I absolutely despise being called a yank or mate, this is no way to address an American unless your looking for a fight, we do not like it, it is derogatory and demeaning to us. I have seen it a lot in responses to posts, and I just wanted to say please don't use it. In my opinion it was something our confederate side use to call us Union guys during the US CIVIL WAR, and I simply hate it, have had experiences , bad ones, involving that type of name calling, violent ones. Its right up there with "Red Coat" and "RUSKIE" and maybe a few other choice un-politically correct responses.

If Im alone with this then Im alone with this, but it does grind me when I hear it, especially when it's direct at myself.

Not to worry. I take no offense. Our european brothers know they would all be speaking German if it wasn't for us 'Yanks'. I wouldn't be so easily truffled.

Well as long as it ain't Americans calling us Yanks it doesn't bother me.

As an American I lived in Europe for sometime and they called me Hollywood. I don't think they meant anything derogatory about it, that's just how most people outside America see Americans. In fact I had a co-worker that wanted to come to the U.S. and become a Cowboy like in the movies. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Cowboy's today either shovel cow # or ride in rodeos.

Anyway I posted to say - names don't mean anything and they vary from place to place so don't take it personally and don't expect everyone to read this or adopt your wishes - or you'll be disappointed. Hell they call cookies biscuits in the U.K.

How is Yank derogatory. It comes from the days of wooden ships where American ships sailed up the YangTse river in China doing global trade.
It was a badge of honor.

Get a grip!

Take it from an old yankee seadog.

You don't like it, do ya mate?

I see how "yank" might be derogatory, but "mate" ? srsly? You're offended if I say, "G'day mate?" Does the word roommate also bother you? How about shipmate or headmate?

If all you yanks were so sensitive about it, then why don't you dismantle the New York Yankees?

I'm American and couldn't care less. It's people like who that "despise" it so much that are keeping it alive. The only place that it is derogatory is in your head.

G'day yank, cheerio mate, and all that.

Wow you are dangling a big fat juicy lure out there with that one mate.
Pun intended because, MATE is in no way derogatory to you, particularly when said by an Australian, which I am.
And look it's unfortunate that you take exception to being called yank, I'm sure you call other races names that you might not even think is derogatory...but there will be some whinging softy who will take exception to it.


So get off your high horse mate and harden the f%^k up.

[edit on 20-8-2008 by Randy Echo]

Well mate I will not stop using a term that is a part of Australian vocabulary. If that offends you...tuff! Perhaps being called a 'seppo' instead will alleviate your disorder.

Get over yourself!

Originally posted by Randy Echo
I absolutely despise being called a yank or mate, this is no way to address an American unless your looking for a fight, we do not like it, it is derogatory and demeaning to us.

Many people in England and the other parts of the UK (Probably parts of the commonwealth as well) will use the term mate when speaking with someone: "Do you have a spare cigarette mate?". No offence is meant by it is just a linguistic quirk. I tend to have American or people with American backgrounds/ ancestries use Bud or Brother/Bro instead.

Originally posted by jpm1602
Not to worry. I take no offense. Our european brothers know they would all be speaking German if it wasn't for us 'Yanks'. I wouldn't be so easily truffled.

You will only loose respect from the European side of Allied forces if you demean their soldiers and forces sacrifices by acting like your nation won it single handedly.

Originally posted by verylowfrequency
Hell they call cookies biscuits in the U.K.

In England, Cookies tend to be a specific variety of Biscuite rather than the general term for all types of them.

[edit on 20-8-2008 by Randy Echo]

hehe mate, mate; is not a word i would associate with a yank..
i have a few really derogratory choice words i would normally use in relation to whatever it is is your problem but not here in this company..

you need a little harder skin and maybe a change of nationality.

Originally posted by jpm1602
Not to worry. I take no offense. Our european brothers know they would all be speaking German if it wasn't for us 'Yanks'. I wouldn't be so easily truffled.

what a joke.. coming from a person whose country harbours nazi war criminals and has nazi war criminals running their country and their states..
sure ye might as well be speaking german..

perhaps we should call you "plötzliche Stoß" auf deutsch instead???

peace

daz__

[edit on 20-8-2008 by daz__]

Originally posted by Randy Echo
I absolutely despise being called a yank or mate, this is no way to address an American unless your looking for a fight, we do not like it, it is derogatory and demeaning to us.

Maybe you should get a sense of humour
JOKE!

Firstly, 'mate' is in no way a derogatory term. It basically means 'friend' and is most widely used by the Brits. I hope i didn't offend any Brits there by calling them Brits.
By calling you mate in an arguement, they are substituting the derogatory name they could have called you with a harmless general word.

'Yank' has only recently become a word that has possible detrimental attributes when describing a yank. Meaning that you have to take it in context. It is mostly completely harmless but is getting to be slightly more of an abusive term as American popularity falls in countries that use this word. TBH i doubt people will stop calling you this, have you not heard the phrases that most yanks use to describe other nationalities and ethnic groups. Now those are derogatory.

Basically, if you are going to get upset at being called a 'yank', you should get just as upset at being called an 'american'. If you are going to get upset at being called 'mate', then dont talk to any Brits.

[edit on 20-8-2008 by Randy Echo]

we do not like it, it is derogatory and demeaning to us

Please don't speak for all.

I hereby am telling ANY European and Australian that you can call me a yank or a mate anyday and at anytime. I happen to like it

You would not by any chance of the imagination a "Southern Rebel" would you? Yeehaww It's Daisy Dukes!

I don't really mind the word but some do so I apologize now...

but I think that's more like redneck what you described there.

If people wouldn't give so much power to derogatory terms they would mean nothing

-Kyo

EDITED TO RESPOND TO SECOND POST

[edit on 20-8-2008 by KyoZero]

[edit on 20-8-2008 by Randy Echo]

"good buddy" and if your from america you know that good buddy means

what???

Good Buddy is a trucker derived term. "10-4 Good buddy!"

The most recent usage of it is in poker to denote you had a 10 and a 4 as your hole cards.

How does mate compare to that? I always mate meant they liked ya or neutral to you.

Again...you are giving power to the terms

-Kyo