Is the term �YANKEE� pejorative?

Not sure where to put this, but since it�s a question I�ll post it here.

A while back I was at a shopping mall in Guelph, Ontario, this guy drove up and parked right in a handicap parking space near the door. An able bodied man and his wife stepped out and he swung his car door wide open denting the car next to his.

I looked at his plates to see if he had a handicap license and noticed it had New York plates. He didn�t even look at the dent he made and walked away talking loudly to his wife about how they would be ok in this space because they would never have to pay the ticket, being Americans etc.

So as I walked by I said �damn Yankees!� loud enough for him to hear. I know it was childish but the guy was a real piece of work and a perfect stereotype of the �ugly American�.

What really surprised me was the look of shock and horror on his face as he stopped dead in his tracks as well as the red faced rage he displayed. Maybe he didn�t expect this �treatment� in goody-goody Canada or maybe I used a particular nasty insult?

Is the name "Yankee" or "Yank" an insult to Americans?

If so why?

The correct thing would have been to notify police. Small dents in canada can hit up to $1000, plus tickets. Being an Ameican he would have probably been deported south and had his car confiscated.

Yank was disrespectful to New Yorkers, what would have been more appropriate would have been "damm hillbillies" lol

its not offencive to me. i call english people "limeys' or "tommies" and they dont seem to mind either.

no, it comes from dutch jan cheese name given to british settlers in new york

As far as the origin of Yankee take a peak here

www.wordorigins.org...

As far as the guy in question I think "prick" suits him quite nicely. Gools you are a better man than I because I would have called him on the dent and asked him for his insurance information. If he did not comply I would hold him until the owner of the other car came back.

Thanks for the answers.

It seems that Yankee is not an insult in and of itself.

As for caling police....ummm... no. I hate cops. They are bigger hypocritical pricks than other people.

As for dents I received my share. Ever drive in Montreal? I've got so many scratches and dings because of driving and parking in this town!