Is "Yankee" derogatory?

[sawyerthedestroyer]

H was born and raised in CT and I was born and raised in FL. Sometimes I teasingly call him a Yankee when our slight regional differences (he doesn't like grits!) come up.

He usually just rolls his eyes, but today when I asked Sloan's "down cellar" question I started off with, "You're a Yankee..." and he seemed really annoyed.

Am I saying something offensive and he's just not telling me?

[VillainV]

To me, it depends on the manner in which it's used. I live in the UK and the Brits call us "Yanks" all the time. Sometimes it's meant in a good way, and sometimes it's not. When it's not, I take offense.

[lola]

I grew up in the north, my H in the south.

He calls my Yankee (mostly he calls my accent yankee) and it's not derogatory.

His family refers to me as "The Yankee" and it definitely is. lol.

I think it's a context thing, you know?

[ohiowan]

As a Tigers fan, I would take great offense about being called a "Yankee".



I realize this is not about baseball.

[blackcat]

I grew up in NJ and I work with (and am married to) a lot of southerners, they call me "Yankee" to tease me, I don't find the phrase to be offensive whatsoever.

[alzi]

Jan 6, 2013 14:56:55 GMT -5 frkls said:

as a CT native living in tennessee, i'm here to tell you that he's not rolling his eyes because you're hurting his feelings. he's rolling his eyes because you sound like a tool.

yup, this.

[elenetxu]

Jan 6, 2013 14:57:45 GMT -5 frkls said:

i expect "yankee" to be in the working vocabulary of somebody with a "the south will rise again" bumper sticker.

What cracks me up is when I see them in my hometown. Hey there big buddy, you're from the south... of NEW HAMPSHIRE. Not sure you're getting it!



Anyhow, it also depends on who is saying it and in what context. If a southerner calls me a Yankee I don't think anything of it. However, I've heard it a couple of times abroad ("You Yanks...") in a negative way.

[sawyerthedestroyer]

FWIW, we live in a part of the country with a lot of Civil War history. I am nothing like the people you're describing and cannot stand that culture. H knows this.

[sawyerthedestroyer]

Jan 6, 2013 15:10:05 GMT -5 @mrdobalina said:

CT is a funny thing...the NY side are Yankees fans and the Boston side are Red Sox fans. So if you can a red sox fan a Yankee shit goes down.

As a Mets fan I mostly rock myself and cry.

This makes sense. H doesn't like the NY Yankees at all.

[Gato]

I'm from Maine, born in Boston, and I don't consider it derogatory. The big regional magazine is named Yankee, so it's celebrated up here.

I know people down South sometimes use Yankee as a derogatory term, but to northern New Englanders it's only a bad word when referring to the baseball Yankees.

[Deleted]

I have often heard it used in a perfectly nice manner, but I have also heard it used in an insulting manner. I think it depends on the context, but the word isn't necessarily derogatory.

[Captain Serious]

I'm damn proud to be a Yankee, most especially when visiting my husband's family and friends in Alabama (or when I'm called that abroad).

Especially when confronted with "jokes" lite this:

What's the difference between a Yankee and a Damn Yankee?
A Damn Yankee won't leave.

Hell no. I'll leave when I'm good and ready.

[imoan]

I'm a proud Yankee. So nope! I know it is used by some as an insult, but whatever. Call me a Yankee all you want... I am one!

[sawyerthedestroyer]

He said he was annoyed because his mom has been blowing up is phone today and was texting him at the same time I was asking. It had nothing to do with the use of "Yankee." Futhermore, he said that he usually rolls his eyes in the same way I roll mine when he says something TiC to me.

Now that we have that clarified, I have a cross-burning to attend.

ETA: that last part is obviously TiC.

[fuckyourcouch]

Jan 6, 2013 15:05:57 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Eh, even if someone tried to use it derogatorily towards me, it wouldn't insult me. It'd be like someone trying to insult me by calling me a brunette. Um, yeah, I know, I AM a brunette. I'm also a yank. Lol..

right? i just can't get it up for this.
h's family used to refer to me this way and i was always all, "yes? your point?"

[curtains]

I love being a "yankee" - I am from NJ and cringe at Snookie references but never Yankee.

[PinkSquirrel]

I generally make some pretty poor assumptions about people that use it because I only ever hear it come out of the mouths of those that I find to be lacking in the most basic of brain function, but I don't actually care about the term.

[annyong]

Jan 6, 2013 19:09:26 GMT -5 kevin arnold said:

He's wearing flannel. He has a beard. He calls his workshop "Yankee".

But he is SO not a redneck. Respect the Norm.

Break me off a piece of that!