DMG40 Words for Snow
Regret the Error's 2007 roundup of amusing journalistic mistakes cited the following correction from the Chicago Tribune:
An item in the Sunday Magazine referred to a popular but unfounded notion that Eskimos have dozens of words for snow, in this case 40. The item failed to note that the assertion has been debunked by linguists and others.
I've seen countless debunkings of the "40 words for snow" myth, and they all cite linguistic and cultural experts at various universities, etc. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like the real authorities would be the Eskimos. Could someone please just go ask them? I'd be pretty annoyed if the rest of the world kept talking about me like I wasn't even here.
Readers' Comments
Though, I do remember a friend from California making his first Indiana snowman outside of Read Hall and saying; "This is cool!". I guess that's a California word for snow. ;)