# How ya doin', yank? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257 "2013-09-07T16:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/41 "2013-09-09T21:07:00Z")
A few decades back I had a wonderful friend from London. He would come to America for extended vacations, and we all had a grand time. One Summer evening we were boating, and drinking. He decided to go for a swim. Fine. However, he was unable to get back into the boat, without our assistance. I shall never forget his pleas “Pull you Bloody Yanks, pull!” ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/42 "2013-09-09T21:08:56Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Would a Californian be bemused? This California native would be more amused than bemused. I know understand why you might used that term toward Americans in general, but I never in my life considered myself a “Yank”. If you greeted me with “How ya doin’, Yank?” I would probably reply something like, “Oh how cute you used that phrase, clearly you have no idea how diverse the USA is.” ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/43 "2013-09-09T22:54:11Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > I should point out thought that in rhyming slang there is not necessarily any association between the object being rhymed and the thing the slang is to apply to. “Bubble {and squeak}” is “Greek”, “titfer” {from “tit for tat”} is “hat”, “ginger {beer}” is “homosexual” and so on. Cockneys must be somewhat glad there’s no easy rhyme for ‘Cockney’ itself. Or is there one I can’t think of? ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/44 "2013-09-09T23:40:47Z")
I’m US born and bred, now living in Australia. Since I work at reception at a hotel, I see a lot of people, mainly Australians. I’ve rarely been called a Yank, and only once a seppo. The former seemed to be people being funny, and didn’t bother me; the latter was half-humourous, half-aggressive, but didn’t bother me much. Most often, people ask me where I’m from, or ask ‘you’re not from around here, are you?’ Often they guess Canadian - whether it’s because of my muddled accent, or because of the cliche that Canadians are twitchy about being mistaken for Americans\*, I don’t know. \*Yeah, I know, but it’s common usage. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/45 "2013-09-10T00:36:33Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > Cockneys must be somewhat glad there’s no easy rhyme for ‘Cockney’ itself. Or is there one I can’t think of? Knute. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/46 "2013-09-10T01:02:20Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Incidentally, if one of you yanks replied “Not bad, limey” how should I take that? Should I consider it derogatory? Say that I’m not actually a sailor? If I were trying to reply with a word on par with “Yank”, “Limey” would probably be my choice. Not sure what other word I could use, really. So don’t take it as derogatory. But if it is, well, _you_ started it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/47 "2013-09-10T07:03:20Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Incidentally, if one of you yanks replied “Not bad, limey” how should I take that? Should I consider it derogatory? Say that I’m not actually a sailor? Nah, any American who is familiar with the term “limey” as a pejorative towards Brits is probably erudite enough to not seriously use ethnic slurs in a derogatory fashion. If an American wanted to make fun of you for being English he’d just call you a faggot (nothing to do with cigarettes, I’m assuming you know). There’s a stereotype held by some Americans that all Englishmen are homosexual, or a least bisexual. I know that sounds strange but just listen to great American philosopher Archie Bunker explain the reasoning behind the stereotype: ["All in the Family" Archie Bunker explians that England is Gay - Video | eBaum's World](http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/924957/) In our defense, I’m pretty sure that show was a remake of a British program. So you really only have yourselves to blame. Earlier this year the stereotype was addressed by no less than England’s most notable celebrity, Harry Potter. [Daniel Radcliffe Sounds Off On Why British Men 'Seem Gay' | HuffPost Voices](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/daniel-radcliffe-gay-british-men_n_2567048.html) ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/48 "2013-09-10T07:52:49Z")
Using a racial slur creatively is one of life’s finer challenges and people should and actually do practice it. If I call a white American a pale face, no sweat. I call him a pale face and then show him my skinning knife, that’s something else. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/49 "2013-09-11T16:00:10Z")
I’d say “How ya doin, Brit?” ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/50 "2013-09-11T17:19:49Z")
It is better to be the Yankee than the Yank-or. ---
**Author:** ![LuckyBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecae2f/32.png) [@LuckyBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckyBastid)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/51 "2013-09-11T18:03:43Z")
**Oakminster** Nice use of “bless your heart”. I’m a transplant who’s been living in the South for a few years. I was about 6 months in before someone explained the many uses of the expression to me. I’d been walking around thinking how nice people were! FWIW, in nearly 3 years I’ve never once been called a yankee. It’s a dead stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/52 "2013-09-11T19:24:06Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > They will then refer to you as a “damn yankee”. That’s “dayum yankee”. I agree that Yank is pretty equivalent to Limey or Pohmmie, but probably less pejorative (after all, we’re proud to be Yanks). Which is distinct from “whingeing Pohmmie” of course. Which you all are, but we’re too polite to say it. No doubt some good ol’ boys might be confused into thinking you were confusing them with dayum yankees, but most of those wouldn’t be across the pond in the first place, so it’d happen only on their own turf. I assume y’all know the difference between a Yankee and a Dayum Yankee. Yankees stay up North ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/53 "2013-09-11T19:59:24Z")
> [@LuckyBastid](#): > > Nice use of “bless your heart”. Heh, I caught it, but I’m pretty thick-skinned. It’s the modifier “pea-pickin’ little” that gets my hackles up. (Mom was from Wheatley, AR) ---
**Author:** ![LuckyBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecae2f/32.png) [@LuckyBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckyBastid)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/54 "2013-09-13T04:01:10Z")
Pea pickin’ isn’t one I’ve heard used here. I take it that’s an intensifier? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257/55 "2013-09-13T04:22:42Z")
> [@LuckyBastid](#): > > Pea pickin’ isn’t one I’ve heard used here. I take it that’s an intensifier? I think I’ve only ever heard Tennessee Ernie Ford use that. “Bless your little pea-pickin’ hearts” was a catchphrase of his. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-ya-doin-yank/668257.md?page=2)