File under Miscellaneous: Topics That Don't Deserve A Whole Thread

[Diane AKA Traska]

We've all been there... a side track to the discussion starts, it's just getting interesting, and boom: you're asked to start a new thread.  But sometimes, the topic is interesting enough to hold your attention, but you know it won't carry a whole thread by itself.

That's what this thread is for.

This is probably the only thread where there IS no off-topic, because that's the topic!  All I ask is that we divide the thread up a bit... so make it *clear* which "topic" you're responding to.  I'll start:

Re: USians

Since it was getting *good*, I brought it here!  It was mentioned that Yank had negative connotations.  While it's true that it's derived from Yankee, for me, the term really started coming into its own with our soldiers abroad in WWII, so I have only good connotations with Yank.  Yankee, on the other hand, i almost never positive.  Two little letters, but so influential.

[Kaora]

I've only had neutral conotations with yank/yankee.  Especially as I really know the latter word from history class, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.  Who must've been insane, come to think of it...

Who else would think a feather in the hat was macaroni?

[Twik]

My father, in the pre-WWII era, was enamoured of a young visiting American lady. While chatting with her, he called her a Yankee in passing, as that was a standard name in Canada for all those from south of the border.

She was from Alabama. It didn't go well from that point on.

[Hmmmmm]

The USian discussion has been interestly.  About 10 years ago was the first time I learned some citizens of countries in North and South American countries were irritated or offended by US citizens referring to themselves as Americans.  It immediately made sense to me so I stopped and when asked would say I was from the US or from the States.

About a year ago my teen son asked why I did that and I explained. He said he thought it silly.  Amercian's were called Americans while still a colony.  We didnt' name outselves that. Also, the USofA is the only country with America in their name so why not continue to use the long standing globally accepted terminology of an American can be a citizen of the US.  He asked me if I'd ever met a Argentenian or a Chilean who referred to themselves as an American or even a S. American and I had to admit that no. He also asked me how I expected African Americans to refer to themselves, African "from the States".  He also pointed out that if we were to change the definition of American to just generalized continent we'd really mess up the term Mexican American.  With the revised American definition, Mexican American would mean a person from Mexico living on the continent of America, i.e. most Mexican citizens. 

After that discussion, I decided to drop the global political correctness and have gone back to referring to myself as an American... but of course being 4th generation I'm just as likely to say I'm a Texan.

And speaking on generation tracking, what other states do people of other states track the number of generations their families have lived that specific State? Or for that matter, do Canadians? The only other states I've ever heard anyone mention it was in California and it was friend who's family still owned real estate from a family Mexican Land Grant and Louisiana Cajuns will talk about when their family's arrived.

[Girlie]

My father, in the pre-WWII era, was enamoured of a young visiting American lady. While chatting with her, he called her a Yankee in passing, as that was a standard name in Canada for all those from south of the border.

She was from Alabama. It didn't go well from that point on.

I'm from Georgia. I get it. 

[Margo]

I've only had neutral conotations with yank/yankee.  Especially as I really know the latter word from history class, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.  Who must've been insane, come to think of it...

Who else would think a feather in the hat was macaroni?

 'Macaroni' was a Regency term for a dandy - I think it either was or became a terms for the most extreme, effeminate style of men' s dress (http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pages/beta_collection_introduction/beta_collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1637773&partId=1&subject=16631&page=1)  - I'm guessing the song was making fun of 'colonials' from the backwoods, for trying to be fashionable.

[BB-VA]

My father, in the pre-WWII era, was enamoured of a young visiting American lady. While chatting with her, he called her a Yankee in passing, as that was a standard name in Canada for all those from south of the border.

She was from Alabama. It didn't go well from that point on.

I'm from Georgia. I get it. 

So does this Virginian.

[Amanita]

So does this Nova Scotian!

[mmswm]

My father, in the pre-WWII era, was enamoured of a young visiting American lady. While chatting with her, he called her a Yankee in passing, as that was a standard name in Canada for all those from south of the border.

She was from Alabama. It didn't go well from that point on.

I'm from Georgia. I get it. 

So does this Virginian.

I'm from Florida, but I totally get it.  Them's fighting words!

[WillyNilly]

And speaking on generation tracking, what other states do people of other states track the number of generations their families have lived that specific State? Or for that matter, do Canadians? The only other states I've ever heard anyone mention it was in California and it was friend who's family still owned real estate from a family Mexican Land Grant and Louisiana Cajuns will talk about when their family's arrived.

I'm a proud 4th generation New Yorker.


And to me, to be a "Yankee" means one thing: you are professional baseball player or perhaps a fan of the baseball team. Nothing more.

[ladyknight1]

I had never seen the term USian before today, and I don't care for it. It seems forced. I am an American, a Texan by birth and a Floridian by choice, AKA a transplant. 

[mmswm]

I live in a city that's a major entry point for new immigrants, so generation tracking does happen.  My boys are the 4th generation to be born here, though my great-great grandmother was a toddler when her family moved here from a city in the northern part of the state.  For this particular city, you can't be a whole lot more native, as that move took place 4 years before this city incorporated as an actual city.  A more common scenario though is that people are the actual immigrants and 1st generation.  We're just now starting to see a fair number of 2nd generation.

Edited to clarify:  There's some generation tracking for both city residency in the city and for US Citizenship.

[Bijou]

I've only had neutral conotations with yank/yankee.  Especially as I really know the latter word from history class, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.  Who must've been insane, come to think of it...

Who else would think a feather in the hat was macaroni?

I like the way you ponder stuff. 

[gramma dishes]

I've only had neutral conotations with yank/yankee.  Especially as I really know the latter word from history class, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.  Who must've been insane, come to think of it...

Who else would think a feather in the hat was macaroni?

 'Macaroni' was a Regency term for a dandy - I think it either was or became a terms for the most extreme, effeminate style of men' s dress (http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pages/beta_collection_introduction/beta_collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1637773&partId=1&subject=16631&page=1)  - I'm guessing the song was making fun of 'colonials' from the backwoods, for trying to be fashionable.

Yeah, it was meant to be an insult.  A doodle is a not very intelligent 'country hick' and a dandy is a conceited, ill mannered, pretentious jerk.   Yankee Doodle Dandy was a combination of both those extremes.  Not a very flattering concept at all.
But amazingly it got put to a catchy tune and really caught on as a fun little ditty!  We humans are hard to discourage!   

[ClaireC79]

Going back to the original thread someone thought USians implied they were users because no other country states their nationality like that
Australians
Austrians