"Yankee fan" or "Yankees fan"?
In The New York Times, from 1851 to 1980, the phrase "a Yankee game" occurred 39 times. And "a Yankees game"? Zero. Contrast the period between January 2005 and June 2010. The Times used "a Yankee game" 19 times and "a Yankees game" 65 times: more than three times as often.
To understand the change, let's first look at the previously dominant "Yankee game." I would characterize "Yankee game," "Yankee pitcher," or "Yankee fan" as metonymy: a figure of speech in which the part (a Yankee) stands for the whole (the Yankees collectively). The convention still holds for some expressions: We say "I'm a cookie lover" or "Let's go to the shoe store," even though I like cookies (plural) and the store stocks many pairs of footwear. The dropping of the "s" is one of those shortcuts that streamline the language.
Not for sports teams, however—not anymore. Trying to get a more precise fix on when the change occurred, I compared a "Yankees game" with a "Yankee game" in the Times database for various chunks of time. It turns out that "Yankees" surged ahead between 1996 and 2000, beating out the previously preferred "Yankee" 35 to 22 and setting the stage for dominance in the 2000s.
over 1 year ago
TommyJohn
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It's the
“Yankees”, not the New York Yankee. Therefore, I’m a Yankees fan and I attend Yankees games.
There's always next year
A third option
I am a Yankee fan, I root for the Yankees, and I go to a Yankees’ game.
Love the work!
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
I think technically...
It would be “Yankees fan.” I am a fan of the Yankees, not just one of them. Derek Jeter is a New York Yankee, but he plays for the New York Yankees. “Yankees game” because they are all playing, not just one.
However, I’ve been saying “Yankee fan” my whole life and intend to continue doing so. It just has a better ring to it.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jan 6, 2011 1:52 PM EST reply actions
It does, doesn't it?
Which is why I chose my previous username as yankeefan rather than yankeesfan. Both work, obviously.
The idiot formerly known as pkyankeefan! Now in Technicolour!
by Hasan Paliwala on Jan 6, 2011 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
Wow
I actually read that whole article and found it somewhat interesting? I need a new job.
Tricks of the English Language
Would you say the Yankees is playing tonight? You might…if you are referring to the team, which is singular, and not the collective grouping of individual team members..
The Yankees is opening the season in Boston next year.
Tricks
I think most orgs are treated as plural if they end in s- the Bills are playing the Jets; the Rockettes are appearing in Central Park.
I’d never say I’m going to a Jet game.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
You're not wrong technically...
But I often say I’m going to a Yankee game, Jet game, Giant game, Knick game. It just rolls off the tongue…the extra “zzzz” puts me off, for whatever reason
yep
it just sounds weird. And if you were to say “I’m going to a Yankees game,” wouldn’t the proper pronunciation/spelling be Yankees’ (Yankeesez) game, since it’s possessive? (And that just sounds awful.)
Do the yankees own the game? Then why don't they win every time?
You wouldn’t say the Yankees is playing tonight, true. But it feels weird to say the Heat are playing tonight. Or the Magic are playing.
We don't play for the wild card around here kid
For some odd reason, I found this quite fascinating.
For every action, there is a corresponding over-reaction.
same
I'm not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat. ~ Michael Jordan
Scott isn't all that great really
slightly above average sure but i think you give him too much credit
CRAWWL MEAT!!
haha when I first read the title I didn't see the lack of an "S" on the second one
I was thinking oh great, another who is a Yankees fan, and who isn’t, but interesting read. English can be a tricky thing if you really want to make it one.
You have way too much free time
Still, interesting read, lol
Russell Martin is just like the Jewish Pharisees, trying to keep Jesus down.
If you like the way 'Yankee' sounds, consider that in Slightly Above Average Britain, they do the opposite.
Where we would report that “Major League Baseball says…..” [MLB being a singular organization]
The Brits would have it “Major League Baseball say….” [the organization is pluralized as if consisting of numerous members.
Neither Yankees nor Yankee is inherently correct, it’s only a question of custom or usage.
by designatedquitter on Jan 7, 2011 10:32 AM EST reply actions
I laughed...
… when I read this because I have actually debated this with myself when writing about the Yankees. Nice post/shot.
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