General
yam yam
What does yam yam mean?
What Brummies call people from the Black Country (Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Tipton and surrounds). Mocking but mostly affectionate — the rivalry between the two areas is real but rarely venomous. Black Country folk generally don't use the term about themselves.
"He sounds like a yam yam — bet he's from Dudley way."
Origin
From the Black Country dialect phrase 'yam' meaning 'you are' (as in 'yow am' → 'yam'). Brummies hear 'yam this, yam that' and dub the speakers yam yams.
Frequently asked questions
Is yam yam offensive?
Generally taken in good humour — it's banter, not a slur. Context and tone matter, as ever.
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