"The plural noun “Sioux” is capitalized and denotes an American Indian people, retaining the cap as an adjective. It does not mean anything else.

The history of the word is conjectural, but several sources agree that at one time and in other languages it connoted “little snakes” and might have been derisive when applied to human beings. “Sioux” has not at any time had such a connotation in American English. If in the general usage of the late 19th century it had held a derisive connotation, who would have thought to use the noun in important place names? Think of Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Sioux County (N.D.).

In the American English of yesterday and today, “snake” has both mildly negative and mildly positive – e.g., “snake in the grass,” onetime NFL quarterback Jake “The Snake” Plummer – and one Shoshonean tribe is pleased to retain the word as its name. “Sioux” has never denoted snakes. Any word may be uttered with a sneer, but “Sioux” does not offer an implicit one. To claim to be offended at it is wholly subjective."

Get the Story:
Rodney Nelson: Muddy language regarding ‘Sioux’ (The Fargo Forum 3/16)

Related Stories:
Letter: Another broken promise with effort to save Fighting Sioux (3/14)
North Dakota governor will sign bill to save 'Fighting Sioux' name (3/11)
Indian lawmaker pushes for defeat of bill to save 'Fighting Sioux' (3/10)
North Dakota Senate committee votes against Fighting Sioux bill (3/9)
Opinion: Fighting Sioux name not an honor to Native Americans (3/7)
Letter: Tribes ignored as lawmakers fight to keep Fighting Sioux (3/7)
'The Indian and the White Guy' headed to North Dakota after all (3/4)
Comedy duo asked not to use 'Indian' during North Dakota show (3/3)
Opinion: 'Fighting Sioux' nickname an insult to Native Americans (3/2)
Letter: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe did not give up 'Sioux' name (2/23)
North Dakota House backs bill to save Fighting Sioux nickname (2/22)
UND University Senate opposes bills to revive 'Fighting Sioux' nick (2/8)
Michael Eshkibok: Fighting Sioux a symbol of America's racist past (1/26)
Erich Longie: Too many lies for too many years on Fighting Sioux (1/24)
Letter: Board and tribes hold too much power over Fighting Sioux (1/20)
Letter: Respect tribal decisions about 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (1/18)
Letter: Ask tribes in South Dakota about 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (1/17)
Letter: 'Fighting Sioux' supporters must work through their grief (1/13)
Editorial: Republicans wasting time trying to save 'Fighting Sioux' (1/12)
North Dakota Republicans aim to keep 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (1/11)