Natives marry each other, they're still likely to give their kids a non-Native name these days. Native names are very uncommon nowadays.
~ Cait
1
I am an Alaskan. Well, more technically I am a resident of Alaska, but unfortunately my hubby's job has moved us to the lower 48. We plan to live there after he retires.
Yes, Alaskans refer to the lower 48 as 'outside' and therefore its residents as 'outsiders'.
I am not entirely sure what the Natives think of people naming their children native names. I don't think it is too common, but it is very common in pets. I know a lot of animals named Alaska names.
Yes, Alaskans refer to the lower 48 as 'outside' and therefore its residents as 'outsiders'.
I am not entirely sure what the Natives think of people naming their children native names. I don't think it is too common, but it is very common in pets. I know a lot of animals named Alaska names.
1