So in Mexico in particular and the Latin American world more generally, we have a number of terms for Americans OTL. The most common historically (less so in Mexico) is "americano", which has the advantage of being what U.S. citizens call themselves but the disadvantage of literally meaning, in the Spanish-American context, a denizen of the Hemisphere. You have "gringo," which has always been colloquial, highly informal, and at least somewhat derogatory. You have "yanqui," which, as in most of the world, refers to residents of any region of the U.S., but means something very different internally. Finally, there is the more recent "estadounidense," which has become pretty prevalent as the P.C. term; disadvantages are that its quite a mouthful, it has no English equivalent; and Mexico itself, where the naming issue is most prevalent, is a "United States." Finally, there is "norteamericano," which generally revers to Canadians as well.
Ok, so presume a Confederate victory - for this topic's purposes, I don't think the circumstances or final borders matter. What would the colloquial terms for U.S. and C.S. citizens be?
"Americano" is going to be very confusing now; it may continue to refer to U.S. residents, or it may apply to both. Honestly, none of the terms above are easily distinguishable between the North and South in the Latin American context, with two possible exceptions. "Yanqui" might increasingly refer to Northerners only, given the C.S. feeling about the term; but then again, it might not. You might get "sureño" for Southerner, but that has a different connotation in Mexico. And if the term "estadounidense" still rises, you might have "estadoconfederense" as well - but I doubt it. "Confederados" is more obvious, but the drawback is the lack of an obvious Union equivalent.
The more I think about this question, the more a basic one appeals to me. In English, Confederates will call themselves, formally, Confederates, and informally Southerners, possibly Southrons, possibly some demonym of Dixie. Union men and women, though, what will they call themselves, what - Americans, still? IDK about that, the term might evolve to mean citizens of both countries. Yankees? Federals? Neither seems likely. So we probably have to solve this domestic question before addressing the foreign one.
What do you smart people 'round here think?
Ok, so presume a Confederate victory - for this topic's purposes, I don't think the circumstances or final borders matter. What would the colloquial terms for U.S. and C.S. citizens be?
"Americano" is going to be very confusing now; it may continue to refer to U.S. residents, or it may apply to both. Honestly, none of the terms above are easily distinguishable between the North and South in the Latin American context, with two possible exceptions. "Yanqui" might increasingly refer to Northerners only, given the C.S. feeling about the term; but then again, it might not. You might get "sureño" for Southerner, but that has a different connotation in Mexico. And if the term "estadounidense" still rises, you might have "estadoconfederense" as well - but I doubt it. "Confederados" is more obvious, but the drawback is the lack of an obvious Union equivalent.
The more I think about this question, the more a basic one appeals to me. In English, Confederates will call themselves, formally, Confederates, and informally Southerners, possibly Southrons, possibly some demonym of Dixie. Union men and women, though, what will they call themselves, what - Americans, still? IDK about that, the term might evolve to mean citizens of both countries. Yankees? Federals? Neither seems likely. So we probably have to solve this domestic question before addressing the foreign one.
What do you smart people 'round here think?
