Meaning
A mocking name for a Jamaican who puts on an American ('Yankee') accent and airs despite never really having lived abroad — or after only a short trip 'a foreign'. The 'freshwater' part marks them as fake, not truly 'seasoned' by saltwater travel. A put-down for phoniness and pretension.
Examples
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Him gaan a Miami fi one week an come back a talk like freshwater Yankee.
He went to Miami for one week and came back putting on an American accent.
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Stop di fake accent, yuh freshwater Yankee.
Stop the fake accent, you phoney.
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She never leave yaad but she a freshwater Yankee.
She's never left home but she puts on foreign airs.
Origin
'Freshwater' (not saltwater-seasoned, i.e. fake) + 'Yankee' (American); a mock for phoney foreign airs. See [[farrin-mind]], [[farrin]].
How it’s used
A Jamaican faking American accent/airs; a put-down for pretension. See [[farrin-mind]], [[farrin]].