# Colloquial terms for citizens of (x) nation **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 24, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353 "2010-06-24T14:09:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Livardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/1 "2010-06-24T14:09:59Z")
Just for fun I wanted to see what people from other countries are colloquially known as. I don’t want to include slur-type of terms like “limey” or “guido”. I’d prefer to have terms which are not just the abbreviation of the country’s name, i.e., Brits, Scots, etc… I’m originally from El Salvador so I have some knowledge about some of the Central American countries. Here’s what I have so far: United States = Yank Canada = Canuck New Zealand = Kiwi Guatemala = Chapin El Salvador = Guanaco, Salvatrucho Honduras = Catracho Costa Rica = Tico Gee, I guess that’s all I know. Any more? ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/2 "2010-06-24T14:18:08Z")
Russia = Ruskies (not sure if that counts as a slur?) Australia = Aussies ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/3 "2010-06-24T14:26:57Z")
Uruguay: Charrua Paraguay: Guaraní Brazil: Carioca ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/4 "2010-06-24T14:40:27Z")
“Yank” is basically a very mild insult (on a very similar level with “Limey” actually) and not something Americans call themselves. In fact, Americans from the Southern United States would be quite perplexed at being called any variant of “Yankee” – it is an insult, leveled by them at people who are not-Southern. I don’t think it qualifies for your list at all. Nuyorican – New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent, considered by some to be a unique cultural group. Justice Sotomayor, for example, has described herself as"Nuyorican." ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/5 "2010-06-24T14:58:55Z")
If “Yank” is adjudged acceptable, then “Septic” or “Seppo” is as well, since it’s rhyming slang (septic tank/Yank). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/6 "2010-06-24T15:05:52Z")
Israel = Sabra (but only for native-born Israelis). Sabra, incidentally, is a anglicalization of “Tzabar”, which is Hebrew for _opuntia ficus-indica_, or [Prickly Pear](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica). ---
**Author:** ![Livardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/7 "2010-06-24T15:06:06Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > “Yank” is basically a very mild insult (on a very similar level with “Limey” actually) and not something Americans call themselves. In fact, Americans from the Southern United States would be quite perplexed at being called any variant of “Yankee” – it is an insult, leveled by them at people who are not-Southern. I don’t think it qualifies for your list at all. > > Nuyorican – New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent, considered by some to be a unique cultural group. Justice Sotomayor, for example, has described herself as"Nuyorican." Though I wouldn’t put it in the same level of “Limey” I guess Yank does come accross as a mild insult to some. You’d never find a newspaper refering to the English soccer team as “limeys” though. English speaking publications in other countries make liberal use of the term: [Globe and Mail](http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=active&q=%22the+yanks%22+site%3Atheglobeandmail.com&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=) [The Guardian](http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=active&q=%22the+yanks%22+site%3Aguardian.co.uk&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=) As you can see, it’s just an informal way to refer to Americans. It’s definitely more of an insult in Spanish where if you hear Yanqui, they’re either talking about the New York baseball team or protesters being pissed about something, i.e. “Fuera Yanquis!” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/8 "2010-06-24T15:14:50Z")
I personally see Yank as a term of mild affection, actually. It’s a mild insult, but of the sort siblings or friends use with each other. Or maybe that’s just typical American cluelessness. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/9 "2010-06-24T15:29:04Z")
“Yanquis fuera de Estados Unidos” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/10 "2010-06-24T15:57:28Z")
[QUOTE=Livardo] Though I wouldn’t put it in the same level of “Limey” I guess Yank does come accross as a mild insult to some. You’d never find a newspaper refering to the English soccer team as “limeys” though. English speaking publications in other countries make liberal use of the term [/QUOTE] Sure but the point was, to name things that _people call themselves_ and Americans not only do not call themselves “Yanks” it would be somewhere between nonsensical and offensive below the Mason-Dixon Line. The old joke where tourists from Atlanta see a sign reading “Yankees Go Home” and they aren’t offended because they aren’t “Yankees.” Yank/Yankee is something the British and other nationalities call Americans, maybe in a friendly way and maybe not, but it doesn’t meet the criteria set out in the OP. It’s not an Americanism. Similarly, insofar as Americans use “limey” its in a friendly joke/insult way. But as noted, it’s not something the British call themselves, therefore it doesn’t qualify under the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/11 "2010-06-24T16:07:05Z")
Sorry - missed edit wondow. Insofar as the term “Yankee” (NEVER “Yank” which is a pure Britishism) is used self-referentially with pride by Americans it refers only to residents of those states comprising New England and not residents of the nation as a whole. It connotes a certain hardworking, rural, gruff, thriftiness, possibly hostile to outsiders and city folk, but dependable. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/12 "2010-06-24T16:27:50Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > …(NEVER “Yank” which is a pure Britishism)… Are you sure? It seems that the US Military published a magazine by that name during WWII. I would assume it was for all American service people, not just those that came from north of the Mason-Dixon line. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yank,_the_Army_Weekly) has more information on the publication. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/13 "2010-06-24T16:31:14Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Yank/Yankee is something the British and other nationalities call Americans, maybe in a friendly way and maybe not, but it doesn’t meet the criteria set out in the OP. It’s not an Americanism. Similarly, insofar as Americans use “limey” its in a friendly joke/insult way. But as noted, it’s not something the British call themselves, therefore it doesn’t qualify under the OP. Do Canadians ever call themselves Canucks? In circumstances where they’re not talking to people from other countries and making fun of themselves, anyway. I mean, I don’t see anything in the OP that stipulates that he’s only looking for names people call themselves. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/14 "2010-06-24T16:58:54Z")
Indians; Khatri. Or for a personification, like Jerry or Ivan, its Shastri. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/15 "2010-06-24T17:03:11Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I mean, I don’t see anything in the OP that stipulates that he’s only looking for names people call themselves. The OP’s reason for saying that “Limey” doesn’t qualify is that a)it’s somewhat insulting – so is “Yank” b)it isn’t something the British call themselves – same as “Yank.” I think the terms are very equivalent. Back on topic, something else I’m not sure qualifies is the habit of using the adjective “Gallic” to mean “French.” I haven’t ever actually seen a French person called a Gaul 😃 outside of Julius Caesar et al 😃 which is why I’m not sure if it counts. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/16 "2010-06-24T17:05:21Z")
Ireland - Paddy or (mainly used in the US) Mick ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/17 "2010-06-24T17:33:04Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Ireland - Paddy or (mainly used in the US) Mick Question about that: if someone referred to you as a mick (and I know you’re full-blooded IRish, right?) would you be offended? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/18 "2010-06-24T17:33:18Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I personally see Yank as a term of mild affection, actually. It’s a mild insult, but of the sort siblings or friends use with each other. That’s sort of the way I see Limey. I don’t think anybody has used that as a serious insult since about 1814. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/19 "2010-06-24T17:54:37Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > “Yank” is basically a very mild insult (on a very similar level with “Limey” actually) and not something Americans call themselves. In fact, Americans from the Southern United States would be quite perplexed at being called any variant of “Yankee” – it is an insult, leveled by them at people who are not-Southern. I don’t think it qualifies for your list at all. Outside the deep south I’d be surprised to find anyone who considered it an insult. And Americans identify with it enough that it was used in a famous patriotic [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbggEGUaE28) from WW1. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353/20 "2010-06-24T18:17:28Z")
> [@Daithi\_Lacha](#): > > Question about that: if someone referred to you as a mick (and I know you’re full-blooded IRish, right?) would you be offended? Not really no. Depends on context though I suppose. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colloquial-terms-for-citizens-of-x-nation/544353.md?page=2)