Bio-Diversity in Language (Previously "Yanks")

From: "ron iles" <roniles at eircom.net> on 2004.02.03 at 21:50:29(11061) Good Evening Ted I found the missive of Randy amusing & so allowed myself a little self-indulgent whimsy, & in feel for new coloured words have I lost the formal arothread, if so I apologise? "Yank" a friendly colloquialism for an inhabitant of the US? "Pinkie" a gentle colloquialism usually for the little finger of an infant? A half shut eye.....even a smiling wink?!!!!) "Maw" (last of a ruminant's four stomachs!) of a "Lexmark", (original slang for a computer printer? an interesting juxtaposition of words. Languages evolve with usage & seemingly accelerates through IT? Do not originalities & colloquialisms play key roles in this evolution for good or bad? You write "I am always amazed that we on this list manage to be understood as well as we are" & surely all would agree". Yes? And in that may we in caring about language diversity revere & respect all Life diversity....? Tush Tush, am I in danger of taking myself serious with pedantry & my little whimsy run away? Smiles & Best Wishes Rana Gulp +More ----- Original Message ----- To: Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 6:55 PM Subject: [aroid-l] Yanks > > "Yank", of course being short for "Yankee". It originated as a Britishism > in the American War of Independence, thought pejorative by the King's men > but adopted as a badge of honor by the American side. In the American Civil > War (1861 to 1865), or War Between the States as it is sometimes called by > those south of the Mason-Dixon line, "Yankees" referred to the northern > side. The southerners (certain white southerners), who were defeated in > that war, then refrained from usage of the term "Yankee" for themselves, > unless it was pejorative. > > Overseas we all are often called "Yanks", especially in British-influenced > areas, without differentiating between the sides of the old Civil War > divide. The Mason-Dixon line split has tended to fade in the past years, > although remnants are still seen. A white southerner, even one with modern > views on racial matters, still might not think of himself as a "Yank" or a > "Yankee" unless he is outside the US. "Yankee" is often a pejorative name > for an American in Latin America, especially among left wingers. It is a > loaded term as you can see. > > Then there are the New York Yankees, an American baseball team with many > sports rivalries, a dominant force in the game for decades. Some American > sports aficionados, regardless of geographical latitude, think of the New > York Yankees as a menacing force. > > As with all languages, I presume, it is the shadings of meanings that make > all the difference. > >

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