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Genuine question.

I was on a rugby forum the other day, and we were discussing global expansion of the game, and as often is the case in these discussions, the USA was mentioned, because the game is growing rapidly there, playing numbers are up, TV figures are up, and the USA even has it own pro league: MLR (Major League Rugby) which I watch from time to time.

And I innocently remarked that it was good for the game that the Yanks were getting better at rugby, because the more nations and the more growth in the game, the better.

And somebody took me to task on this, said I was racist for using the word Yank.

And I said it was a British expression, one we'd been using for centuries, and that they call us Limeys, and that has never bothered me.

Even during the grand alliance of WW2, when we were close friends and allies, the word Yank was used, and nobody on the American side cared.

So, I thought I'd ask some real Americans. Is using the word Yank offensive to you guys?

No offense here. Confused, but not offended.

Another question, isn't yankee only for the northerners?

Most Americans would not. There are some where "yankee" or similar terms like "Yank" might be offensive, but it would primarily be a result of internal regional US issues where "Yankee" is seen as having a domestic geographic context, and in an international context most probably wouldn't have any issue.

All I can assume is that the person who took offense was from the southern United States and, therefore, misconstrued the international term "yank" for the very domestic term "yankee" meaning someone from north of the mason dixon line. haha. I don't think calling us Yanks is derogatory. But then again, I haven't heard anyone from the U.S. call a Brit a Limey in a long, long time hahaha.

I imagine any word with the right tone of voice behind it can be offensive, but off handedly I can't say I've ever been offended by the word yank. Then again I've spent most of my life in the South and Mid-west, where "yank" when coming up in a conversation was never directed at me.

I've come across a few Americans who were somewhat puzzled by it, but none who found it offensive. Not a term I tend to use, regardless, just in case...

Not Online!!! wrote:
Another question, isn't yankee only for the northerners?

Yes. Northeastern specifically (for a given value of north and east that sometimes includes Maryland in very specific contexts). West of Ohio, people would largely just look at you funny. Unless Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan are specifically thinking about the civil war (20th and 21st century, it's weird to apply that term in those places)

yank though.... It's pretty much out of US parlance, and only gets used by Brits as fas as I know, and sounds quaint and backwards. Like calling an Englishman a Norman or Saxon. I wouldn't expect offense, just a patronizing smirk, in a 'aren't you so adorable with your Britishisms' sort of way.

Voss wrote:

Not Online!!! wrote:
Another question, isn't yankee only for the northerners?

Yes. Northeastern specifically (for a given value of north and east that sometimes includes Maryland in very specific contexts). West of Ohio, people would just look at you funny.

yank though.... It's pretty much out of US parlance, and only gets used by Brits as fas as I know, and sounds quaint and backwards. Like calling an Englishman a Norman or Saxon. I wouldn't expect offense, just a patronizing smirk, in a 'aren't you so adorable with your Britishisms' sort of way.

Hah, well. Then you are more laid back compared to us, granted we are a confederacy instead of a federation but it is an absolute nogo if you ' d call us germans.

Or austrians, but that would probably be more acceptable.

Not offended.

I appreciate the feedback.

It's such a British expression that I've used for decades, that I really didn't stop to think about it being offensive or not.

Yea, if said with a British accent I don't think anyone reasonable would take offense, since it's a common British term for American.

Now, if you say it in a southern (american) accent in a derogatory fashion I may have words with you about how your mother and sister are the same person, but that's a different matter.

The only Americans who would be offended at being called "Yanks" would be die-hard southerners, of the thankfully dying breed that consider The War Between The States to be the greatest injustice ever, and refuse to be considered fellow citizens with those Yankees who brutally invaded their homeland, wrecked it's slave-based economy, and trampled all over their rights to own slaves.

Nowadays most Southeners don't really care about it anymore. It was a HUGE thing in the past, was pretty much guaranteed to get you in a fight in the South up to the 1960s or so, but most have gotten over it by now.

 Horst wrote:


Now, if you say it in a southern (american) accent in a derogatory fashion I may have words with you about how your mother and sister are the same person, but that's a different matter.

Not offended by Yank, but certainly tire of hearing the above.

They were messing with you if American.
On a similar note, is Selkie a racist term?

 Insurgency Walker wrote:

On a similar note, is Selkie a racist term?

Isn't a Selkie a mythological creature like a mermaid?

Not offended whatsoever. With few exceptions I think it's silly to get offended over such things.

 LordofHats wrote:

 Insurgency Walker wrote:

On a similar note, is Selkie a racist term?

Isn't a Selkie a mythological creature like a mermaid?

