sra@oddjob.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) (03/21/85)
References:
We were discussing the origin of the word "Yankee", which originally
referred to New Englanders. Webster's Third states that it is unknown.
("Yankee Doodle" is referred back to "Yankee".) Does anyone know better
or having any good speculation?
Scott Anderson
ihnp4!oddjob!kaosrubin@columbia.UUCP (Mike Rubin) (03/22/85)
> We were discussing the origin of the word "Yankee", which originally > referred to New Englanders. Webster's Third states that it is unknown. > ("Yankee Doodle" is referred back to "Yankee".) Does anyone know better > or having any good speculation? I seem to remember from grade school that "Yankee" was an English corruption of the Indians' mispronunciation of "English." This sounds a bit strained but still plausible.... --Mike Rubin <seismo!columbia!rubin>
barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) (03/23/85)
Random House gives the following etymology for Yankee.
A possible back formation from Dutch. Jan Kees (John Cheese)
was a nickname (mistaken for a plural) applied by the colonial NY Dutch
to English settlers in connecticut.
That makes Yankee a Dutch version of Johnny.
Doodle is defined (in he same dictionary) as originally meaning fool.
So a Yankee Doodle is an Anglo Saxon Dolt. Given the original song is
about a country bumpkin, it seems to fit okay.
--Lee goldcolonel@gloria.UUCP (Col. G. L. Sicherman) (03/23/85)
[Pierre the Hideous is watching YOU!] > > We were discussing the origin of the word "Yankee", which originally > > referred to New Englanders. Webster's Third states that it is unknown. > > ("Yankee Doodle" is referred back to "Yankee".) Does anyone know better > > or having any good speculation? > > I seem to remember from grade school that "Yankee" was an English corruption > of the Indians' mispronunciation of "English." This sounds a bit strained > but still plausible.... I've heard an equally strained one: "Yankees" is derived from the Dutch given names "Jan" and "Kees." Jan maybe, but "Kees" is pronounced "Case." -- Col. G. L. Sicherman ...{rocksvax|decvax}!sunybcs!colonel
gino@voder.UUCP (Gino Bloch) (03/26/85)
*** DON'T EAT THIS LINE OR MY MESSAGE *** > > We were discussing the origin of the word "Yankee", which originally > > I seem to remember from grade school that "Yankee" was an English corruption > of the Indians' mispronunciation of "English." This sounds a bit strained > but still plausible.... Would depend on the set of phonemes in their language. Cf the Hawaiian pronunciation of Merry Christmas: Mele Kelikimake. I've heard that the Dutch in the area called the English settlers "Jan Kees", meaning "John Cheese", pronounced yahn case (or caze?). Maybe this is as valid as any etymology for "OK". -- Gene E. Bloch (...!{ucbvax, ihnp4!nsc, decwrl!nsc}!voder!gino) The accidents expressed above are opinions.
colonel@gloria.UUCP (Col. G. L. Sicherman) (03/28/85)
> Random House gives the following etymology for Yankee. > > A possible back formation from Dutch. Jan Kees (John Cheese) > was a nickname (mistaken for a plural) applied by the colonial NY Dutch > to English settlers in connecticut. Well, the modern Dutch for "cheese" is "kaas." I don't know any Old Dutch, except the cleanser. Are there any etymologists at mcvax? -- Col. G. L. Sicherman ...{rocksvax|decvax}!sunybcs!colonel