#14: “Yankee”

Let’s get one thing straight—being called a Yankee in the South is not a compliment. While foreigners may use the term to describe any American, it refers explicitly to folks from the Northeast. Originally, Yankee applied to anyone from the 13 colonies, but it became a distinct North-South divide over time.

And make no mistake—Southerners will never refer to themselves as Yankees. The term carries a certain bless-your-heart undertone, never meant to be endearing. Unless you’re talking about the New York Yankees baseball team—in that case, it’s just a whole different kind of rivalry!