Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism
Continue from: understanding ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism can be seen in many aspect aspect of culture – myths, folk’s tales, proverbs, and even languages.

For example, in many languages especially those of non-western societies the word to refer one’s own tribe or ethnic literally means “mankind” or “human”.

This implies that members of others groups are less than human. For example, the Eskimo, used to refer to groups that inhabit the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, is an Indian word used by neighbors of the Eskimo who observed their strange way of life but did not share it.

The term means: "eaten of raw flesh,” and as such is an ethnocentric about cultural practices that were normal to one group and repulsive to another.

On the other hand, we find one subgroup among the Alaskan natives calling themselves Inuit, which means “real people” (they obviously did not think eating raw flesh was anything out of the ordinary).

Here then, is a contrast between one’s own group, which is “real,” and the rest of the world, which is not so “real”.

Both Eskimo and Inuit, are equally ethnocentric – one as an observation about differences, the other as a self evaluation. However, Inuit is now seen as more appropriate term because of its origin.
Ethnocentrism