The Whale has Wings

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There's an E.B. White quote...

To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.

And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.

Tell E.B. White to stuff it! New Englanders are Yankees, PERIOD.

When General Washington came to the American lines outside Boston to take command, General Artemas Ward and Colonel John Stark were furious (though Ward did a better job of hiding his feelings than Stark did). When Stark spoke to Washington, he had it clear his displeasure "...that Congress would see fit to send a Virginian to command what had been up until now, a Yankee army!"

E.B. White was a great writer. But his knowledge of history appears to have faulty. At the time Stark made his feelings known to Washington, Vermont was a howling wilderness known as the Hampshire Grants, and still inhabited mostly by Native Americans and a tiny handful of settlers. The not yet named state of Maine (still a section of Massachusetts at the time) was more settled then than the future Vermont.

Yankees = New Englanders (and New Yorkers, if they're nice:))
 
Usertron, sorry to see the term "septic" upset you so much. As an Aussie, in my experience it has only been used as a gently affectionate nickname for Americans. I actually used it last year in Afghanistan to some US personnel - and once explained, they did'nt seem offended, even the southerners. (Actually, I think they preferred it to "Yank".)
Mind you, I use "Pom" the same way.
However, as you point out, context is vital; certainly no term should be used if you know it is objectionable to others.
Now hopefully, if we have all finished with semantics, Astrodragon will give us an update; I want to see what happens to the Japanese fleet!

Yeah, intrinsic to the internet is the lack of genuine tone and inflection. That's why I use emoticons so much. People think them immature, but they do wonders for preventing misunderstandings.

Now, Astrodragon. Where are you? Do I have to issue a summoning spell for the ghost of St.George on you?:p
 
Yeah, intrinsic to the internet is the lack of genuine tone and inflection. That's why I use emoticons so much. People think them immature, but they do wonders for preventing misunderstandings.

Now, Astrodragon. Where are you? Do I have to issue a summoning spell for the ghost of St.George on you?:p


Septic isn’t a derisory name, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the contents of a septic tank or in any way related to sepsis of any kind, it's just used becasue it rhymes.

http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/septic_tank

See there’s no need to get yer Alan Whickers in a twist and lets not have a Bull and Cow, in fact its all got a bit Piccadilly.

(Realistically the only thing to save this thread for the attack of the mockneys is to post an update Mr Dragon :D )
 
Tell E.B. White to stuff it! New Englanders are Yankees, PERIOD.

When General Washington came to the American lines outside Boston to take command, General Artemas Ward and Colonel John Stark were furious (though Ward did a better job of hiding his feelings than Stark did). When Stark spoke to Washington, he had it clear his displeasure "...that Congress would see fit to send a Virginian to command what had been up until now, a Yankee army!"

E.B. White was a great writer. But his knowledge of history appears to have faulty. At the time Stark made his feelings known to Washington, Vermont was a howling wilderness known as the Hampshire Grants, and still inhabited mostly by Native Americans and a tiny handful of settlers. The not yet named state of Maine (still a section of Massachusetts at the time) was more settled then than the future Vermont.

Yankees = New Englanders (and New Yorkers, if they're nice:))

Ish. While I don't think a Boston Southie would deny being a Yankee, you'll rarely here anyone in the Bay area self-identify as such. I think Yankee is, primarily, an old-stock Upper New England self-identifier.

Now, we Southerners identify everyone North of the Mason-Dixon as Yankees, and the rest of the world thinks we're all Yanks... but it's about as accurate as referring to all Britons as Cornishmen.
 
Ish. While I don't think a Boston Southie would deny being a Yankee, you'll rarely here anyone in the Bay area self-identify as such. I think Yankee is, primarily, an old-stock Upper New England self-identifier.

Now, we Southerners identify everyone North of the Mason-Dixon as Yankees, and the rest of the world thinks we're all Yanks... but it's about as accurate as referring to all Britons as Cornishmen.

So...the New York Yankees are committing fraud by calling themselves Yankees? Does this mean they have to give all their WS trophies back?:p Honestly, you have the absolutely most restrictive definition of what constitutes a Yankee I've ever seen.
 
Septic isn’t a derisory name, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the contents of a septic tank or in any way related to sepsis of any kind, it's just used becasue it rhymes.

http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/septic_tank

See there’s no need to get yer Alan Whickers in a twist and lets not have a Bull and Cow, in fact its all got a bit Piccadilly.

(Realistically the only thing to save this thread for the attack of the mockneys is to post an update Mr Dragon :D )

Are you telling me YOU are a "septic"? Because otherwise, your statements have no foundation. As I said, its about context and perspective.
 
Are you telling me YOU are a "septic"? Because otherwise, your statements have no foundation. As I said, its about context and perspective.

Or lack of it, your the only one getting upset about it.

I think the divide between the UK and USA is never bigger than when it comes to humor :confused:.

See what I did with the smileys there, just so there's no confusion
 
As to the use of Limey? It DEPENDS ON WHO USES IT! You, sir, are a proud Englishman. You may call yourself, or any other Englishman or woman "Limey", and there's no problem. What if a Frenchman, whether in chiding or all the way up to an angry rant uses the word?

Frenchmen call the English les rosbifs.:)

Now, we Southerners identify everyone North of the Mason-Dixon as Yankees, and the rest of the world thinks we're all Yanks... but it's about as accurate as referring to all Britons as Cornishmen.

This reminds me of when my first job after graduation. The Geordie (somebody from Newcastle, up in the North East of England) used to tease our boss, who was a proud Yorkshireman, by calling him a southerner.
Which was geographically accurate, but...

Regards

R
 
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