Does European Identity or Unity Exist?

[ficuscarica]

The word yank is used in European countries to describe any American.

I would never call an Afro-American yank.

[Graham]

Just like there's no 'African unity', the same with Europe and people of other genetic groups. Only individual countries and in rare cases regions unite.

That's true. Languages, history, borders & religions(ethnic background)were more significant. The Black white thing is more American.


African migration is new to many countries in Europe. The white unity is more frequant in areas with a varation of races.

Only seen proper European pride in the Ryder cup Golf. Go team Europe!

[The Lawspeaker]

I would never call an Afro-American yank.

You're one of the few. Here "yank" is used for any American.

[ficuscarica]

You're one of the few. Here "yank" is used for any American.

I don´t know. I am not even sure if I would call the majority of Afro-Americans Americans. An American, to me, is a Euro descending person.

[arcticwolf]

I would never call an Afro-American yank.

That is correct. Yankee is any white American who lives outside of The South. Though some will argue that even that is not specific enough and that Whites from North West, West are technically not Yankees.

[Stefan]

You're one of the few. Here "yank" is used for any American.

Really? Black-Americans are Yanks in Europe? I'm fairly sure that's not the case in the UK at least? I thought it was particularly specific to Anglo-Americans there, and hence has a familial connotation (Americans are traitorous cousins .) Here, Yankees are just Northern Anglos and those who have assimilated into them, which I'm sure you already know of course.

[The Lawspeaker]

Really? Black-Americans are Yanks in Europe?

The difference in race and North and South is more American. Here when people talk about America in a derogatory way they refer to them as "those yankees".

[Balmung]

Really? Black-Americans are Yanks in Europe? I'm fairly sure that's not the case in the UK at least? I thought it was particularly specific to Anglo-Americans there, and hence has a familial connotation (Americans are traitorous cousins .) Here, Yankees are just Northern Anglos and those who have assimilated into them, which I'm sure you already know of course.

Still.

The term sounds pretty stupid to me, because it implies all Americans are the same, when it is one of the most diverse countries in the world (even more than Brazil) although we don't have their porportion of mulattoes (gratefully).

A newly Mexican American immigrant, has little in common with some WASP family from the suburbs. Same can be said for some Russian family in a Russian community in Sacramento. I certainly don't automaticaly feel "close" to all Americans. I think most people who think this way have not been here.

If anything the term sounds like it would be more acceptable for Australia.

[Han Cholo]

In Mexico, African Americans are never called "gringos" alone which is the most common slur for (white) Americans. However, if you want to add to the offense you might call them "negros gringos"

[Mechanolater]

Embedding just ruined my post. I'm going to go eat some bad eggs, now...