Donate SIGN UP

YANKS.

Avatar Image
Kay | 15:52 Fri 03rd Sep 2004 | Phrases & Sayings
2 Answers
How did the term come about??
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 2 of 2rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by Kay. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
It is possible that it came from a Cherokee - word, �eankke', meaning �slave/coward', but it is far more likely to have come from the Dutch word �Janke', meaning �Johnnie'...(�J' in Dutch is pronounced like �Y' in English, so it sounds more like �Yanke' to British ears)...or even from 'Jan Kees', meaning 'John Cheese'. Apparently that was used as a term of abuse by Dutch settlers when referring to British ones in the early days of the USA. Basically, therefore, it probably just means �Johnnie'. If you click here, a link will take you to a website that tells you absolutely everything you could ever hope to know about the word �Yank(ee)'!
Question Author
Ta very much QM,I can go to sleep now:-).

1 to 2 of 2rss feed

Do you know the answer?

YANKS.

Answer Question >>