the word YANKEE... (Webster: house, wages, to live)

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by theS5

No, you went to great lengths to justify peoples use of the term.

The term "yankee" and its use do not need to be justified for pete's sake

Ani's very educational post was to help folks who "ain't from aroun' here" understand the southern point of view - for knowledge leads to understanding. Too bad some of you move down here with no interest in understanding the region you are moving to - shows a shallowness on your part.

And by the way, to the British ALL Americans are "yanks" - do you get offended when someone from across the pond uses the term? Of course not. But then again, if you're a damn yankee, you might want to think about that attitude of yours - you could be preventing yourself from finding a truly wonderful home here in the south.

[Catrick]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

The term "yankee" and its use do not need to be justified for pete's sake

Ani's very educational post was to help folks who "ain't from aroun' here" understand the southern point of view - for knowledge leads to understanding. Too bad some of you move down here with no interest in understanding the region you are moving to - shows a shallowness on your part.

And by the way, to the British ALL Americans are "yanks" - do you get offended when someone from across the pond uses the term? Of course not. But then again, if you're a damn yankee, you might want to think about that attitude of yours - you could be preventing yourself from finding a truly wonderful home here in the south.

Amen!

[Catrick]

Originally Posted by LLN

That sounds like something I would write, but mine would not have been as good. Tired to give you points, could not.

Me too Ani but it wouldn't let me!. Great post as usual.

[theS5]

Yeah, that Bless your heart thing is just so witty.......I mean, its intent just flew right over my head.

Yes, I am a Yankee, thanks for noticing.

How deftly you have diverted the attention away from your post that was justifing the use of the term in a derogatory fashion. And I was just about to sell you short.

BTW, did you catch the part where I stated that the term itself does not bother me one bit? That I have friends who call me Yankee?

Originally Posted by anifani821

Well, bless your heart, S5 . . . you are so insistent that you prove you are right and I am wrong . . . I had to pause for a moment there b/f making an assumption that you must be a Yankee, determined to set all us ignorant Southerners straight. But I caught myself in time to check the impulse to make that assumption.

[ccurran07]

I am just wondering (and I hope this come off as something other than an innocent question) what exactly is "acting like a damn yankee" specifically I mean?

They way I look at it, anytime you move somewhere new, even if it's within the same state, people will always compare their new home to their old home. Where do you see the line being cross where it becomes offensive to southern culture/people or the state? And if those people don't like it, why don't they just leave!!!!???


Also I would just like to ask this (again totally innocuous) from our southern born and bred friends...

The Civil War is so much more imbeded in your history and upbringing, and I can see why you would feel differently than we in the North. To us it's just something we learn about in history and then left there for the most part. Do you think/agree with the feelings that African Americans hold towards whites as far as slavery and wanting restitution for ancestors being enslaved?

I'm just curious if sentiments are varied from those in the north.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by theS5

Yeah, that Bless your heart thing is just so witty.......I mean, its intent just flew right over my head.

Yes, I am a Yankee, thanks for noticing.

How deftly you have diverted the attention away from your post that was justifing the use of the term in a derogatory fashion. And I was just about to sell you short.

BTW, did you catch the part where I stated that the term itself does not bother me one bit? That I have friends who call me Yankee?

Awwww - I don't care if you sell me short. Southerners learned a long time ago - being underestimated only works to our benefit.

Would it surprise you to know I am married to a Yankee? I will admit to getting extremely annoyed with the astounding lack of understanding that newcomers from the NE seem to have about the South. And the arrogance. That ticks me off, too. But I like that feisty Yankee spirit.

[theS5]

Of course it wouldn't surprise me. Southern woman are great judges of character. I should know, I married one.

I hope that I conveyed in my prior posts that 99% of the Southern stereotype is false. I just get a bit PO'd when I hear people using the term in a derogatory fashion. By all means, it is your right to do so, but expect an appropriate response.

BTW, Ani, nothing personal.

