2007-02-01 02:05:40 · 8 answers · asked by jenkster 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I would like to know that as well! I think it is really eccentric and old-fashioned of people from other countries to call us that. I can see New-Yorkers being called that (because of their baseball team) but why Americans in general?
2007-02-04 04:15:55 · answer #1 · answered by ღღღ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe this dates back to the Civil War when the people of the South were referred to as Rebels and those of the North were referred to as Yankees. Since the North won, YES we did, the Brits and other Europeans referred to Americans as Yanks since we were the dominating force.
Some people of the South still call Northerners Yanks.
2007-02-01 11:07:15 · answer #2 · answered by ViolationsRus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Firstly, in the US, only those in North Eastern states are called Yankees--this dating back to the civil war in the 1860's. But outside the US, I'm not sure how or why others would call Americans this.
2007-02-01 10:09:59 · answer #3 · answered by Emmy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is a Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.
- - E.B. White
2007-02-01 10:19:31 · answer #4 · answered by Jax 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only people that live above the Mason Dixon Line (separates the north and the south) are called Yanks. All the rest are called Normal.
2007-02-01 10:10:56 · answer #5 · answered by tiffantre 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I always thought it was from the Cherokee word "yonega," meaning "light colored." It's the term we use to mean English, oddly enough. I still use it that way,and it's also the term for the English language in Cherokee. "Aniyonega" means "white people" as well.
Another idea I heard is it was from one of the Algonquian languages in the Northeast---pronouncing "English" to fit the language. Either way, it's what we Natives of many types called the English. For some reason, the non-US people turned it around and I can't figure out why!
2007-02-01 10:16:46 · answer #6 · answered by Danagasta 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the forst settlers came to America, the native indians called them YENGESE which means strangers. This has changed over many years to the word Yankees.
2007-02-01 10:22:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee
interesting actually
2007-02-01 10:09:21 · answer #8 · answered by devast725 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