American Jan-Kees
- Posted by Rob (#1) on November 23, 2005 09:50 CET
Neil wonders about the and I can confirm that Jan-Kees is a Dutch name (John-Gus) and until recently a common one as well. Younger generations are advised to stay clear of boring, posh double names like it, such as Robert-Jan.
Whether Yankees was originally a Dutch reply against John Cheese "used derisively against the Dutch", I would not know. But considering the Dutch founded New York (then New Amsterdam) and that region is more Yankee than say, the midwest, it might very well be true.
- Tags: Yankees, Jan-Kees, Dutch
Comments
Mary M. Donnelly on Jan 6, 2007 02:28 CET (Post reply)
I'm from the Plymouth Colony area and I was always given the explanation that Jan-Kees was the name of a Dutch pirate who traded with the Pilgrim trading post at the top of Buzzards Bay (before there was a canal) and the Pilgrims used their "fencing" operation to pay off the London company who'd lent them money for the Mayflower expedition many years earlier than expected. The pirate preyed on other colonies and sold off their "booty"in exchange for provisions to keep them going. Jan-Kees evolved into Yankees to designate the northern colonies that dealt with pirates and therefore were pirates themselves.
Insane (#30) on Nov 24, 2005 13:22 CET (Post reply)
younger generation here ( I loathe the term, but if thats what I am these days) saying double names are okay. I have one. oh wait, I hate it. *damn* just when I thought I could get back at you.