GRINGO?
what does 'gringo' mean,where does it originate from'I''ve heard it in films,read it in books,and took it to be a mexican word for stranger,or intruder.
28 Answers
This discussion is becoming ridiculous. There is nothing whatsoever to do with Greek etomology regarding "gringo." The term began during the war. It has nothing to do with language transition.
Additionally, after decades of using the term, many Mexicans use "gringo" NOW to refer to any caucasian people, Canadian or otherwise. I find the term insulting as I have lived for many,many years in Mexico. I am a linguist. I understand and know the genesis of the word "nigger", for example. I would never say the "n-word" as that is not a word. I will never buy into stereotypical mores or prohibitions for the use of a word. "Nigger" is insulting and...if you knew anything about Mexicans..."Gringo" is insulting.
It is not like saying "Tu Madre" but is more like "Naco". James quotes Wikpedia which rarely has the true factual basis of a term or an event.
Trust me on this. I grew up with OLD, OLD Mexicans who explained this term to me as a child. I am one of those people who knows from experience. I did not research it. I didn't need to. There is an oral history among people that is understandable, logical and historically valid. I answered a question on-line based on my personal experience. I am no longer a young man and am shocked by some of the responses here which are simply no true.
Finally, people who love me do call me "Gringo". It still insults me and separates me from everyone else in my culture. So, some do not find it insulting. However, it's genesis, like the genesis of the word "Nigger" is disrespectful, demeaning and rude. In the end, I don't care at all. I simply attempted to explain it's origin.
I grew up in Chile, and "gringo" meant someone from the US. It was not a derrogatory term at all. We used it in school, in front of our teachers, and used it to refer to my mom and her family and friends. She's never taken offense to it. Here in Texas, I use it with friends and with students, and I have not been told I was using the equivalent of "nigger."
As with many Spanish words, I'm sure the connotation (and details) change by region/country, so in some places the word may be used to refer to any foreigner, and in some places it may have become a negative term, but it's not that way everywhere. Also, much like what has happened to "nigger" in recent years, the term may have "rules" attached to it - if you're part of a certain group, or if you're within certain circles, you can use it. If you're not part of the group or circle, you cannot. Or it could vary from person to person; some find it offensive, some use it almost as a term of endearment.
So, John, to answer your question (which you posed back in March, so who knows if you're still reading this thread...), "gringo" can mean a foreigner or an English-speaker, and it's used mostly in Latin America (if I recall correctly, in Spain they use "guiri" to refer to any foreigner, English-speaking or otherwise). Beware, as the term may have a negative connotation for some, but don't take that to be a given.
Criss.
The American military uniforms, if I am not mistaken, were BLUE, not green. Besides, the word gringo was used in Spain long before that, so it is an unlikely theory. The war was in the middle of the 19th century (1846), but the expression is recorded since the beginning of the 17th century in Spain (1615), with the meaning of Greek or an understandable language, and in the middle of the 18th century (1765) to refer to those foreigners who speak strange.
See Corominas' etymological dictionary.
Just in case others, with more open minds, are interested, here is just one of the many interesting articles on this topic, from which I quote.
"The word "gringo" was mentioned in Spanish literature as early as the eighteenth century. In his famous Diccionario, compiled prior to 1750, Terreros y Pando, a Spanish historian notes that "gringo" was a nickname given to foreigners in Malaga and Madrid who spoke Spanish with an accent."
http://www.texasescapes.com/MaggieVanOstrand/WhereDidTheWordGringoComeFromAnyway903.htm
Obviously, that predates the Mexican-American war.
I'm not saying that the war had nothing to do with the word or its prevalence. I'm just saying that you shouldn't present one theory out of many as being the final and complete story. It's just not so.
I lived in Mexico for several years and I heard the word gringo used many times. It was directed at me in both negative and positive ways. If a kid from across the street yelled gringo at me distance, he was obviously trying to offend and see my reaction. On the other hand in casual conversation I would even refer to myself as a gringo because it is a lot easier to say and doesn't have to carry negative connotation. From my experience the word can be either negative or positive based on intent and usually refers to foreigners from the US but also was used occasionally for other foreigners. But it was more common to name other foreigners based on their country peruanos cubanos etc.
Have you even been there'
Yes, I have, thanks. And I wouldn't take such a condescending tone with someone if I had been living in Mexico for "many, many years" and still couldn't write a simple paragraph in decent Spanish.
Sheesh.
Time for dinner...
I agree with James Santiago. I refer to myself as a gringo all the time because it's easy to say, and it in no way carries the racist stigma that the N-word carries. Calling someone a stupid gringo is no worse than calling someone a stupid American. It's the word "stupid" that I would have a problem with.
I agree with your general rule of not calling names, but there is a small problem in this particular case: There is no short, accepted way to refer to citizens of the US. Estadounidenses is rather a mouthful, and Americanos carries its own baggage. To me, when the word gringo is used in a neutral way, it is just a nice, short way of referring to people, with no harm intended. And its use for Americans has expanded over time to include other people who are not from Mexico.
It is indisputable that this word was used pejoratively during the Mex-Am war, and that it probably became much more widespread during that time (hence its prevalence in Mexico today). But it is clear that the word is not always used disparagingly, so one's reaction to it should correspond to the intent, which is actually true with most words.
That's just crazy, James. Have you even been there? Have you ever spoken to Spanish linguists about this term? Obviously not. At UNAM it is common knowledge. Where are you getting this stuff? WOW. I'm happy to have discussions about the origins of words but you are speaking with no authority at all. It would take me hours to explain the passage you just quoted. Simply, if a word were used prior to its' current definition or context, it would not change or diminish its' current meaning. It IS just so. The current and acceptable use of the word "Gringo" in Mexico derives from the war. I have not researched and do not care about the 1750 dictionary. It's not important. If the word existed previous to the war...cool. It's current use and continuing negative connotation is directly and continuingly attached to negative feelings about US soldiers invading Mexican territory. They still hate us because of it.
In Mexico, the word gringo is a historical reference to the war between the United States and Mexico. American military uniforms were green in color. When the American troops invaded Mexico the people yelled at them, "Green Go Home!" Over a period of a hundred years, the term has been abbreviated and shortened to "gringo" referring to the "unwanted" Americans on Mexican soil.
a mi, me calle mal la palabra "gringo" It has a certain disrespect for citizens of the US. It is not intended for anyone foreign just US citizens. It can be used jokingly among friends but one would not refer to a stranger as gringo without being disrespectful.
la palabra "gringo" se sustenta de la guerra q hubo con mexico y viene de la terminacion o conjuncion de los terminos "green"= que se refiere al color de los uniformes usados por los del ejercito norteamericano en ese tiempo y la palabra "go" a la palabra q en la traduccion seria vayanse o fuera...lo q resultaria "verdes fuera" o "verdes vayanse"....y en el "spanglish" suena "gringo"..eso es lo q hasta al momento yo se y esta palabra se ha generalisado entre hispano-hablante...
Lyndelle,
Would you have been offended if she called you gringa? I refer to myself as that, seems like a very simple way to refer to someone non-Mexican. I must ask my Mexican friend if he thinks of it as an offensive term.
HI Lindy, it appears that this is a lovely...but untrue story.
Interesting thread.
