im going to the US in 3 days and i need aswers asap!!
2006-09-13 10:00:36 · 29 answers · asked by smart alec 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
slang for Yankee
2006-09-13 10:02:10 · answer #1 · answered by PLDFK 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, just as a lark, Yank means to pull. Hank is a fairly common American male name. Hank, also, is a tuft of sheep's wool, so Yank Hank means to pull the wool. I'm not suggesting Americans are expert at chicanery. It's just a little light play on words. Hanky Panky is naughty doings with an American friend.
2006-09-13 10:21:59 · answer #2 · answered by Barks-at-Parrots 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the song by George M. Cohan:
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
A Yankee Doodle, do or die
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam
Born on the Fourth of July
I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart
She's my Yankee Doodle joy
Yankee Doodle came to London
Just to ride the ponies
I am the Yankee Doodle Boy
2006-09-13 10:11:51 · answer #3 · answered by Jude 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Yanks" is just short for "Yankee Doodle Dandy," a signature American song. Probably came into most common use during World War I when the U.S. joined the British on the Allied side.
2006-09-13 10:04:51 · answer #4 · answered by Seafarer 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yankees was the term used by the confederate states in the civil war to describe those people of the north. The term came to be used as a description of all Americans. See extract below from Wikipedia
2006-09-13 10:19:18 · answer #5 · answered by Steve K 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
James Fenimore Cooper (Last of the Mohicans) claimed that the word Yankee was a fractured attempt by native Americans to pronounce the word 'anglais', French for 'English'
2006-09-13 10:16:05 · answer #6 · answered by Michael E 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Same reason we refer to English as "Brits" - its slang. It originated from Yankee Doodle a popular colonial song which made fun of the British.
Most Americans will not take offense to this term. At least I have never encounter as such.
2006-09-13 10:04:59 · answer #7 · answered by jb_cpq 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In some parts of the US, referring to someone as "Yank" will constitute what we like to call "fightin' words", much like calling in to question the legitimacy of our births or the pedigree of our mothers.
That said, most Americans don't understand the term "wanker" at all so go ahead and pepper your speech with that one!
And have a wonderful trip! Where are you visiting?
2006-09-13 10:11:03 · answer #8 · answered by DJ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
,Because there were many Dutch people living in New England in the 17th century,and the Flemish called them Jan Kees,which means John Cheese(I guess they liked cheese?),which over the years turned into Yankees, and was shortened to Yanks, and is still used to this day.
2006-09-13 10:23:50 · answer #9 · answered by Dances With Woofs! 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Short for "Yankee", which was a corruption of the original Dutch name for the English settlers on the East Coast - Jan Kees (or "John Cheese").
2006-09-13 10:40:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think all countries have a collective name for other countries' peoples. The English have, to name a few, for example:
Americans = Yanks
Germans = Krauts
French = Frogs
Irish = Paddys
Welsh - Taffys
etc..
it's a way of reinforcing tribalism and the notion of "us/them".
2006-09-13 10:34:51 · answer #11 · answered by copperyclover 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