2006-09-08 00:57:29 · 16 answers · asked by HUNK 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It depends on the context, if it's meant derrogatorily, then yes. Southerners might take offense because the Northerners are referred to as 'yankees' from the civil war days.
Why do Brits call us Yanks anyway, when we 'rebelled' from Britain and fought for independence? hmm...another q sometime maybe.
2006-09-08 01:01:07 · answer #1 · answered by curiosity 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not to me...I was born in New England but live in the South now. I call myself a Yank or an ex-Yank sometimes.
Some of my ancestors were Tories...it would probably offend THEM.
2006-09-08 08:04:47 · answer #2 · answered by 4999_Basque 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really - it is a bit casual, though. "American" works just fine.
I just spent three months in Colombia and they use the word "Gringo" for citizens of the United States. I never heard it used derogatorily - only for identification since we were all technically Americans - South Americans there.
The only people I have ever known who were offended by Yank or Gringo were over-sensitized Californians [verdad!].
2006-09-08 08:31:29 · answer #3 · answered by Prof. Cochise 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't find it offensive, and I doubt that most Americans would find it offensive, espcially considering that we sometimes refer to ourselves as Yankees (especially when referring to North Easterners) I think the notable exception would be Southerners.
I had a roommate from South Carolina, and nothing got him riled up like being referred to as a yankee.
2006-09-08 10:19:47 · answer #4 · answered by SugarPumpkin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am an American and it is not offensive to me. After all, you Brits are the ones who made fun of us with "Yankee Doodle", and we just took that song and made it our own. Of all the names that we're being called these days, I'll take "Yank" with a smile, and it's damn sure better than "colonist". ;)
2006-09-08 08:06:00 · answer #5 · answered by zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The word itself isn't offensive. It depends on how it is used. Probably it's about the same as using the word Brit to refer to those in the UK.
2006-09-08 08:05:30 · answer #6 · answered by Irish1952 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it might depend on how you use it but I don't find it offensive. I'm sure there are others that will disagree, but I think that the negative connotations attached to the word are long gone.
2006-09-08 08:01:58 · answer #7 · answered by Beth M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Doesn't bother me at all when used in a general sense. Maybe we should call you limeys though just to be even.
2006-09-08 08:05:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only to the Northerners.
2006-09-11 14:23:47 · answer #9 · answered by bopper 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not the word, but the context in which it is used
2006-09-08 08:00:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