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Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

I was beaten to the punch.

I suppose at the end of the day you can't really account for what someone somewhere might choose to take offense about. The most straightforward "don't be a dick" response seems to just be apologizing and moving on with life. If they're getting huffy over things most people don't find offensive, do you really want to be near them anymore than absolutely necessary XD

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

Eh?

When did America whoop Britain's ass?

Relations between our two nations have always been ultra-friendly. When I was at school, I remember being taught about the American Independence act of 1776.

When our Parliament granted the 13 colonies immediate independence, and sent over 20,000 social workers to help with the transition.

The social workers wore red coats, so everybody would know they were good guys, red being a calming colour and all that

 Albino Squirrel wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Albino Squirrel wrote:
No. But some people can find a way to be offended by just about anything.

So I went through the thread and counted; zero people saying they would be offended, three people going on about 'some people can be offended by anything.'

I guess you missed the very first post, which included: "And somebody took me to task on this, said I was racist for using the word Yank."

That's kind of what the whole thread is about. Clearly someone got offended by the use of the work "Yank". Though come to think of it, their complaint is rather non-nonsensical anyway, since Yank is not a race. So, I wouldn't put much stock in what that person thinks.

That wasn't someone actually in the thread though; it was a reference to someone outside of it. The point being there is just as much (if not more) complaints about others being easily offended than there is actual offense taken.

 LordofHats wrote:
I suppose at the end of the day you can't really account for what someone somewhere might choose to take offense about. The most straightforward "don't be a dick" response seems to just be apologizing and moving on with life. If they're getting huffy over things most people don't find offensive, do you really want to be near them anymore than absolutely necessary XD

When America apologies for two things:

1. Root beer. Evil, evil stuff.

2. Putting the month before the day, when writing the date. Everybody else does day/month/year. America has to be awkward and write month/day/year. why America? WHY?????

Then we'll see progress and global peace

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

Eh?

When did America whoop Britain's ass?

Relations between our two nations have always been ultra-friendly. When I was at school, I remember being taught about the American Independence act of 1776.

When our Parliament granted the 13 colonies immediate independence, and sent over 20,000 social workers to help with the transition.

The social workers wore red coats, so everybody would know they were good guys, red being a calming colour and all that

Really the colonies didn't win the war in more than a technical sense; they just kept fighting long enough to make Britain lose via budget. Still an accomplishment, and the leaders knew what they were doing, but it was not so much about military superiority. In a way there is a poetic similarity to Vietnam.

Also Americans tend to conveniently forget, or just don’t know, about the involvement of other world powers in their fight for independence, primarily France and The Netherlands. In addition, Britain was running a quarter of the globe at that point so the new world colonies weren’t the only thing on their plate.

A great result for the world, yes, but it was hardly a case of farmer bob running off the entire British army with his musket as so many people seem to think.

 Nostromodamus wrote:
Also Americans tend to conveniently forget, or just don’t know, about the involvement of other world powers in their fight for independence, primarily France and The Netherlands. In addition, Britain was running a quarter of the globe at that point so the new world colonies weren’t the only thing on their plate.

A great result for the world, yes, but it was hardly a case of farmer bob running off the entire British army with his musket as so many people seem to think.

Stop shattering my PATRIOTISM with facts!

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

Eh?

When did America whoop Britain's ass?

Relations between our two nations have always been ultra-friendly. When I was at school, I remember being taught about the American Independence act of 1776.

When our Parliament granted the 13 colonies immediate independence, and sent over 20,000 social workers to help with the transition.

The social workers wore red coats, so everybody would know they were good guys, red being a calming colour and all that

Really the colonies didn't win the war in more than a technical sense; they just kept fighting long enough to make Britain lose via budget. Still an accomplishment, and the leaders knew what they were doing, but it was not so much about military superiority. In a way there is a poetic similarity to Vietnam.

EUUUUUUGHHHHHH

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you were bailed out by Spain and France.
Both powers that wanted to get back at the island yokels.

Without neither of them youd be now the 50 colonies.

Not Online!!! wrote:
[
Without neither of them youd be now the 50 colonies.

Or they would have eventually gained independence anyway without fighting, as Australia and Canada (amongst others) did...

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Albino Squirrel wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Albino Squirrel wrote:
No. But some people can find a way to be offended by just about anything.

So I went through the thread and counted; zero people saying they would be offended, three people going on about 'some people can be offended by anything.'

I guess you missed the very first post, which included: "And somebody took me to task on this, said I was racist for using the word Yank."

That's kind of what the whole thread is about. Clearly someone got offended by the use of the work "Yank". Though come to think of it, their complaint is rather non-nonsensical anyway, since Yank is not a race. So, I wouldn't put much stock in what that person thinks.

That wasn't someone actually in the thread though; it was a reference to someone outside of it. The point being there is just as much (if not more) complaints about others being easily offended than there is actual offense taken.

Is this better, worse, or merely an observation?

 insaniak wrote:

Not Online!!! wrote:
[
Without neither of them youd be now the 50 colonies.

Or they would have eventually gained independence anyway without fighting, as Australia and Canada (amongst others) did...

Quite true, however Tea would be more liked.

Observation with a side of amusement.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Not Online!!! wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

Eh?

When did America whoop Britain's ass?

Relations between our two nations have always been ultra-friendly. When I was at school, I remember being taught about the American Independence act of 1776.

When our Parliament granted the 13 colonies immediate independence, and sent over 20,000 social workers to help with the transition.

The social workers wore red coats, so everybody would know they were good guys, red being a calming colour and all that

Really the colonies didn't win the war in more than a technical sense; they just kept fighting long enough to make Britain lose via budget. Still an accomplishment, and the leaders knew what they were doing, but it was not so much about military superiority. In a way there is a poetic similarity to Vietnam.