Originally Posted by anifani821

Awwww - I don't care if you sell me short. Southerners learned a long time ago - being underestimated only works to our benefit.

Would it surprise you to know I am married to a Yankee? I will admit to getting extremely annoyed with the astounding lack of understanding that newcomers from the NE seem to have about the South. And the arrogance. That ticks me off, too. But I like that feisty Yankee spirit.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by theS5

Of course it wouldn't surprise me. Southern woman are great judges of character. I should know, I married one.

I hope that I conveyed in my prior posts that 99% of the Southern stereotype is false. I just get a bit PO'd when I hear people using the term in a derogatory fashion. By all means, it is your right to do so, but expect an appropriate response.

BTW, Ani, nothing personal.

I actually think we are on the same page. I object to ALL stereotypes, but I do like for people to understand WHY things are the way they are . . .

Some verbal sparring can be fun . . . and no, I didn't take it personally and hope you didn't either.

[NCgirl]

Ani great posts as usual. I don't understand why people are offended by the word Yankee. Yes I use it regularly. I even use yankeeland from time to time. It's not derogatory at all. It's a word that describes where a person is from. Lets look at the dictionary - Merriam-Webster Online

Main Entry: 1Yan·kee
Pronunciation: \ˈyaŋ-kē\
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date:1758

1 a: a native or inhabitant of New England b: a native or inhabitant of the northern United States
2: a native or inhabitant of the United States

Are people offended by Yankee Stadium or the song Yankee Doodle?

[rubber_factory]

Originally Posted by ccurran07

I am just wondering (and I hope this come off as something other than an innocent question) what exactly is "acting like a damn yankee" specifically I mean?

About what you'd think it means.

For me "Damn Yankee" is an extremely rare thing to hear "in the wild". I am told it is common, but not in the neck of the woods I am, or am from.

Based on what I've seen and heard from my friends, co-workers, peers, and extended family, the archetype of the "Yankee" would be a Catholic male of Italian descent from New York City, who talks too loud and acts like he knows everything. You don't know anything, he knows everything about everything. Did I mention that he's not afraid to tell you, he knows everything? You can probably construct your stereotypes from there.

I personally don't mind criticism of the south, the government, politics, business, people, etc. I like constructive criticism. But in social settings especially, it needs to be done with tact and humility. I keep running into people from the urban north with a handicapped sense of humility, so you can see how these issues might intersect.

I should take this time to point out that everyone is different, I've known some really humble, interesting, and cool people from the north. But even they have told me that there are different social value systems in play.

This has been studied to some degree:
http://www.epjournal.net/filestore/ep03381391.pdf
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/mawhatley/9710/honor.htm

They way I look at it, anytime you move somewhere new, even if it's within the same state, people will always compare their new home to their old home. Where do you see the line being cross where it becomes offensive to southern culture/people or the state? And if those people don't like it, why don't they just leave!!!!???

Good question.

I saw you wanted to move to Wilmington. Much of the anger you see is in areas where northerners are a newer phenomenon. Wilmington has had heavy migration for a good while now. If a southerner lives in Wilmington and has a problem with people from the west, or the north, or wherever, as far as I'm concerned that person must be some kind of fool.

Also I would just like to ask this (again totally innocuous) from our southern born and bred friends...

The Civil War is so much more imbeded in your history and upbringing, and I can see why you would feel differently than we in the North. To us it's just something we learn about in history and then left there for the most part.

To ask about the civil war trivializes the modern-day cultural differences between someone born & raised in, say, Long Island and someone born & raised in Laurinburg, NC.

Its true that it had a much larger impact on our society, and its true that a vocal minority draws strong modern-day parallels to the Civil War. But it really misses the point and serves to obfuscate what is relevant with most southerners.

Do you think/agree with the feelings that African Americans hold towards whites as far as slavery and wanting restitution for ancestors being enslaved?

I say that if there's any individual who has owned slaves, that person should pay reparations to anyone who has been a slave.