Swamp Yankee is a colloquial term for rural Yankees (northeastern Americans). The term "Yankee" connotes urbane industriousness, whereas the term "Swamp Yankee" suggests a more countrified, stubborn, independent, and less-refined sub-type.
Ruth Schell claims that the phrase is used predominantly in Rhode Island by immigrant minority groups to describe a rural person "of stubborn, old-fashioned, frugal, English-speaking Yankee stock, of good standing in the rural community, but usually possessing minimal formal education and little desire to augment it."
Swamp Yankees themselves react to the term with slight disapproval or indifference.… The term is unfavorably received when used by a city dweller with the intention of ridiculing a country resident; however, when one country resident refers to another as a swamp Yankee, no offense is taken, and it is treated as good-natured jest.[1]
At one time, swamp Yankees had their own variety of isolated country music, according to Harvard professor Paul Di Maggio and Vanderbilt University professor Richard Peterson.[2] Kerry W. Buckley describes President Calvin Coolidge as a swamp Yankee in a 2003 article in The New England Quarterly, defining the term as the "scion of an old family that was no longer elite or monied".[3] Schell predicts that "the term swamp Yankee is becoming less known and may be unknown in a few generations…. Probably the best reason for its disappearance is the vanishing of the swamp Yankee himself as society moves toward urban and suburban life."[4]
History
The origin of the term "Swamp Yankee" is unclear. The term "Yankee" originated in the mid-17th century (probably in 1683 by Dutch settlers),[5] but the variation "Swamp Yankee" is not attested until the 20th century, according to "Etymology Online".. Several theories speculate that "Swamp Yankees" were the undesirable, trouble-making New Englanders who moved to the swamps of southeastern New England upon arriving in the New World in the 17th century. Others speculate that the original "Swamp Yankees" were colonial-era indentured servants who were paid for their service with swamp land from the farmers to whom they were indentured. Still others[who?] claim that "Swamp Yankees" had ancestors who fought in the Great Swamp Fight of King Philip's War. Another theory claims that the term originated during the American Revolution when residents of Thompson, Connecticut fled to the surrounding swamps to escape a feared British invasion in 1776. They returned from the swamps several weeks later and were ridiculed as "Swamp Yankees".[6][7]
There are several early references to the term which have survived in various periodicals. A 1901 article published in the Mahoney City American and Waterbury Democrat refers to an undertaker and a wealthy coal dealer from Waterbury, Connecticut as "swamp yankees".[8] A 1912 Metropolitan Magazine article describes the son of a New England mill owner as a "Swamp Yankee".[9] In 1921, Modern Connecticut Homes and Homecrafts describes a "swamp yankee" living in an old unpainted home in New England but caring about his beds of flowers.[10] A bowling team in a 1922 Norwich, Connecticut newspaper called themselves the "Swamp Yankees".[11] In 1935, the New York Times labeled "Swamp Yankees" as those driven out of a New England mill town by immigrants.[12]
^Ruth Schell, "Swamp Yankee", American Speech, 1963, Volume 38, No. 2 (The American Dialect Society, Duke University Press), pp. 121–123. Accessed through JSTOR.
^Kerry W. Buckley, "A President for the 'Great Silent Majority': Bruce Barton's Construction of Calvin Coolidge", The New England Quarterly. Vol. 76, No. 4 (Dec. 2003), p. 594.
^[1] William Burns Weston, "Jimmie Pulsifer Walks Home"], The Metropolitan, July 1912, p. 15
^Modern Connecticut Homes and Homecrafts: A Book of Representative Houses, Interiors, Gardens, Decorations, Furnishings and Equipment Appropriately Described and Illustrated by Several Hundred Beautiful Engravings, (American Homecrafts Company, 1921) p. 139
^"Out of the Whirlwind", New York Times, May 26, 1935
References
Ruth Schell, "Swamp Yankee", American Speech, 1963, Volume 38, No.2 (The American Dialect Society, Published by Duke University Press ), pg. 121–123. accessed through JSTOR
Excerpt from Legendary Connecticut by David Philips
Hans Kurath, Linguistic Atlas of New England, II (Providence, R.I.), map 450.
Captain Harry Allen Chippendale, Sails and Whales (Boston, 1951), pp 105–6.
Philip Jerome Cleveland, It's Bright in My Valley (Westwood, N.J., 1962), p. 30.
"Sayings of the Oracle", Yankee (August, 1962), p. 12.
Joseph Bensman; Arthur J. Vidich, "The New Middle Classes: Their Culture and Life Styles", Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol.4, No. 1, (Jan., 1970), pp. 23–39.
Richard A. Peterson; Paul Di Maggio, "From Region to Class, the Changing Locus of Country Music: A Test of the Massification Hypothesis", Social Forces (University of North Carolina Press, 1975), 499.
