The Ye Olde Sayings Thread

 

During WWII, Americans in Great Britain were sometimes referred to as Yanks (overpaid, oversexed and over here!). But Americans from the South generally resented the term, I'm told.

 

To foreigners, a Yankee (we don't say Yanks) is an American

To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.

To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.

To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.

To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter

To Vermonters, a Yankee is someone who eats pie for breakfast.

(Credit goes to E. B. White).

 

I am embarrassed to report that when visiting the U.K. a few years ago, I had a great deal of trouble understanding people sometimes and had to ask them to repeat themselves. But a few people spoke perfectly understandable (to me) English. One was Ukrainian, the others German). I had little trouble when we reached Scotland, although I eventually realized that no one was speaking to me.