A day in the life of Stevie Williams

[Stretch]

Stevie's swing is sure looking rock solid these days. What a bloody beaut, eh Bruce?

[Chas]

Originally Posted by senorchipotle

what do you mean, "what's my point?" pretty obvious, isn't it? he referred to the americans on the board as "yanks." i kindly let him know not all americans take kindly to being referred to as "yank."

anything else troubling you?

Well ... yes, to be honest.  It is troubling that an american would not be aware that the word "yank" is generic for american in Britain, as is "limey" for a brit in Oz for example, or "frog" for frenchman in England (at least it used to be 30 yrs ago IIRC).  It is not an insult (no, not even the word frog), unless the person using it is a known America-hater.

You don't have to be an America-hater to use the word yank.  Myself, I sometimes use the word "yank" to refer to my fellow-yan.... I mean, my fellow passport-carrying americans.  It is not a term of disapprobation in my case.  But I do it with a British accent that I still (sort of) retain after all these years.  No, I never was a limey (or a frog), always a yank - goes back to 17th C. in one line or so I'm told.  They were most unkind to nonconformists back in the day.

So yes, your remark is more than a bit surprising.  Have you never seen the movie, "A Yank at Oxford", or watched any WW2 movies or ........ ????  The yank in that movie was portrayed in a most positive, yet typically stereotyped Hollywood fashion - another issue.  As I recall he won the boat race and got the girl, was handsome and witty - or something to that effect.

Where have you been?

OP: thanks for the post, very droll.  Stevie is fair game at the moment, let's all have fun.  He can cry all the way to the bank.

[JimP]

At least the term "yank" is considerably more polite than the expletives Kiwis use when talking about Australians............and vice versa

[Chas]

Originally Posted by JimP

At least the term "yank" is considerably more polite than the expletives Kiwis use when talking about Australians............and vice versa

Having known well many of both of those types (as a yank, living amongst the limeys for decades) I'm sure you're right.  I used to know one or two of those Oz <--> Kiwi terms but my memory has censored them I think.  That's OK, you needn't remind me ...... But IME the Oz and the Kiwis have a well developed sense of humor and easygoing manner so fistfights rarely result.  Besides, there's always the pi**-poor beer (of whatever country not presently represented) to agree on.  Usually it would be french beer, but if a frenchman is present well then .......

But the Czechs and Belgians are largely protected from this sort of abuse.  Who in their right mind can criticize those brews.

Of course there ARE terms that are designed and always used in an intentionally offensive manner.  So far we have not been discussing any of those.  Me, I've forgotten them all* ..........

Anyways, back to beating on Stevie.

[*if you believe that you'll believe I was once a scratch golfer]