EUUUUUUGHHHHHH

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you were bailed out by Spain and France.
Both powers that wanted to get back at the island yokels.

Without neither of them youd be now the 50 colonies.

Apologies for not detailing all the factors in the revolutionary war.

Not Online!!! wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

Eh?

When did America whoop Britain's ass?

Relations between our two nations have always been ultra-friendly. When I was at school, I remember being taught about the American Independence act of 1776.

When our Parliament granted the 13 colonies immediate independence, and sent over 20,000 social workers to help with the transition.

The social workers wore red coats, so everybody would know they were good guys, red being a calming colour and all that

Really the colonies didn't win the war in more than a technical sense; they just kept fighting long enough to make Britain lose via budget. Still an accomplishment, and the leaders knew what they were doing, but it was not so much about military superiority. In a way there is a poetic similarity to Vietnam.

EUUUUUUGHHHHHH

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, you were bailed out by Spain and France.
Both powers that wanted to get back at the island yokels.

Without neither of them youd be now the 50 colonies.

That is patently absurd.

 Albino Squirrel wrote:


That is patently absurd.

You know that poses a good what if question XD

If the colonies stayed the colonies, would there have ever been a Louisiana Purchase? Would Mexico be 3 times it's current size and far more prosperous XD

Questions for another thread

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Albino Squirrel wrote:

 NinthMusketeer wrote:

 Albino Squirrel wrote:
No. But some people can find a way to be offended by just about anything.

So I went through the thread and counted; zero people saying they would be offended, three people going on about 'some people can be offended by anything.'

I guess you missed the very first post, which included: "And somebody took me to task on this, said I was racist for using the word Yank."

That's kind of what the whole thread is about. Clearly someone got offended by the use of the work "Yank". Though come to think of it, their complaint is rather non-nonsensical anyway, since Yank is not a race. So, I wouldn't put much stock in what that person thinks.

That wasn't someone actually in the thread though; it was a reference to someone outside of it. The point being there is just as much (if not more) complaints about others being easily offended than there is actual offense taken.

This thread is not the entire world. So what is your point?

As for the original question, I'm sure there isn't some large group somewhere who is offended by the term "yank". Except, as some have mentioned, some southerners might be offended to be called a yank, which to them would mean a northerner. But even that wouldn't be actual offense.

And obviously, one random person being offended by something is meaningless.

Offended...naw. I've never used/received this as a pejorative in the South/Midwest.

I've been teasingly called cracker or honkey...but, none of those rise to the level of other awful words.

I would actually be amused to have a British person call me a Yank. Wouldn't be offended at all. The Yanks won the war after all...

 LordofHats wrote:

 Albino Squirrel wrote:


That is patently absurd.

You know that poses a good what if question XD

If the colonies stayed the colonies, would there have ever been a Louisiana Purchase? Would Mexico be 3 times it's current size and far more prosperous XD

Questions for another thread

No Louisiana purchase, but France would lose the land to the colonies anyway. As they would be at war and with no ability to resist invasion.

There is probably a British/Mexican War analogous to the Mexican-American war which might end with an annexation of Mexico by Britain.

I took a trip down south to hike the Appalachian Trail.
Somewhere in the Carolinas I found a BBQ shack called "Paw Paws".
My New Hampshire accent and his Carolina accent were quite the clash.

Me - "Oh, nice. Time fer ribs."

Pawpaw - "we'ain gaw naw pour. Sol'ow ta Fy-day. We gah plenny chiggin' doh."

Me - "Smoked wings? Uh... They like regular wings?"

Pawpaw - "Where y'all frum boy?"

Me - "Nah'Ampshuh"

Pawpaw - "Ooooooo DAMN YANKEE! Y'all gone love deez!"

And he handed me a pile of chicken wings.
I take no offence to being recognised as a Yankee or being given free smoked chicken wings.

Of all the things in the world to be particularly concerned about, being called a Yank is not one of them.

Yank is not offensive to me or anyone I know.

Though, the connotation in Japan is funny. Apparently it means someone who is like a delinquent

Not offended.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Yank is short for yankee. Yankee is a baseball team. And a historical term for the guys who whooped Britain’s ass. I’d take it as a compliment.

Eh?

When did America whoop Britain's ass?

Relations between our two nations have always been ultra-friendly. When I was at school, I remember being taught about the American Independence act of 1776.

When our Parliament granted the 13 colonies immediate independence, and sent over 20,000 social workers to help with the transition.

The social workers wore red coats, so everybody would know they were good guys, red being a calming colour and all that

King John of Cleese revoked our declaration a while back.

Yank... Nah we call Americans "spams" I assume it has something to do with WW2

 Formosa wrote:
Yank... Nah we call Americans "spams" I assume it has something to do with WW2

Probably cause when the US began sending aid to the UK the food crates included lots of, you guessed it, spam (the original produced by Hormel Foods starting in the 30s). I never knew that was something Americans were called though. Neat.

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.

By: E. B. White

In Spain we call people from USA yankees or gringos like mexicans do.

I didn't knew it was something people from the south called people from the north.

 Galas wrote:
In Spain we call people from USA yankees or gringos like mexicans do.

I didn't knew it was something people from the south called people from the north.

Aye. Historically it refers to people from the New England area of the US. Which includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Though I would also lump in New York and New Jersey as well.

During the Civil War, it was what the Southerners called anybody fighting in the Federal Army, and people in the southern states still use it to refer to anybody from north of the Mason Dixon line.


As for why its used by people outside the US to refer to all Americans, its probably from the early days of the United States and its contact with the rest of the world. Most of the trading ships, as well as the US navy, were based out of the New England area of the US, and since people from there often called themselves Yankees and that is where most of our sailors would come from in the 1800s to early 1900s it probably stuck around in international spheres.