Yes it is, but I have heard it used as an insult to people from the Shetland Islands.

Would not mind if others are called yanks, but prefer not to be called one myself.

Though I do enjoy how people are already throwing insults out at southerners already.

Not Online!!! wrote:

Voss wrote:

Not Online!!! wrote:
Another question, isn't yankee only for the northerners?

Yes. Northeastern specifically (for a given value of north and east that sometimes includes Maryland in very specific contexts). West of Ohio, people would just look at you funny.

yank though.... It's pretty much out of US parlance, and only gets used by Brits as fas as I know, and sounds quaint and backwards. Like calling an Englishman a Norman or Saxon. I wouldn't expect offense, just a patronizing smirk, in a 'aren't you so adorable with your Britishisms' sort of way.

Hah, well. Then you are more laid back compared to us, granted we are a confederacy instead of a federation but it is an absolute nogo if you ' d call us germans.

Or austrians, but that would probably be more acceptable.

Don't worry about it. Many americans would call you Swedish instead.

Yeah, that's it. There isn't a joke. That actually happens.

 ingtaer wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:

 Insurgency Walker wrote:

On a similar note, is Selkie a racist term?

Isn't a Selkie a mythological creature like a mermaid?

Yes it is, but I have heard it used as an insult to people from the Shetland Islands.

That seems like an odd choice for a slur, but what do I know

As a Brit import to the US and having been in the States for 16 years I’ve never seen any Americans get offended by the term, and I have been referred to as a limey now and again but I just laugh it off.

However, I have noticed that the culture in the US is not as filled with “regional poking” as the UK. It exists, but not to the same extent. Also Brits tend to use, from an outside perspective, insulting language when referring or talking to friends, which does not usually happen in the US. “Alright Tommy you old slag” or some such phrase is common and brushed off in the UK but in the US if you call your friend a “C word” they probably won’t like it.

 LordofHats wrote:

 ingtaer wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:

 Insurgency Walker wrote:

On a similar note, is Selkie a racist term?

Isn't a Selkie a mythological creature like a mermaid?

Yes it is, but I have heard it used as an insult to people from the Shetland Islands.

That seems like an odd choice for a slur, but what do I know

It is indeed, along with Falkland Islanders being called Kelpers, I think its more an affection thing instead of a hostility thing. Perhaps someone else can say?

Come to Canada. We love tearing into each other with insults. It’s how we know we’re close. A Canadian wouldn’t insult a stranger, but a close friend? For sure!

‘Round here, “Yank” is a slang term for masturbation. Ie:

“Where’s Bill? He’s supposed to be finishing this welding!”

“He’s probably gone off for a yank. He’ll be back in about 10 minutes.”

“That fething guy! Tell him if it isn’t done by quitting time he’ll be pulling pogey (unemployment insurance) instead of his pud (slang term for penis. Pulling one’s pud is another term for masturbation)!”


So when I clicked on the thread, I was expecting something different.

Nah....its a source of pride...unless you are from the south lol

We call you guys Blokes

I think they use the term Gits in Aussieland

it is what it is...apply the vasaline if they are too butthurt.

Come to Canada. We love tearing into each other with insults.

Yeah, but the flowers and hand written apology note afterwards kinda takes the edge off.

There are many other slurs...but most have faded with generations.

My wife comes from dumb Wops("Without Papers"...but normally Italians)

I'm a dumb Hunkie (slavs)

not to be confused with my brother in law the dumb Pollock.(polish)

many more out there in a country of mixed breeds

 admironheart wrote:
Nah....its a source of pride...unless you are from the south lol

We call you guys Blokes

I think they use the term Gits in Aussieland

it is what it is...apply the vasaline if they are too butthurt.

Bloke and Git are common in the UK too. The former just refers to a man, the latter is a very mild insult, often used affectionately.

 Nostromodamus wrote:

Bloke and Git are common in the UK too. The former just refers to a man, the latter is a very mild insult, often used affectionately.

Yeah, 'Git' is much more of a British thing than Aussie. 'Bloke' is used generally for a man, or for people collectively ('youse blokes' in place of 'you guys'...)

 admironheart wrote:
There are many other slurs...but most have faded with generations.

My wife comes from dumb Wops("Without Papers"...but normally Italians)

I'm a dumb Hunkie (slavs)

not to be confused with my brother in law the dumb Pollock.(polish)

many more out there in a country of mixed breeds

Yeah, those... aren't even vaguely acceptable anymore (except possibly the middle one, which I haven't ever heard). Haven't heard anyone in the flesh actually use the others since the early 90s, and even then it didn't fall into 'casual-friendly' insult, just outright racist.