Why do Brits call Americans "Yanks" if Brits are alot farther north than Americans?

Answer 1

Native americans first called the white men yangees which became yankees then was shortened to "Yanks."
Brits are called "limeys" because the british sailors ate limes to stave off scurvy.

Answer 2

The origin of Yankee has been the subject of much debate, but the most likely source is the Dutch name Janke, meaning “little Jan” or “little John,” a nickname that dates back to the 1680s. Perhaps because it was used as the name of pirates, the name Yankee came to be used as a term of contempt. It was used this way in the 1750s by General James Wolfe, the British general who secured British domination of North America by defeating the French at Quebec. The name may have been applied to New Englanders as an extension of an original use referring to Dutch settlers living along the Hudson River. Whatever the reason, Yankee is first recorded in 1765 as a name for an inhabitant of New England. The first recorded use of the term by the British to refer to Americans in general appears in the 1780s, in a letter by Lord Horatio Nelson, no less. Around the same time it began to be abbreviated to Yank. During the American Revolution, American soldiers adopted this term of derision as a term of national pride.

Answer 3

I have never heard anyone say anything like that - and frankly anyone who does is simply an idiot. We share a lot with North America, but we are NOT North American. The lightbulb was invented by Swan AND Edison, but Edison got the patent in first. The first successful modern car was invented by a Karl Benz (a German), Trevithic (British) invented the first viable steam powered car. Charles Babbage (British) was the first to create a mechanical calculator, the Antasoff-Berry computer (US) was again more of a calculator, it could only do one thing. The first 100% electonic, programable computer was Colossus, built in the UK in 1943. There are many inventors of the aeroplane - Cayley (British) invented the first passenger carrying glider, John Stringfellow (British) created the first powered model plane, Clement Ader (French) invented the first powered passenger powered plane, and the Wright brothers invented the first controllable one. The internet was also invented by many people, both the US military and CERN (in Europe) played key roles in its development. The radio could perhaps be said to have been invented in America, although it was done by Tesla, who was a Serb - and Marconi (Italian) was doing similar things at the same time. Logie Baird invented the first broadcasting television, but Farmsworth was the one who created the first 100% electronic TV. Perhaps you should get some facts straight. America did not invent the 20th century.

Answer 4

Two theories exist here:

1/ It's from the Spanish 'Yanqui' and not from the English language. It means 'from the North' (rather than Latin America)

2/ 1683, a name applied disparagingly by Dutch settlers in 'Nieuw Amsterdam' (New York) to English colonists in neighboring Connecticut. It may be from Du. Janke, lit. "Little John," diminutive of common personal name Jan; or it may be from Jan Kees familiar form of "Johan Cornelius," or perhaps an alternative for Jan Kees, dial. variant of Jan Kaas, lit. "John Cheese," the generic nickname the Flemings used for Dutchmen. It originally seems to have been applied insultingly to Dutch, especially freebooters, before they turned around and slapped it on the English. In Eng. a term of contempt (1750s) before its use as a general term for "native of New England" (1765). Shortened form Yank in reference to "an American" first recorded 1778.

Answer 5

Why do Yanks assume we all drink tea and eat scones in the afternoon while all in our mansions in the country on the outskirts of London?

Answer 6

That's cool !!...I call my Aunt a Yank cause she lives in Texas...She doesnt mind one bit....I am a True Blue so she calls me an Aussie or an Ocker or a Hoges....Besides, we call English people..poms...and so do they !!....New Zealanders call themselves Kiwis as we also call them that...(It is not a bad thing to have slang names in any language as long as it is done in a nice manner and not meant to be derogatory in any way)....Love you all...

Answer 7

Yankee doodle dandy ... it all stems from we kick the Brits but in the revolution war .... and when we bailed the Brits out of all of the world wars we own the UK hehehehe

Answer 8

lol i think they are north west of us

Answer 9

cuz they're British

Answer 10

Because they can?