ASK A QUESTION GRINGO?
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27 Answers
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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See if this answers your question, we had this discussion before
[url=http://learnspanish.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3ATopic%3A16673]http://learnspanish.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3AT...[/url]
It used to be derogatory, but now I think it just refers to anyone foreign.
Of course, it could be derogatory depending on context or inflection.
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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.
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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.
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Hola Garrett,muy interesante,gracias.Must remember that,it's a great story.
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When I was a young American living in Mexico City, I thought the term was quite funny until it was explained to me in detail. It makes sense though I have had no independent verification of the source.
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means american specificially: have had multiple Guatemalans and Mexicans expalain to me that as a white Canadian I am NOT a gringo...
Has connotations of intruding because of well, a history of american invasions of both those countries...
It's not really insulting, although it can be USED in an insulting manner. It can also be used affectionatly, or simply as an identifier.
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You shouldn't portray this version as fact. It is one of several theories, none of which has ever been completely substantiated. A variation on this one is that gringo is merely a corruption of green coat. Wikipedia has a good article on the word, but says:
"According to the Catalan etymologist Joan Coromines, gringo is derived from griego (Spanish for "Greek"), the archetypal term for an unintelligible language (a usage found also in the Shakespearean "it was Greek to me" and its derivative "It's all Greek to me"). From referring simply to language, it was extended to people speaking foreign tongues and to their physical features - similar to the development of the ancient Greek word '''''''? (bárbaros), "barbarian". Still, scholars are not in agreement about the correct origin of this word."
As for whether it is used only for Americans, that is not true, despite what some Mexicans may say. I myself have heard it used for people from several different countries. The Wikipedia article also discusses this.
I agree, though, that the term can range from very negative, to neutral, to positive, depending on how it is used.
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sorry i dont know spanish all that well. im actually in the process of learning..
i thought this website teaches those in need of help.oh well..lol
but im BUENO GRACIAS!!! lol
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