University of Utah logo and Native Americans

Of course, one has to include a LOT of state universities in this concept: Kansas,Alabama, Iowa, and some others too

I think the (very valid) point was we are the Utah Utes and there are the Illinois (Fighting) Illini. There isn’t a Kansas Kans or Alabama Alabs or Iowa Iowans. The mascot does not match with the state, so I think it’s accurate to say those are the only 2 that really have this particular issue (other/different issues if you include schools like Florida State Seminoles, but changing from Seminoles doesn’t make one pause to think about the state name, which was the mind-blowing thought experiment that kicked off this recent flurry).

I guess fair enough if you can provide sources (but don’t, it’s not a big deal). The quick google search article above provided some sources that maybe (and perhaps even after the fact) attribute a couple of potential roots to Idaho, but I don’t have skin in the game. To throw out all 26 for reasoning around Idaho seems like overkill to call it a ‘Major Fail’ :man_shrugging: The point is about half the states (doesn’t have to be an exact number) have some assimilation of Native American language/roots. Kind of neat.

Definitely interesting how native languages were used, mixed up and into settlers’ language (or what they heard or nicknames they came up with themselves). Again, I don’t have very many answers and definitely won’t die on any of these hills but I find it intellectually stimulating to think about it. Like Avacado coming from Aztec ahuacatl, translates to ‘testicle’ (if you’ve seen an avacado tree, you know why) through Spanish agaucate. Chocolate, Tomato, and Chili also comes from the Aztec language via Spanish.

I onyl meant major fail on the Idaho point. not “COMPLETE FAIL” lol

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When do we have to start changing the names of states? I await, fingers tapping my desk.

First phrase in the article: "Ute Indians (who call themselves Nuciu, “The People”)…note there are two 'u’s in there. I knew they called themselves The People. People of the First Man.