I was watching the Yankees/Red Sox game last night (the Bronx Bombers won 4-3). While the game was played, I could not help but think of my dad and his love for the Yankees (I think his only baseball hat was a Yankees one which he proudly wore).
I was also reminded of the connection Holland, where my father immigrated from, has with the team. The origin the word “Yankee” is not certain, but many people believe it comes from the Dutch. Back in the 17th century, the Dutch and English settlers often clashed in what was then New Amsterdam (now New York for those not versed in American history).
The Dutch would refer to the English as John Cheese, a derogatory nickname meant to insult. In Dutch, John would be Jan and Cheese would be Kees which ended up as Jan Kees. The word became Anglicized as Yankee and was turned around and used as a nickname for a Dutch-speaking American in colonial times.
The word took on new meaning during the American Revolution when the British used “Yankee” to refer to all American inhabitants or natives of the colonies. Eventually, “Yankee” became a common term for all Northerners during the civil war.
It is interesting how a word can end up meaning something different depending on who is using it, but I smile whenever I hear “Yankee” and think of my dad.