the word YANKEE... (Asheville, Washington: neighborhood, buy, horse)

[DanielleNC]

I was curious to see what people in New England actually thought. Apparently, most don't find it offensive and even funny. There is a poll too.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/other...ffend-you.html

[eek]

there could be any number of factors as to why a person from new england wouldn't think the same way about that word, though.

how often do you meet a person from ME, VT, CT, NH, RI, MA, etc. in the south?
now how often do you meet a person from NY, NJ or PA in the south?

ppl in new england might not think the same way about the word because they aren't being called that once they get here...because many of them just aren't moving to the south.

i don't know this to be true, but i would think that the majority of transplants from the north that live in the south come from NY or NJ.

also, it is funny to hear a person use yankee. not in a laughing with you kind of way, though...but a laughing at you sort of way or laughing at the word in general...like a ppl really say that?? kind of way.

remember when i said that you just don't hear ppl using that term or any other terms from the civil war at all in the north.

[DanielleNC]

Originally Posted by eek

there could be any number of factors as to why a person from new england wouldn't think the same way about that word, though.

how often do you meet a person from ME, VT, CT, NH, RI, MA, etc. in the south?
now how often do you meet a person from NY, NJ or PA in the south?

ppl in new england might not think the same way about the word because they aren't being called that once they get here...because many of them just aren't moving to the south.

i don't know this to be true, but i would think that the majority of transplants from the north that live in the south come from NY or NJ.

also, it is funny to hear a person use yankee. not in a laughing with you kind of way, though...but a laughing at you sort of way or laughing at the word in general...like a ppl really say that?? kind of way.

remember when i said that you just don't hear ppl using that term or any other terms from the civil war at all in the north.

I'm confused? Do you live down here or did you? There are people from all over the Northeast living down here. Including my mom who was born and raised in CT. Also, Yankees include people in NY and NJ too. Whether technically they are or not, it is a general term people use towards those from up north.

The term "Yankee" is not just a term specifically from the Civil War. Many use the term to describe someone from the Northeast. What is derogatory about that? Are you ashamed to be from the Northeast? Again, most people only think about the Civil War when learning about it in school. We just don't care. It doesn't even cross most people's mind. There may be a few who think this way, but so what? That is a small percentage and you can easily ignore them and go on your merry way. It's already been posted, but it explains the term "Yankee" is used to call a New Englander or someone from the Northeast. Yankee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There is even a New England magazine called "Yankee Magazine."

I think you and the very few who think the way you do truly just take it the wrong way and too seriously. Alright, I have made my point and will move on.

[NCgirl]

Originally Posted by CharlottePirateFan

You really dont see any irony in that statement?

I don't think she does.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by Loire

Sometimes I think the world would be a much better place if we each had to spend a few months each year somewhere else in the world. This whole conversation would be funny if it were not just a bit sad. In Europe, I found some English who still dislike the French (years of wars between the two and some people just never get over it.) and while I visiting friends in Poland a few years ago, I found great dislike for the Germans and the Russians. Perhaps understandable as WWII was not that long ago and Russia held Poland for so long and forced their language on them. But really, like it or not we have become one world dependant on one another. It is time to put aside differences and be more accepting. That is what America is all about. Different cultures settled this country and we all are a part of the bigger picture. Come on y'all (am I saying that right??) take a deep breath and be just a bit kinder.

You are trying to make it about past wars, when it is about culture, traditions, and a different way of life. When some yankee complains they can't find a decent pizza in the south, that is not about the Civil war, but a direct affront on our culture and cuisine that I happen to like along with many others. I have a suggestion where they can find a pizza of their liking, back in yankeeland (and that emoticon is my punctuation).

Don't like cathead biscuits with apple butter, country ham, grits with red-eye gravy for breakfast, then don't order it, but keep your pie hole shut about how you dislike it.

[eek]

its whatever. i agree to disagree.
obviously yankee (and yankeeland) is some bamma term that ppl stuck in the past like to throw around. and thats fine.
i'm just happy that a majority of the ppl in the south don't think that way about northerners and don't sling such an archaic word around when describing or referring to a person from the north.

i like the southern hospitality in this thread, though...

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

When some yankee complains they can't find a decent pizza in the south, that is not about the Civil war, but a direct affront on our culture and cuisine that I happen to like along with many others. I have a suggestion where they can find a pizza of their liking, back in yankeeland (and that emoticon is my punctuation).

Don't like cathead biscuits with apple butter, country ham, grits with red-eye gravy for breakfast, then don't order it, but keep your pie hole shut about how you dislike it.

smh.

this is supposed to be a nice word used to refer to a person from the north though, right? flip this:

when some bamma complains about how they can't find a decent plate of grits or a glass of sweet tea in the north, that is not about the civil war but a direct affront on our culture and cuisine that i happen to like along with many others. i have a suggestion where they can find liver mush of their liking, in the backwoods and sticks of hicksville, usa (and that emoticon is my punctuation).

Don't like franks, pizza, etc. then don't order it but keep your pie hole shut about how you dislike it.

sounds friendly, right? sounds like a person wouldn't mind being called a yankee. or a hick. or a redneck. or a bamma.

[Asheville Native]

Well bless your heart

[eek]

kick rocks, bamma.

[NCgirl]

I think you just want to debate. Many here are sincerely trying to explain why yankee is used. eek asked, "Why not use the word northerner?" It is used but it is not common vernacular. You say to MAY to, I say To MAH to. To southerners (and the dictionary) a yankee is a northerner. It is not equivalent to redneck or hillbilly. Being a Yankee isn't a good or bad. As mentioned up thread it does not carry emotion. It's like saying someone from Australia is an Aussie. Or calling me a southerner or a North Carolinian. I am. It is a factual moniker.

I have a guess as to why some find yankee offensive. When one hears or reads comments like Asheville Native's (just used as an example) one has a negative reaction. You then equate the "yankee" in the statement as a slam and see it as a derogatory term. Am I correct?

In reality the word itself is NOT derogatory. As mentioned the dictionary clearly defines the word. Perhaps one assumes that the word is only said in anger or bitterness. That is not the case!

[eek]

Originally Posted by NCgirl

I have a guess as to why some find yankee offensive. When one hears or reads comments like Asheville Native's (just used as an example) one has a negative reaction. You then equate the "yankee" in the statement as a slam and see it as a derogatory term. Am I correct?

this.

add to that that i would never want to be called something that could be used in that type of context even if it could also be used in a positive way.

i understand what ppl are saying about the word "yankee" but in the back of my mind is a huge..."why?" "but why say it when..?"

but again. i agree to disagree over the use of the word.

*edit*
honestly, it does not help fix the stereotype of southerners or the south when a word is used like that, though.
not that the south is worried about what ppl outside of the south think about the south...but from reading this thread and others, a lot of ppl seem to have animosity towards ppl from other regions because of their portrayals of the south.