Is "yanks" an offensive title

[Bushman]

When I went to England, I was buying a new watch and needed to have the band reduced quite a bit. When I went to the shop, the fat guy behind the counter joked, "You're a Yank, aren't you supposed to be fat?" Didn't offend me at all. I'll admit the irony of it all left me biting my tongue - I mean, we were like Laurel and Hardy, and Hardy shouldn't be making weight quips. Still, I bit my tongue. After all, if overweight is the first American stereotype, rude is the second, so I had to win on two fronts to look like the better man in front of the spectators. Yanks didn't even lead me to raise an eyebrow.

You have far better self control than I, I must admit!

 

[Stormy]

In many cases, I've thought of it as complementary to called such.

 

[Edward]

Oh and I don't mind if a Brit calls me a Yank but I did find it weird to go to an American Bistro when I was in England the place mats were American Flags oh no sorry they were confederate flags. I guess as a yankee I thought that was a bit odd.

There are a surprising number of people in the UK who have no concept whatever of what the Confederate Battle Flag represents: to tem, it's all part of the same rock and roll / Americana imagery as cowboy boots, "Red Indians", sheriff stars and Elvis. It's most commonly seen being waved by fairly inane, middle-aged people who line-dance recreationally, and think it's just "a cowboy flag". I remember being at a festival show by an American band years ago, when they said they would leave the stage if somebody in the front of the crowd didn't stop waving "that rebele flag". The controversy over the CBF and the debate about what it means is often news to folks in the UK.

There's still a magazine called "Yankee," which used to be published by and for genuine born-and-raised Northern New Englanders -- but is now a publication aimed pretty much entirely at people from away. Which kind of shows you where the term stands nowadays.

We lit a Yankee Candle t home the other week. It's a very popular brand here around Christmas especially.

It's the same here,none of us would call ourselves a 'brit',I suppose unless you live in an area you're just not going to get the subtleties,and the more subtle you get, the smaller the area.I live in a county with a population of 400,000,yet we still have jokes about people from a particular section of that county.Outside of cornwall,we're all cornish,inside we're not,unless of course someone from outside were to threaten us.It's ok for us to take the mick out of ourselves but someone from outside try!I hope that's not confusing,I'm just trying to say we all view ourselves and others from a particular point and it's so easy to mistake an outsiders viewpoint,names,etc as derogatory just because it's from an outsider.We call you yanks because that's what our parents called you and it's nothing more than a term to describe citizens of the united states and there is nothing other than that inherent in the term,anything else you read into it is what you read into it.

I see it very commonly in expat communities abroad, as well as in much of the UK media. In Scotland and moreso Northern Ireland, some would consider themselves "Brits", while others will call someone a "Brit" with venom, intending it as a term of deadly abuse. I see it used a lot as a positive term in the English tabloid press (The Sun, The Mirror and such). Typically (aside from places like West Belfast ), it's nothing more than an abbrieviation of 'British' in the way it is used. As with the long form, it's often deployed by English people when a Scot, a Welshman or an Irish is winning some sport or other. Naturally, when he loses he reverts to being Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

 

[HudsonHawk]

We lit a Yankee Candle t home the other week. It's a very popular brand here around Christmas especially.

We have those all over our house. I think there's one in every room, along with pillows I'm not allowed to lay on and towels I'm not allowed to touch.

As for being called a "yank"...if a cousin across the pond called me that, I would not be offended in the least. If a fellow American did then well...bless his heart, he just ain't too bright.

 

[ChiTownScion]

It doesn't bother me if someone from the UK calls me a Yank, but if someone south of the Mason & Dixon line refers to me as a Yankee, I usually look at them straight on with gimlet eye and say, "I prefer 'Western Federal.' "

In Germany, my friends refer to me as an "Ami," short for "American." Since it can also be short for amicus or amigo, how can I be offended?

 

[ChiTownScion]

When I went to England, I was buying a new watch and needed to have the band reduced quite a bit. When I went to the shop, the fat guy behind the counter joked, "You're a Yank, aren't you supposed to be fat?" Didn't offend me at all. I'll admit the irony of it all left me biting my tongue - I mean, we were like Laurel and Hardy, and Hardy shouldn't be making weight quips. Still, I bit my tongue. After all, if overweight is the first American stereotype, rude is the second, so I had to win on two fronts to look like the better man in front of the spectators. Yanks didn't even lead me to raise an eyebrow.

From what I understand, calling someone "fat" isn't considered such a faux pas in the UK. Over there, the character who runs the railway in the kids' books and television series is "the Fat Controller," but we call him "Sir Topham Hatt," because labeling someone as fat is not considered polite in the US.

 

[MisterCairo]

No one I know in Canada prefers to be called "American" because we happen to be on the North American continent. We are North Americans, sure, but no one here identifies based on our continent.

And I've lived here for all of my 48 years!

Yank(s) as a term is commonly used here, mostly, but not always sadly, in good natured reference to our friends to the south and north-west.

"Yank" is fine, but be careful using that term in certain parts of our southern states. As HoosierDaddy pointed out, Yankees and Rebels were at odds during our CW.
Most of us refer/think of ourselves as American. However, I've been told that some in Canada and Mexico also prefer to be called Americans since it is indeed North America.

