Q: Translate the "Yanker didel" lyrics?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 1/27/2010 09:55 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>Vital note:
>
>The secret HDAS files contain utterly inconclusive information about the
>ety. of "Yankee."
>The claim that it comes from "Jan Kees" ("John Cheese") seems to be a
>fantasy.
>
>Somebody should into the possibility that, as used to be claimed, it really
>does come from a Northeastern Native word for "English" (allegedly
>"Yengees").  Not only does this seem phonetically plausible, Magua (Wes
>Studi) actually uses  _Yengees_ in his apparently genuine Delaware speeches
>in _The Last of the Mohicans_.
>
>Surely Hollywood wouldn't make up something like that! The credits list
>"Glen Jacobs: language instructor: Delaware."

This would destroy the Duyckincks' speculation (and my hope) that
"Yankee (Doodle)" comes from the Dutch (German?) and Cromwell.


>I once had a student named "Dennis Yankee."  He must know where the name
>came from!  But he didn't.
>
>To add to the fun, a possibly Dutch pirate, "Captain Yankey," was sailing
>the Caribbean in 1683. A "Captain John Williams" seems to have been called
>"Yanky" a few years later, but for all I know they were the same guy.

Can one rule out that this/these derive from "Jonkheer"?

Joel

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