"from people outside the U.S. who use the term "yankee" to anyone who is American. They often shorten it to "yank", and use it as an insult."

"Story I heard took place in London during the bombings. English soldier said, `You Yanks are over-fed, over-paid, over-sexed and over-here.`"

In Australia, the term was used during WWII (my mum's sister married a USAF flyboy and became a war bride) and my dad was a RAAF multiengine flyboy. Both were good friends, Jim went back to Ohio.

The "over-fed, over-paid, over-sexed and over-here" phrase was common here, and a lot of aussie women married them - they were more polite and thought more considerate of women than the 'rough and tough aussie male'.

'Yank' is used here in the same way as Aussies use the word 'bastard' meaning varies on context, tone of voice, and relationship of the parties involved - it can be an insult, but more often is a term of affection. We do notice the difference between the actions of the US Govt and the individuals whom we know personally.


As far as Aussies are concerned there was no connection with the word 'Yankee'. In derogatory terms it could be used in the same way Aussies us the term, W****nker ... of which it might be considered in Aussie terms a spinoff :-)