Are you offended when we call you yanks?

Question

So I know whether to say it or not.

In the UK some peopl call Americans Yanks and I want to know if you find it offensive.

Answer 1

Most people know that "yank" comes from Yankee. Whether this came before or after "Yankee Doodle Dandy," a song created to insult us, is immaterial. We aren't insulted and we sing "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as a sort of patriotic march. Children learn it in school.

We have embraced "Yankee" (particularly in the northeast - in the South it is an insult referring to the people from the North and they would think it was funny that you also thought of Southerners as "Yankees").

By the way, are you offended that we call you "limeys"?

Answer 2

Not us white people, you can call us yanks, honkies, crackers, whatever, it doesn't hurt our feelings, we actually think it's kind of funny. Now, I would watch what you call black people. For some reason they insist on calling themselves the "N" word. Yes, I know they say that the ending was changed from "er" to "a", but isn't that stupid? Like nobody would know it's actually the same word? I don't understand why they insist on pushing racism themselves, which is what they do when they prolong the use of the word. However, if a white person calls them the "N" word, whether it ends with "er" or "a", they would want to kill that person, literally. I just don't understand the big deal with skin color. There's no black or white, just different shades of tan. Call me a yank, wanker, or whatever - I don't care!

Answer 3

Have to say that word is out of context in USA. I can only think of it in movie dialog when Brits and Yanks were in talks in the same room.

+++++++++

I came back to add: the word Yankee is a Native American (Indian). The natives heard the white people tramping through the forests from far away making way too much noise for forest dwellers. Their phrase was "yonk quees" defined as something like silent walkers. It was a form of sarcasm. The early Americans adopted it as Yankee.

Answer 4

I'm not. My husband has called me that on many occasion. He's from Georgia. He's a Red Neck.
But you should be careful and know who you are talking to because some get offended easily and over the silliest things.
I always thought it was referring to Northeners.

Answer 5

Depneds upon how it is said.

If said with disgust/disdain then yes I am offended

If said casually without hidden meanings then no, I am not offended.

It could be compared to Americans calling British people Brits

Answer 6

I'm not. Its like calling an Englishman a Brit. Not really derogatory unless you tack on an insult.

Answer 7

I certainly don't. Not in itself, anyway, the word is not derogatory to me.

In conjunction with other descriptive words like "$%#&ing Yanks", I might change my mind.

Answer 8

Nope, I find it funny. Saw spray painted on a store side in Italy:

Go Home Yanquis... hehe

Answer 9

no because yanks is referring to the white ppl

Answer 10

Id yank someting realz good if you got some money. HOLLA