Thanks for the heads up Derek. Always looking for a good read.
I see a fair amount of Aussie activity here. Good one guys give 'em some good Aussie imput. One thing is for sure, the Yanks always welcome Australian where ever we go.
They also have a nic-nac for every occasion.

All the best
Skip

skiproosel wrote on Feb 17^th, 2008 at 8:50am:

One thing is for sure, the Yanks always welcome Australian where ever we go. All the best Skip

Be very careful with the term "yank" and applying it to all Americans.  Depending upon where the American was raised, being called a "yank" or "yankee" can be highly offensive along the lines of a racial or ethnic slur.  

It is quite obvious that there is nothing sinister in what I wrote. The term yank has been used in Australia "since Adam was a boy" and during WW2 the American Military issued a newspaper for the troops stationed in Australia-guess what it was called, yep "YANK,THE ARMY WEEKLY" it contained many things including war comic strips and the like.
Most days I see one of your icons the "NEW YORK YANKEES" mentioned somewhere in the media.
I lived in North America for almost 3 years and as a Sailor the pleasantries between American & Aussie matalots (Yanks /Ockers ) was well accepted. I never got into any fights because the word Yank was mentioned,in fact most referred to themselves as Yank Sailors!
I have cut and pasted an extract as follows.

"In certain Commonwealth countries, notably the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, "Yank" has been in common use since at least World War II, when thousands of Americans were stationed in the UK, Australia and New Zealand."

So Camp Cookie I apologise if you found the word offensive but I am afraid that us living down under would be scratching our heads as you regularly refer to yourselves as Yanks.  :)
If you would you like me to refer to other instances where you call yourselves Yanks let me know.

On a final note I was refering to Americans in a positive way and saying that we were well accepted by them. That is all!

Skiproosel

Skip, I understand this.

To one born and bred in the south the term Yank is not them, their ancestors fought the Yanks.  The Civil War was 1860s.  If camp_cookie is close to my age, he thinks of that war as only 100 years ago.  My grandmother was born in 1867.

His great grandfather/uncles could have fought for The South.

It's very easy in this world to over generalize.  BTW camp_cookie  I was born in NC to one parent from Prince Edward Island and another from Illinois.

& Skip, having been in Canada for almost 40 years, I don't use the term American to refer to US residents.  America is the entire hemisphere, not just one country.  

8-)

Thanks for sorting that out LK.
You know I was talking with a lady the other day and I asked her if she was American and where did she come from. Well she burred up and said "I am a Canadian, don't call me an American" so I'll admit defeat and admit complete confusion now as I don't think I'll be able to say the right thing.

Skip

skiproosel wrote on Feb 19^th, 2008 at 2:29am:

Thanks for sorting that out LK. You know I was talking with a lady the other day and I asked her if she was American and where did she come from. Well she burred up and said "I am a Canadian, don't call me an American" so I'll admit defeat and admit complete confusion now as I don't think I'll be able to say the right thing. Skip

Skip, by birth I'm 1/2 & 1/2  as indicated by what I said earlier.  I chose Canada.  I just found things about me that are more Canadian than US like.

& if I say what I could raise hackles too.   I dislike it intensely if someone from down that way puts down various places and things Canadian, assuming that I think like them because I grew up there.  Not, no way am I, not in my eyes.  As for example, the person who said PeeWee Isle. for Prince Edward Island.  Sure, by any standards it's pretty small, but good things come in small packages.

I can say that generally Canadians are more reserved, and don't say things just to be polite.  People who do that are insincere to me.  But yes, I know it's almost a tradition in some parts of the States.

Don't lump either of us together.

I well remember doing a good dodge by asking a lady, "What part of the UK are you from".  Her reply was something like, "Well, my husband's Irish and I'm a Scot."  I did good with that one.

8-)

skiproosel wrote on Feb 19^th, 2008 at 2:15am:

It is quite obvious that there is nothing sinister in what I wrote. The term yank has been used in Australia "since Adam was a boy" and during WW2 the American Military issued a newspaper for the troops stationed in Australia-guess what it was called, yep "YANK,THE ARMY WEEKLY" it contained many things including war comic strips and the like. Most days I see one of your icons the "NEW YORK YANKEES" mentioned somewhere in the media. I lived in North America for almost 3 years and as a Sailor the pleasantries between American & Aussie matalots (Yanks /Ockers ) was well accepted. I never got into any fights because the word Yank was mentioned,in fact most referred to themselves as Yank Sailors! I have cut and pasted an extract as follows. "In certain Commonwealth countries, notably the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, "Yank" has been in common use since at least World War II, when thousands of Americans were stationed in the UK, Australia and New Zealand." So Camp Cookie I apologise if you found the word offensive but I am afraid that us living down under would be scratching our heads as you regularly refer to yourselves as Yanks.  :) If you would you like me to refer to other instances where you call yourselves Yanks let me know. On a final note I was refering to Americans in a positive way and saying that we were well accepted by them. That is all! Skiproosel

Please let me clarify.  I fully understand that you meant nothing by your comments.  I was merely pointing out that what you consider to be a general term for all Americans is actually considered a pejorative by many.  Once again, I understand that nothing personal was meant by the comments.  I just wanted you, and others here, to understand that the term could be offensive.  