January 11, 2023
swamp, yankee, colloquial, term, rural, yankees, northeastern, americans, term, yankee, connotes, urbane, industriousness, whereas, term, suggests, more, countrified, stubborn, independent, less, refined, type, contents, usage, history, also, notes, references. Swamp Yankee is a colloquial term for rural Yankees northeastern Americans The term Yankee connotes urbane industriousness whereas the term Swamp Yankee suggests a more countrified stubborn independent and less refined sub type Contents 1 Usage 2 History 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesUsage EditRuth Schell claims that the phrase is used predominantly in Rhode Island by immigrant minority groups to describe a rural person of stubborn old fashioned frugal English speaking Yankee stock of good standing in the rural community but usually possessing minimal formal education and little desire to augment it Swamp Yankees themselves react to the term with slight disapproval or indifference The term is unfavorably received when used by a city dweller with the intention of ridiculing a country resident however when one country resident refers to another as a swamp Yankee no offense is taken and it is treated as good natured jest 1 At one time swamp Yankees had their own variety of isolated country music according to Harvard professor Paul Di Maggio and Vanderbilt University professor Richard Peterson 2 Kerry W Buckley describes President Calvin Coolidge as a swamp Yankee in a 2003 article in The New England Quarterly defining the term as the scion of an old family that was no longer elite or monied 3 Schell predicts that the term swamp Yankee is becoming less known and may be unknown in a few generations Probably the best reason for its disappearance is the vanishing of the swamp Yankee himself as society moves toward urban and suburban life 4 History Edit The origin of the term Swamp Yankee is unclear The term Yankee originated in the mid 17th century probably in 1683 by Dutch settlers 5 but the variation Swamp Yankee is not attested until the 20th century according to Etymology Online Several theories speculate that Swamp Yankees were the undesirable trouble making New Englanders who moved to the swamps of southeastern New England upon arriving in the New World in the 17th century Others speculate that the original Swamp Yankees were colonial era indentured servants who were paid for their service with swamp land from the farmers to whom they were indentured Still others who claim that Swamp Yankees had ancestors who fought in the Great Swamp Fight of King Philip s War Another theory claims that the term originated during the American Revolution when residents of Thompson Connecticut fled to the surrounding swamps to escape a feared British invasion in 1776 They returned from the swamps several weeks later and were ridiculed as Swamp Yankees 6 7 There are several early references to the term which have survived in various periodicals A 1901 article published in the Mahoney City American and Waterbury Democrat refers to an undertaker and a wealthy coal dealer from Waterbury Connecticut as swamp yankees 8 A 1912 Metropolitan Magazine article describes the son of a New England mill owner as a Swamp Yankee 9 In 1921 Modern Connecticut Homes and Homecrafts describes a swamp yankee living in an old unpainted home in New England but caring about his beds of flowers 10 A bowling team in a 1922 Norwich Connecticut newspaper called themselves the Swamp Yankees 11 In 1935 the New York Times labeled Swamp Yankees as those driven out of a New England mill town by immigrants 12 See also EditBonackers Country Cracker pejorative Flag of New England Johnny Reb Piney Pine Barrens resident Raggies Redneck Yankee Yankee ingenuityNotes Edit Ruth Schell Swamp Yankee American Speech 1963 Volume 38 No 2 The American Dialect Society Duke University Press pp 121 123 Accessed through JSTOR Peterson 499 Kerry W Buckley A President for the Great Silent Majority Bruce Barton s Construction of Calvin Coolidge The New England Quarterly Vol 76 No 4 Dec 2003 p 594 Schell 121 123 Etymonline com Swamp Yankee Archived from the original on 2002 08 27 Thompson s Swamp Yankees Yankee Magazine July 1969 Swamp Yankee Loose in Town Waterbury Democrat July 22 1901 g 5 Image 5 accessed on https chroniclingamerica loc gov 1 William Burns Weston Jimmie Pulsifer Walks Home The Metropolitan July 1912 p 15 Modern Connecticut Homes and Homecrafts A Book of Representative Houses Interiors Gardens Decorations Furnishings and Equipment Appropriately Described and Illustrated by Several Hundred Beautiful Engravings American Homecrafts Company 1921 p 139 Norwich bulletin March 23 1922 Image 3 Out of the Whirlwind New York Times May 26 1935References EditRuth Schell Swamp Yankee American Speech 1963 Volume 38 No 2 The American Dialect Society Published by Duke University Press pg 121 123 accessed through JSTOR Alan Rosenberg Is Swamp Yankee an insult or a badge of honor Providence Journal Charlestown February 29 2008 Excerpt from Legendary Connecticut by David Philips Hans Kurath Linguistic Atlas of New England II Providence R I map 450 Captain Harry Allen Chippendale Sails and Whales Boston 1951 pp 105 6 Philip Jerome Cleveland It s Bright in My Valley Westwood N J 1962 p 30 Sayings of the Oracle Yankee August 1962 p 12 Joseph Bensman Arthur J Vidich The New Middle Classes Their Culture and Life Styles Journal of Aesthetic Education Vol 4 No 1 Jan 1970 pp 23 39 Richard A Peterson Paul Di Maggio From Region to Class the Changing Locus of Country Music A Test of the Massification Hypothesis Social Forces University of North Carolina Press 1975 499 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Swamp Yankee amp oldid 1118938921, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
