How many Australians use the work "yank" affectionately, and how many use it derisively?

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nikiandneish

I'm Australian and I don't use the word, my husband is American and I lived in the States for 6+ years. My personal take is, it is NOT like being called an "aussie." It's similar to being called a convict. I moved my American husband up to Queensland and there are a lot of ignorant people here that use the term, these ignorant people also drive around with confederate flag window decals and texas long horn decals. Just for the record, if anyone called MY husband a "seppo," they'd be eating dirt.

Rick's Locomotive

On average,I would have to say the average Aussie call Americans "Yanks" or "Yanky".
All meant in good fun in the norm of things.
I served in Vietnam and fought along side troops from the USA and we got on really well together.
The average Aussie always has a "nickname" for everything including our visiters from abroad etc.
I guess it's our layback way of life,and we enjoy it to the fullest and life's too short to be serious all the time.
Dont take it to heart as it meant by the majority of us as an affectionate term towards our friends from the States.

iansand9876

To me, the word is neutral. The word that precedes it (often "dumb" or "arrogant") is not.

waltzsingmatilda2

Don't have enough fingers and toes.
Just read the (so called) questions they try to ask, like does Australia have computers, does all of Australia have electricity,does England still send convicts to Australia,has Australians ever invented any thing.
Don't know how they got the name "YANK" but I sure can guess.

azza

Personally, I use "Yank" as a term of enderment in the same way I call English people "Poms" or New Zealanders "Kiwis".

As a general rule, all the people I know (who are Australian) use Yank in the same way. We use the word "seppo" if we're trying to be offensive about Americans.

molly

Most Aussies would use it affectionately like the word Pom its our way of describing Americans it is not meant as an insult now septic tank on the other hand is.

Elizabeth

As far as I'm concerned, it's the same as you calling me an Aussie or someone from New Zealand a Kiwi.

For me it's just a nickname.

Ken E

To older Australians "yank" meant ALL Americans, whether from Nevada or Rhode Island, but some of us are well enough aware that it was originally meant the refer to people from the north east. If Americans don't like it, let us know. There are a few of us who are clued up enough to avoid the term. As for the rest, well there are ignorant people everywhere.

Sacarawits P

yep i alwways refer to you as yankys:-D just for sh*ts and giggles though....just friendly country rivalry.

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