Why do British people call us "Yanks"? What the heck is that supposed to mean?

Question

Whenever we're referred to as Yanks, the only reason that it gets to me is that I hate the New York Yankees.

Answer 1

The British started calling us "Yankees" or "Yanks" in the 18th century. It has something to do with the name "Janke," and apparently has something to do with a lot of pirates being named or called that. My history is a little foggy. Anyway, the Americans adopted the name and used it proudly (to annoy the British more than likely)! Anyway, the name stuck. I guess when someone from another land calls us that, we should listen to the tone in which they say it to figure out if we should be offended by it or not! lol

Answer 2

Not sure of the exact origin, but colonists, particularly New Englanders, were known by the British s "Yankees." "Yanks" is short for "Yankees."

Southerners call all Americans from places other than the Deep South "Yankees." Many people in foreign countries call all Americans "Yankees." Strictly speaking "Yankees" are only those from New England. British have abbreviated the broad term to "Yanks."

Oh, yeah. There's that baseball team.

Answer 3

The question, "Where is this going?" Seems a little convoluted. When you ask a guy where a relationship is going, in his mind he's thinking of two things: sex or marriage. One means, short-term, the other long-term. He's answering the short-term because guys are practical, they don't think or plan enough ahead of time when it comes to relationships. So, short-term, he's saying he doesn't know where you guys will end up because he's still just getting to know you. You guys are still dating, so it seems, so obviously he's still interested in you. Next time, instead of asking such a vague question, ask more specifically, so that he can understand what you mean more clearly: "Where do you see this relationship heading in the next month; next 5 months; next year?" When he says: "Relationships come at different speeds," it's his way of saying, "He doesn't know." It's his way of answering your convoluted question without feeling like an idiot for not knowing how to answer it, and then avoiding having you rephrase it - wouldn't you feel like an idiot if someone had to repeat the same question to you a second time if you didn't understand the first time? Guys are WAAAAY more sensitive to that.

Answer 4

Originally Yankee was a insult that referred to soon to be Americans in the eighteenth century, and not a seriously overpriced baseball team.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee

And it's now pretty much people outside the U.S. that refer to Americans that way. I'm a first generation American with one parent from Ireland and a parent from England, both sides refer to me a Yank.

Answer 5

Yeah, I think the British do too. When I was in Canada, (I'm from GA) there was a guy there that kept calling me a Yank. I didn't know what he was "tocking aboot, eh?" That's when he called me a Yank. He said he guessed I thought saying "eh" was weird, and that it was better than saying "huh?" all the time like we Yanks do. Totally unprovoked attack. Then he started with the blonde jokes, (I am blonde).

So, I said, "Huh.....?"

Answer 6

I dont have an answer for you, but I have a British friend that calls me that all the time joking around, and it really pisses me off sometimes cause i dont know what it means. So I will star this question cause Im curious as well.

Answer 7

"Yankee doodle dandy" was a common musical tune played for marching units during the revolutionary war against Britain, and the rebelling colonist were identified with the tune, so I would say they consider Americans Yankees due to the song!

Answer 8

Y'know, that Doodle guy was around long before baseball,
if the Brits call us Yanks in recognition please take it
as a friendly term -- Limey is a cool word we'll go into
another day.

Answer 9

Northerners. They call us that in the South too.

Answer 10

actually the aussie's call american women "yanks"
the british don't do it... at least i think they don't.