"Yankee" & American Indian PIdgin English

[Alan H. Hartley]

> Another interpretation of "yankee" derives it from the Algonquian
> pronunciation of "Englishmen" (applied, by extension, to all white
> Europeans):  [iNk at l@Sm at n], cited by Ives Goddard (1977) as
> Munsee.  Leechman and Hall, who collected samples of the Indian English
> used in native-white contact situations, found the spelling "Ingismon" in
> early records, and Armstrong (1971) found "Yengees man" and "Yengees," the
> latter adopted by Fenimore Cooper.  With initial palatalization, the
> transition to "Yengee" and ultimately "Yankee" makes sense.

Here's what the OED says about the etym.
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YANKEE
Source unascertained.
   The two earliest statements as to its origin were published in 1789:
Thomas Anburey, a British officer who served under Burgoyne in the War
of Independence, in his Travels II. 50 derives Yankee from Cherokee
eankke slave, coward, which he says was applied to the inhabitants of
New England by the Virginians for not assisiting them in a war with the
Cherokees; William Gordon in Hist. Amer. War states that it was a
favourite word with farmer Jonathan Hastings of Cambridge, Mass., c
1713, who used it in the sense of ‘excellent’. Appearing next in order
of date (1822) is the statement which has been most widely accepted,
viz. that the word has been evolved from North American Indian
corruptions of the word English through Yengees to Yankees (Heckewelder,
Indian Nations iii. ed. 1876, p. 77); cf. Yengees.
Perhaps the most plausible conjecture is that it comes from Du. Janke,
dim. of Jan John, applied as a derisive nickname by either Dutch or
English in the New England states (J. N. A. Thierry, 1838, in Life of
Ticknor, 1876, II. vii. 124). The existence of Yank(e)y, Yankee, as a
surname or nickname (often with Dutch associations) is vouched for by
the following references:
1683 Cal. St. Papers, Colon. Ser. (1898) 457 They [sc. pirates] sailed
from Bonaco..; chief commanders, Vanhorn, Laurens, and Yankey Duch. 1684
Ibid. 733 A sloop..unlawfully seized by Captain Yankey. 1687 Ibid.
(1899) 456 Captains John Williams (Yankey) and Jacob Everson (Jacob).
1687–8 MSS. Earl of Dartmouth in 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 136
The pirates Yanky and Jacobs. 1697 Dampier Voy. I. iii. 38. 1725
Inventory of W. Marr of Carolina in N. & Q. 5th Ser. X. 467 Item one
negroe man named Yankee to be sold.
Cf. also ‘Dutch yanky’ s.v. yanky.
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i.e., best guess is Dutch Janke. (I once knew a guy named Janke, and the
Yankee connection never occurred to me!) Note Delaware (Munsee?)
suggestion floated by Heckewelder in 1822.
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YANKY
[Of doubtful status, origin, and meaning. Perh. Du. Janke, applied orig.
to a particular ship, and so identical with Yankee (q.v.). The following
examples of Yankee in the proper names of ships may be compared:—
1776 M. Cutler in Life, etc. (1888) I. 55 They were in the Yankee Hero.
1813 Examiner 11 Jan. 22/1 The Yankee, American schooner privateer.]
   1760–1 Smollett Sir L. Greaves iii, Proceed with thy story in a
direct course, without yawing like a Dutch yanky.  1904 P. Fountain
Great North-West xvii. 195 A yanki is a small kind of galiot, and the
Dutch fur-traders used craft of this kind to ascend the rivers in search
of their Indian customers.
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And see Trumbull _On Algonkin Names for Man_ (1871?, p. 19
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The Alg[onkin]. Aganesha, Chip[pewa]. Jaganash and Saganash, Cree
Agathasu [2d and 3d a's have macron], Hakaiahsu, Miami Axalachima
[x=chi, 2d and 3d a's have grave] (Volney), and probably Yengees--by
double corruption, "Yankee,"--represent Algonkin [i.e., Algonquian]
imitations..of "English," "Anglais" or "ces Anglaises".
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Alan