It is fortunate that during World War II, a good many of the Allies spoke English. Of course there were the Brits, who included the Scots, the Irish, and the Welsh. Then there were the Australians and the Canadians. All of them spoke English. My thought here today is to recognize the forms of address, basically of military origin.
In the American military there was a common form of address when the speakers did not know each other, which was often. For better or worse, the form of address was “Joe.” No one took offense at this and it was widely used. Nobody knows who Joe was. He was widely recognized in the form of address used by GIs in World War II.
The British form of address was always “mate.” When an American for example would question an English or a Canadian or an Australian soldier, he would address him as “mate.” It always seemed to me that “mate” was a lovely term and its use should be expanded.
When the English, Canadians, or Australians wished to address us, more often than not they would use the term “hey, Yank.” For better or worse, I thought the use of the term “Yank” was equally pleasant. I liked it.
Then there were the forms of address that have to do with several people. In the American Army, several people would be referred to as “GIs,” meaning “government issue.” In the British Army, and to an extent in the Canadian and Australian armies, the term would be “blokes.” The term “blokes” still strikes an affectionate mood in my heart.
A good many of the “blokes” and guys and “GIs” never lived to welcome in the year 2012. I have no military instincts in my body. Indeed, I think militarism has a long way to go. On the other hand, it gives me some comfort to remember the forms of address used by the English-speaking soldiers. There was “bloke” and “Yank” and, most of all, “mate.” I have no way of knowing whether those terms are in common use in the military of today. But if I were addressed by a person saying, “Hey, Yank,” I would regard it as a great compliment. And so I say at this point mates, it is time to retire this essay.
Before doing so, my general outlook on life would be improved during an English, Scottish, Irish, or Australian saying, “Hey, Yank, thanks for the use of your spanner.” A spanner is a wrench.
E. E. CARR
May 24, 2012
Essay 661
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Kevin’s commentary:
So, I think etymology is a pretty neat subject. Couldn’t read this essay without wondering why on earth we are called “Yankees”
Courtesy of etymonline.com:
1683, a name applied disparagingly by Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (New York) to English colonists in neighboring Connecticut. It may be from Du. Janke, lit. “Little John,” dim. of common personal name Jan; or it may be from Jan Kes familiar form of “John Cornelius,” or perhaps an alteration of Jan Kees, dialectal variant of Jan Kaas, lit. “John Cheese,” the generic nickname the Flemings used for Dutchmen.
It originally seems to have been applied insultingly to the Dutch, especially freebooters, before they turned around and slapped it on the English. A less-likely theory is that it represents some southern New England Algonquian language mangling of English. In English a term of contempt (1750s) before its use as a general term for “native of New England” (1765); during the American Revolution it became a disparaging British word for all American native or inhabitants. Shortened form Yank in reference to “an American” first recorded 1778.
If that’s correct, you really have to hand it to the Dutch and English for taking disparaging terms that applied to them and successfully turning them onto other groups.