what is a yankee ?...i visited america not long ago and i was in a state alabama,,, the people were so friendy. i called one bloke a yank...he said ..please sire ..do not call me a yankee...i said i am sorry but why not? ..i though all americans were yanks the same as myself being an australian called an aussie...no sir ..he said ,,the americans up north are yannkys and they are very strange people i would not advice you to go near them ...you a better to stay in the southern states ..he did frighten me a bit ..but i must say werever i went all the americans were the most freindlyist peope you will ever meet ...this is a true story.....brian..
2006-11-02 16:27:10 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Well, you got a dose of United States culture, that's for sure, and I can see why you are confused. Citizens of a lot of countries refer to all Americans as Yanks. Most don't mind, it's kind of a shortening of Yankee Doodle Dandy. The one place you tread on thin ice with this is the South East of this country, what most of us mean when we say, "The South" (we don't mean New Mexico). Lines that were drawn during the United States Civil war still are fresh for some people, mostly those who live in the states that lost that war. During this time the soldiers from the North were called, "Yanks" and Southern soldiers were called "rebs" (rebels). As you saw, the lost cause of the civil war still lives in the hearts of many southerners. I recommend you read "Confederates In the Attic" by Tony Horwitz. It's a terrifically fun read and will give you amazing insight into this.
2006-11-02 16:35:13 · answer #1 · answered by Caper 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Brian,
The USA is quite a weird place. The civil war has been over a few years but people still live separated. The South is the Confederates and the North were (are) the Yankees.
In the far far history of USA we all were Yankees. From the heavy dutch accent from "John Key" (Same as John Smith. Jane Doe)
All of this is very detailed in various sites and books.
2006-11-03 01:08:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My great grandfather was in the Civil war- he was a Union Soldier- also known as a Yankee! So basically, it's the northern states folks that are concidered Yanks here.
2006-11-03 00:37:14 · answer #3 · answered by kewte_kewpie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah, i could see where that might be confusing for a foreigner! americans are refered to as yankees (or yanks), but within america that's not what we call ourselves. people from the south (like alabama) are called southerners, and people from the north (new york, massachusetts, connecticut) are called yankees.
and i can assure you that yankees are just as friendly as southerners! i would know because i am one!
2006-11-03 00:30:53 · answer #4 · answered by mighty_power7 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hire "gone with the wind"
yeh i know in Oz we call them all Yanks, but its the Northerners that are the true Yanks, bit like we call all Brits Pomes (or POHM's), even though they aren't Prisoners Of Mother England nor are they Prisoners Of Her Majesty.
2006-11-03 00:32:34 · answer #5 · answered by Aussieblonde -bundy'd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he was a red neck
all Americans are yanks
2006-11-03 01:42:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Did you have a question? I assuming there must be a secret question hidden in your statement somewhere.,. Aussie...Yankee lover or American lover? hmmm.... signed......Perplexed
2006-11-03 00:34:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