GRINGO?

Question

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.

Answer 1

A mi no me importa lo que pienses. Yo tengo toda la vida entiendo la palabra "gringo"...tu crees lo que quisieras. Estaba trandando explicar la verdad. By the way, my degree form Georgetown is in language. No me importa nada lo que crees. Quisiera explicar mi experience real in mi vida en Mexico. Los viejos quienes tienen mas que noventa anos me han explico este palabra.

No afecta nada. Es muy torpe continuar.

Answer 2

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.

• The meaning could change after all the english word gay used to mean happy. - phlbst Dec 25, 2010

Answer 3

I agree totally. I am not Chilean and my comments were limited to Mexico. Obviously, this word has migrated to other Spanish speaking countries.

ME, I, personally take the word as negative because of my life experience but I understand that when people who love me call me "Gringo", they do not say it venemosly. Like "nigger", it has become an easy word to say. Since 1968-1972, we can't say "nigger" but in Mexico one can say "Gringo". There is no social prohibition. Personally, I don't like being referred to as a member of certain class because I have white skin. It bothers me.

Answer 4

Obviously migrated? So how come this word can be found in some texts in Spain dated from 1615? Migrated back in time'

Answer 5

I might as well put in my two cents' worth. When I lived in El Paso TX, my neighbor asked me if I would be offended if she referred to me as a "gringa" . Well I could only answer I don't know. But from her question I gathered that it is a name to be used with caution. This woman was born and raised in Mexico, lived in El Paso on a green card. Her husband was an illegal from Bolivia. They might have had different ideas of what the name implied, so she asked me. Probably the safest way to go. Better yet, don't call names. I was taught as a child that is a very rude thing to do.

Answer 6

BTW From an old song book I read that the word Gringo originated during the above mentioned war, from the fact that the soldiers stationed there sang the song Green Grow the Lilacs. That's a pretty story.

Answer 7

Answer 8

Answer 9

HI Lindy, it appears that this is a lovely...but untrue story.

Interesting thread.

Answer 10

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.

Answer 11

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.

Answer 12

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...