'Yankee': Slur or term of pride?

Is the term “Yankee” an insult that should be retired from polite company except when referring to a baseball team?

J.P. Russell of Lake Wylie wrote a letter to the Observer saying he thinks so – “It makes you feel unwelcome,” he said during a recent interview. Russell was born in Ohio and has heard the term used to refer to non-Southerners in many places he has lived, including the 10 years he spent in Florida before moving here last year.

According to “The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins,” the source of the word is disputed and could have come from Native Americans or the Dutch. British began using it as a term for Americans during the French and Indian War. During the Revolutionary War, the British considered the word derogatory, but Americans adopted the nickname and made it a term of pride – particularly in New England.

During the Civil War and beyond, many Southerners used the term “Damn Yankee” as a derogatory reference for Northerners, and the reference has continued to pop up from time to time – including, Russell says, at meetings of community groups he has
attended recently.

There’s a well-sourced entry on the origins of the term at Wikipedia.

What do you think? Is “Yankee” a slur or a term whose history is often misunderstood? Please e-mail me your thoughts at Ldyer@charlotteobserver.com with your contact information.