Submitted by joanneleclair on August 30, 2021, at 13:53
Thank you for your comment. The reason that the word “Indigenous” (with a capital “I”) does not appear in your dictionary may have something to do with the age of the dictionary. The term “Indigenous” did not come into widespread use in reference to the original inhabitants of Canada until after 2015. (Before that time, “Aboriginal” was the dominant term in Canada.) Therefore, if your dictionary was published in 2015 or earlier, it would be less likely to contain the capitalized word “Indigenous.”
It was the Government of Canada’s adoption of this term that fuelled its rapid increase in popularity in this country. If you are looking for a definition, here is how Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada defines the term “Indigenous peoples”: “‘Indigenous peoples’ is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants.” For an explanation of when to write “Indigenous” with a capital, please see our writing tip capitalization: races; languages; peoples. Blog team for / Sheila Ethier
It was the Government of Canada’s adoption of this term that fuelled its rapid increase in popularity in this country. If you are looking for a definition, here is how Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada defines the term “Indigenous peoples”: “‘Indigenous peoples’ is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants.” For an explanation of when to write “Indigenous” with a capital, please see our writing tip capitalization: races; languages; peoples. Blog team for / Sheila Ethier