The term "yankee" is a corruption of "Yangese", which was a mispronunciation of the word "English" by various tribes in the Northeast.  The people in that area began calling themselves "Yankees".  So, a person from the Northeast would take no offense at being called a "Yankee", but a member of many Native American tribes would be highly offended at being lumped in with the people that waged war and committed genocide against them.  As referenced above, the Union troops in the War of Secession (Civil War is a misnomer for the war, most Southerners refer to it as the War Between the States) called themselves "Yankees".  To someone raised in the Southeastern United States, the term "Yankee" is a completely inaccurate application.  I doubt that you will find many Southerners that would willingly accept that label.  

Once again, I know nothing offensive was intended by the term.

I really struggle with radical extremists who use the past as an excuse to carry on a hate campain with todays society
They use historical data and second hand perceptions of what actually happened to the people they claim to sympathise with to build a case against the people who have had nothing to do with the activities they are so hell bent on !!!Protecting!!?????? with their biased perceptions
I just cant understand what makes them feel that they are so important when you compare them with what has gone on throughout history I mean lets face it who in the past is blameless anyway, England was invaded by the Vikings and Saxons etc and the French and English in turn invaded others and as well we had Ghengis Khan and also Germany WW1 and WW11 and Japan and I have never heard of the expectation of them let alone their decendants having to say sorry for what they did or others using what occured as an excuse to attack present day societies all I can say is build a bridge like the rest of world has had to do both in the past and the present and get on with life because no matter how much you try you can never undo what has already happened
And really who selected these radicals as their representatives to wear their Superman capes and right the wrongs of the world by attacking the innocent who cant change what has happened anyway??????
I was always taught that GOD was the only one with the right to judge and punish anyone and if this is so then those who feel that they have the right will have to answer later anyway.
It amazes me what people will use as an excuse to go on the attack

My soapbox spray
Furphy

 

Good say Furph, it always amazes me that people who emigrate to Australia for "a better life" still practice and instill in their children their hatred for other ethnic groups for example the Serbs and the Croats, the Hungarians and the Russians, the Poles and the Germans and so many more.
I've worked with a lot of these blokes on sites all over Oz and by themselves they're OK but put'em together; instant problems. The company I worked for made sure different nationalities were kept in separate gangs because of fights, threats and physical violence towards overseers etc. I could go on but you get the picture.


pd

Moved this thread to here so it doesn't detract from Joannes link to her site.

Cheers


Derek

My last say on the subject and I'll also get of my Soap Box.
Have a go at this site
http://www.yanksdownunder.net/
I had a smile then went and bashed my head against the wall.
This is a happy & obviously friendly forum that is run by U.S people in Oz. They are refering to themselves as "Yanks Down Under" they obviously do not feel threatened by the term and are quite at ease with it.
I'm not sure what we are supposed to do, but one thing for sure I won't refer to US citizens as Yanks anymore-well not here anyway! I have many American and Canadian friends and want to keep it that way.
If anyone is interested here is a happy snap of the newspaper in question.

All the best
Skip

---

Theres a forum for everything these days  

Mind you I recall getting a similar "talking to" on a US forum once for referring to people as yanks.  Some of them are very precious about it.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I also remember you getting a serve for posting a dictionary of Oz slang. Not everyone has an easy and laid back attitude as it turned out !


pd

poddy dodger wrote on Feb 19^th, 2008 at 6:47pm:

I also remember you getting a serve for posting a dictionary of Oz slang. Not everyone has an easy and laid back attitude as it turned out ! pd

Yep same place.  Do you know also that once someone had a go at me for posting a recipe with rum in it.   ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hate?  What does hate have to do with the correct application of a term?

All I was trying to tell the people here is that the term "yank" does have a negative connotation to many people within the US.  Would you refer to an Irishman as an Englishman or a Frenchman as an Italian?  It is the same thing.  Are not people from Australia different than people from New Zealand?  

I have said several times in previous postings that I understood that nothing ill was implied by the use of the term.  I was simply trying to tell the good people here that a term in common place usage in Australian vernacular with purely innocent intentions can be taken as a pejorative term by many people actually within the US.

I would certainly hope that should I use a term that is commonplace in the US but could be considered an offense in Australia that the good people here would educate me on the matter.

I don't want any issues here or anywhere else. I didn't intend to start a feud, and I will certainly remove myself if needed to avoid any conflict here.  

Yeah, sorry CC, going off on a tangent there when I talked other ethnic groups I certainly wasn't talking about the US and Oz.
pd

Hey CC
Dont stress it !!!!!!  we are just being Aussies and the hate word refers to people who will use any issue to further their cause and attack others and that was NOT I say again NOT you

Furphy