# National Nicknames **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928 "2007-11-18T16:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/61 "2007-11-23T01:48:17Z")
[QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] [A few more from Wiki:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_goddams) _Los guiris_, Spanish for anglophone tourists always asking “Where is …?” _Os camones_, Portuguese for North Americans, always saying “Come on!” [/QUOTE] Interesting. Apparently us francophone Quebecers are called _los Tabarnacos_ in Mexico, because of our apparent [frequent use of the word](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_French_profanity). I’ve never been to Mexico so I can’t attest to the accuracy of this. I’ve also never heard the word _Pepsis_ used to refer to us. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/62 "2007-11-23T05:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] [A few more from Wiki:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_goddams) _Los guiris_, Spanish for anglophone tourists always asking “Where is …?” [/QUOTE] That may be the origin, but it’s taken the place of the old gabachos - now it means “any tourist who doesn’t speak Spanish”. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/63 "2007-11-26T18:11:15Z")
I’ve never seen Pepsis used as a collective for Quebecers, but there is the joke about the Quebec breakfast, which is “un Jos. Louis and un Pepsi”. ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/64 "2007-11-27T10:34:53Z")
Mrs Baci calls the French “cheese-eating surrender monkeys”. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/65 "2007-11-27T10:58:35Z")
In England we have plenty for Germany: _krauts, the hun, the bosch, fritz, land of the spikey helmet_ The Italians are “_eye ties_” My welsh wife calls me a “_saison_” - welsh version of “_sassenach_”. My German friends refer to the British as “_Inselaffen_” (lit. Island Monkey). ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/66 "2007-11-27T11:33:55Z")
[QUOTE=BACI] Mrs Baci calls the French “cheese-eating surrender monkeys”. [/QUOTE] I’m sure I heard that line in “The Simpsons” but I can’t claim they originated it. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/67 "2007-11-27T16:32:53Z")
[QUOTE=e-logic] In England we have plenty for Germany: _krauts, the hun, the bosch, fritz, land of the spikey helmet_ [/QUOTE] Interesting, because _boches_ and _fridolins_ (from the name Fritz) also used to be in use in French-speaking countries. They aren’t anymore around here, but of course World War II happened a long time ago and half a world away. Maybe the French still use these words. [QUOTE=Raygun99] I’ve never seen Pepsis used as a collective for Quebecers, but there is the joke about the Quebec breakfast, which is “un Jos. Louis and un Pepsi”. [/QUOTE] That I’d never heard. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/68 "2007-11-27T18:11:31Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] In my 36 years on this earth as an English-speaking Canadian, I have never once, not a single time, heard or read the term “Pepsi” as a euphemism for Quebecois. I googled it and could find no specific usage of the term by a Canadian EXCEPT in the Urban Dictionary, which is probably the least reliable reference work in the entire history of written language. [/QUOTE] “Pepsi” was a derogatory term used by [some of] the English-speaking population in Quebec during the 60’s and 70’s to refer to the French-speaking majority (who did indeed prefer Pepsi to Coke). At the time, wealth in Quebec was disproportionately held by the English-speaking minority. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/69 "2007-11-27T19:18:42Z")
Returning to the food-linked names, at least one source, P.J. O’Rourke, claims the Swiss are “Cheeseholes.” ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/70 "2007-11-27T21:53:27Z")
[QUOTE=Raygun99] I’ve never seen Pepsis used as a collective for Quebecers, but there is the joke about the Quebec breakfast, which is “un Jos. Louis and un Pepsi”. [/QUOTE] My wife’s side of the family (who are FAR from PC) use it all the time. They are all from the Ottawa Valley, so it may be a regionalism. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/71 "2007-11-27T21:56:55Z")
In Hawaii: Samoans: Sole (pronounced So-lay, not sure if I spelled it right) Chinese: Pake (cheap) Filipino: Buk-buk (holes in teeth) Portuguese: Portagee (think Polack joke) Whites: Haoles None of these are considered terribly offensive, but it’s not a good idea for a haole to call a large Samoan a sole. More for safety reasons, than political correctness. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/72 "2007-11-27T22:13:45Z")
[QUOTE=Etumretniw] Hehehe… People really say that? 😃😃 [/QUOTE] My father and his friends, all of whom came to the United States from Nova Scotia, Canada, used that term among themselves when talking about other Nova Scotians, but they considered it a mildly offensive word and were insulted if a non-Nova Scotian used it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/73 "2007-11-28T00:58:21Z")
[QUOTE=essell] I’m sure I heard that line in “The Simpsons” but I can’t claim they originated it. [/QUOTE] [They did.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_monkeys) Sounds better in Willie’s Scottish accent, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/74 "2007-11-28T11:59:01Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] Seppos = Americans [/QUOTE] Munchkins = Australians (residents of Oz) Haven’t heard this one too often, but I like it. ---
**Author:** ![TheMichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@TheMichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMichael)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/75 "2007-11-28T22:59:03Z")
The Earth is Monkey Island, so we’re all “monkey’s” Not all nicks are derisive, but that is the usual application. I think that most everyone but Americans call each other something. We usually take on what we have heard others call others, and somewhat bastardize it. I call mexican women “beandip” {there’s the food thing} Im sure we have all heard of “camel jockey’s”. Mrs. Baci has it right about the french! ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928/76 "2007-12-03T19:55:54Z")
[QUOTE=Ronald C. Semone] My father and his friends, all of whom came to the United States from Nova Scotia, Canada, used that term among themselves when talking about other Nova Scotians, but they considered it a mildly offensive word and were insulted if a non-Nova Scotian used it. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard “Bluenosers” for Nova Scotians, but always understood a 'herringchoker" to be from New Brunswick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-nicknames/426928.md?page=3)