MrBillM
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Hey Gringo
While researching a different word origin, I came across the following:
GRINGO
1. In Latin America the word gringo is an offensive term for a foreigner,
particularly an American or English person. But the word existed in
Spanish before this particular sense came into being. In fact, gringo
may be an alteration of the word griego, the Spanish development of
Latin Graecus, ?Greek.? Griego first meant ?Greek, Grecian,? as an
adjective and ?Greek, Greek language,? as a noun. The saying ?It's
Greek to me? exists in Spanish, as it does in English, and helps us
understand why griego came to mean ?unintelligible language? and
perhaps, by further extension of this idea, ?stranger, that is, one who
speaks a foreign language.? The altered form gringo lost touch with
Greek but has the senses ?unintelligible language,? ?foreigner, especially
an English person,? and in Latin America, ?North American or Britisher.?
Its first recorded English use (1849) is in John Woodhouse Audubon's
Western Journal: ?We were hooted and shouted at as we passed through,
and called ?Gringoes.??
2. The US army uniform was green and the Mexicans used to say
'green go (green goes). therefore, green goes became 'gringo'. This
explanation is incorrect because the U.S. Army uniform during the
Mexican-American War was BLUE.
3. A recurring folk etymology explanation for the derivation of the word states that
it originated during the Mexican-American War of 1846 - 48 . The legend main-
tains that one of two songs ? either "Green Grow the Lilacs" or "Green Grow the
Rushes O" ? was popular at the time and that Mexicans heard the invading US
troops singing "Green grow..." and contracted this into gringo.
Of the three explanations listed, the derivation from the Greek is con-
sidered the most likely by most authoritative sources, albeit there is no
PROOF anywhere.
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2frogs
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Soooo, in the Baja is it considered a positive or negative term? In Costa Rica it's not a negative term...thus I use it.
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2frogs
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BUT IN THE BAJA I DON'T WANT TO STEP ON ANY TOES.
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MrBillM
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It all depends
I hear it used all the time both ways. It is common for a Mexican to simply use it to identify the person as a White Norte Americano or European. It
depends on the delivery. It is quite clear when it is being used in a pejoritive sense.
[Edited on 7-30-2005 by MrBillM]
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jrbaja
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Most of the Mexican people don't use it in referrence to white friends out of respect and refer to us as norte americanos.
But we use it all the time and so do many "citified" friends.
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Barry A.
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Gringo-------
For 50 years I, and my Baja friends, have used the term "Gringo" to describe any norte American visitor to the Baja CA area, and/or even USA citizens
that are permanent residents within Baja. I never considered it derogatory, and it certainly was not offensive. I suppose you could use the word in an
offensive manner, depending on how you say it.
I like the word, and use it constantly in Baja CA.
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Baja Bernie
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Now add P-nche to it and you have something other than a short cut in identifying someone.
I don't believe it offends the many gringo's who know anything about Baja--but I guess it does for those who know nothing--------about Baja.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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MrBillM
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Taking Offense
I have to bow to JR for any information on how the Mexicans living outside of the more travelled areas think. I haven't travelled that far off the
beaten path even in my youth. It is probably true that those natives are simply trying to be cautious in their consideration of their friends.
It reminds me of my youth in South Los Angeles. There was one word that I never used out of consideration for friends and others I met. However, on
one occasion I remember around 1961 I was having estimates done for some accident damage to my car and I stopped at a Body Shop on South Central
whose owner I knew. I walked in and there wasn't a White person in the place. When I told him about the accident, he asked innocently "was it a
White Guy or a Niggra man " ?
The actual word used won't get past the PC Software.
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2frogs
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Thanks to all of you for the info. I've only been called Gringa once and I could certainly tell it wasn't meant to compliment  It's been okay in Spain, mainland Mexico. Cost Rica they made it clear they
were Americans also and called us North Americans. Very, very sweet people and would walk across the street before they'd ever have a cross words.
Thanks again everyone. I really enjoy this site.
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Tomas Tierra
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P*nche Gringa
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2frogs
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No, thank heavens....it was just the way it was said...from another woman
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Oso
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We've been over this before, but it's good to see some authoritative backup for the griego/gringo "theory". BTW, in Argentina the term usually refers
to an Italian immigrant. The pop singer Piero has a well-known song titled "Gringa" that's about his mother.
Years ago, when I was teaching English in Mexico City, my students asked if I was offended by the term. "Not unless it is your intention to offend.",
I replied, "Just don't call me 'Yanqui'. I am not a Yankee, I am a 'Sure?o' or a 'Rebelde'. My ancestors fought the Yankees and two of them were
POW's in a Yankee prison."
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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Baja Bernie
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Oso
Each post brings knowledge. Now we all know you are a Southern boy. A ton of them headed for Mexico after that terrible war.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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