Cheers,

Dan'l

 

[MikeKardec]

No one I know in Canada prefers to be called "American" because we happen to be on the North American continent. We are North Americans, sure, but no one here identifies based on our continent.

As I pointed out to my South American friend, if you are from Peru you are Peruvian, if you are from Canada you are Canadian, if you are from Mexico you are Mexican ... all of these roll off the tongue. "United States-ian" is a garbled mess. They should feel lucky that they have a good concise, specific and poetic sounding country name. We (probably because we were first AND because no one was really sure we were really a unified whole in the early days) ended calling ourselves by a generic label. If people from other places are bothered by our calling ourselves Americans, as if we've stolen something from them, they should have a bit of sympathy. We're just trying to work with what we have!

 

[EliasRDA]

Ehh, my mothers father or grandfather (cant remember which offhand) used to say they were "Yanks" along with being a mick & indian/redskin. I embrace it, specially considering I live near the mason Dixon line currently. And sides, a yank here means northerner, which I am even though I've lived down here longer than I live up north. I could care less, words are just that... words. And yes, I've been discriminated against but that's neither here nor there.
So.. does being called a yank bother me, not in the least bit, I have better things to get worked up about.

 

[Guttersnipe]

When I went to England, I was buying a new watch and needed to have the band reduced quite a bit. When I went to the shop, the fat guy behind the counter joked, "You're a Yank, aren't you supposed to be fat?" Didn't offend me at all. I'll admit the irony of it all left me biting my tongue - I mean, we were like Laurel and Hardy, and Hardy shouldn't be making weight quips. Still, I bit my tongue. After all, if overweight is the first American stereotype, rude is the second, so I had to win on two fronts to look like the better man in front of the spectators. Yanks didn't even lead me to raise an eyebrow.

In that instance, it's kind of like the pot calling the kettle black. To be fair, though, according the CDC and Department of Health, almost 35% of adults in the U.S. are obese and another 33% are overweight. Historically, these rates are much higher than in the U.K. and E.U. (although they are catching up with us). So there is some truth to the stereotype....

 

[MisterCairo]

I'm reminded of a conversion I had with my "uncle" Bert (my father's cousin's husband, an Englishman). He wondered why Canadians were called that, rather than "Canadans".

Unlike Acadians (Acadia), or Nova Scotians (Nova Scotia) there is no "i" in Canada.

I had no answer to his question.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I'm reminded of a conversion I had with my "uncle" Bert (my father's cousin's husband, an Englishman). He wondered why Canadians were called that, rather than "Canadans".

Unlike Acadians (Acadia), or Nova Scotians (Nova Scotia) there is no "i" in Canada.

I had no answer to his question.

Tell him "the same reason people from England are called 'English' and those from France are called 'French'", despite there not being an "H" in either England or France.

 

[MisterCairo]

Good response!

 

[oak1971]

Just a quick couple of questions for our American cousins...

If you were called a Yank, would you feel offended?

and what term do you prefer: America, US, USA? (is there a difference that's not clear to us Brits)?

American works just fine Limey. Jk.

 

[WesternHatWearer]

Is "yanks" an offensive term....

I am jumping in a bit late to this I see. I have also skipped a great number of response. All the same I have seen where some members have cautioned the use of the term "yanks". I just wish to echo the sentiment of caution about generalizing US citizens as "yanks."

I visited England with my father in 2009. During our visit we visited Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Bolton. I grew up in Georgia and still live in Georgia. For many individuals who grew up the same area and generation (or older) being called a "yank" is not a favorable term. We did encounter a few people who asked if we were "yanks." The first time it was a bit jarring. We looked at each other and I said, "We do not sound like we are from New York."

Each subsequent encounter we tried to explain that in the US that the term "Yanks", "Yank" or "Yankee" may mean something completely different. Which actually lead to meeting some nice people. It even lead to some discounted football match tickets and entrance to the fan zone at a Bolton Wonders match.

So in short, treat people the way you would want to be treated.

 

[JimWagner]

Given the context of an Englishman or Australian using the term "yank" I can't say I'd take offense.

I might inform an American who called me a "Yankee" that I was born, raised and have always lived in the southern U.S. No, make that I've done so from time to time, but it's because I don't have a pronounced southern accent and a lot of northerners have migrated to my area and don't recognize my Tidewater accent. But no offense was intended nor taken.

Little things like that simply don't bother me. I don't look for reasons to take offense.

 

[Fading Fast]

...Little things like that simply don't bother me. I don't look for reasons to take offense.

Unfortunately, too many people today seem to live by the exact opposite philosophy and are looking for reasons to be offended.

 

[Frunobulax]

Unfortunately, too many people today seem to live by the exact opposite philosophy and are looking for reasons to be offended.

Hey, I resent that comment!

Call me a Yankee and I'm liable to not-so-gently remind you that if you cut me I bleed Cincinnati Red!

 

[Skyhawk]

American works just fine Limey. Jk.

No offence to me. I think it is very much like Limey. Two outdated terms that have come to mean something else. Basically slang for American and British. If you want to be polite it's "American" but I doubt many Americans would take offence at Yank.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Or as Hoagy Carmichael wrote, "I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank On The Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin' Those Beat-O Beat-O Flat On My Seat-O Hirohito Blues."