Why do Americans call the Yankees? Version overview

We say "Yankees" - we mean "Americans". It seems that everything is simple, but not for the people of America. Here, only the population of its northern part is ranked as such. Getting under the influence of various historical events, the meaning of this word changed. We will try to find out why Americans are called Yankees.

We will sound the first version - Dutch

And we will begin the story from the XVII century. At that time, the North American continent was the location of the colonial settlements, called New Holland. Immigrants from this country were mocked by the Jankees. The reason was their love for double names and the frequently occurring names Jan and Kees. The story a little clarifies where the word Yankee came from.

The second option is related to the very fact that there is a sincere attachment of the people to cheese. From the combination of the word "kaas" and the characteristic name of Yang, such an ironic appeal could well have appeared. Remember the "pasta" (we are talking about the Italians).

We still have one more option to explain who the Yankees are. And it is the simplest. And it began with the use of the diminutive name Janke, often used by Dutch colonists.

Yankee: history of the term according to the version of the Indians

In the language of the indigenous North American people - the Indians - there is the word eankke, translated as "coward." This was the attitude towards the white conquerors. We are becoming more clear why Americans are called Yankees. According to the Reverend Father John Hawkwilder (1819), this word appeared at a time when the Indians began to learn English. This theory was supported by James Fenimore Cooper.

Further procession of the word "Yankees"

The widespread use of the word "Yankees" was fixed at the end of the 18th century. In the period when the Civil War raged, the Confederates appealed to the northerners. Obvious is the fact that initially the word was accompanied by a disdainful, disrespectful tone. The former popular song "Yankee Doodle" at that time partially contributed to the fact that the word could spread. To date, the song is the anthem of Connecticut.

Over the long period, subsequent generations of the United States, hearing the "Yankees," recalled the tragic war pictures that are described in family memories.

Thomas Chandler was the man who first used the word outside the American limits. They wrote a small artwork about an American, who taught Canadians diligence. Interestingly, the fact that Koreans often respond in this way about any white man. Be it an American, a German or a Frenchman.

The range of use of this nickname grew through some literary works, which contained a description of the historical events of the time mentioned. How can I not say about "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Gone with the Wind", which sheds light on who the Yankees are.

Facts in addition

So, continuing to say why Americans are called Yankees, we are close to the turn of two centuries: the 19th and 20th. Since this period, thus began to denote the American soldiers and, incidentally, all residents of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Britain (English-speaking countries).

In the early 20th century, the word "Yankees" acquired a pronounced anti-American coloring. Its application became justified in case of manifestation of the US's unceremonious foreign policy.

Now there is a rivalry between the nicknames yankee and Ami. The latter expression has a more neutral character and initially served to denote the conversation of American soldiers in Germany. Later in everyday communication, they began to talk about any citizens of America. At the same time, it is often possible to face the negative coloring of Ami, which is a reflection of the speaker's position in the political actions of the United States.

By the way, Americans themselves today, hearing the appeal of the "Yankees," do not react emotionally. The exception is the fans of the New York Yankees team. For them, belonging to the Yankees means great pride.

We tried to answer the question of why Americans are called Yankees. Despite the existence of several versions of the origin of the nickname, it is in any case closely connected with the history of this country.