BajaNomad - The Origins of Gringo?

The Origins of Gringo?

Gypsy Jan - 10-19-2009 at 08:49 AM

Listening to the "Celtic Sojourn" program on WGBH Boston last Saturday, the host introduced the playing of a recording of "Green Grow the Laurel".

As part of his intro, he mentioned that there is a belief that the Irish soldiers in the Mexican-American war sang this very popular song a lot at their camps. So much so, that the Mexican soldiers started referring to them as "Gringros", which over time became "Gringo".

The host then asked the audience if they had any confirmation or another explanation for the origin of this term.

David K - 10-19-2009 at 09:12 AM

That is very close to the explanation given by Mike McMahan ('There it is: Baja!' c1973): >>>'It probably started in our War of 1846 as American soldiers marched across the Rio Grande singing "Green Grow the Rushes, O"...'<<<

Gringo

tehag - 10-19-2009 at 10:33 AM

The word was in use in Spain in early 19th century. Its entry in an 1817 French-Spanish dictionary, written by Antonio de Capmany, includes:

.. hablar en griego, en guirigay, en gringo. (p. 28) [4] Translation: ... to speak in Greek, in "guirigay", in "gringo".

Gringo, griego: aplícase a lo que se dice o escribe sin entenderse. (p. 448) [5] Translation--Gringo, Greek : applies to what is said or written without understanding it.

Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564 – died 23 April 1616) also used Greek often to describe unintelligible language or ideas.

Other versions exist about the origin of gringo, but do any predate 1817?

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 10:42 AM

It's just one of those things that nobody really knows.

squid - 10-19-2009 at 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
It's just one of those things that nobody really knows.

well, well, well, we Mexicans know.
It means: Green Go !
referring to the old uniforms of the Norte Americanos trying to occupy our land.

vandenberg - 10-19-2009 at 10:49 AM

It's Greek to me ! :biggrin:

Gringo

tehag - 10-19-2009 at 11:03 AM

Squid:

US Army was still wearing blue at the time.

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by squid

well, well, well, we Mexicans know.

No. You don't know. You just think you know but, you don't and what you think you know is nothing more than a guess just like all the other theorys.

squid - 10-19-2009 at 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tehag
Squid:

US Army was still wearing blue at the time.

That is correct and my knowledge about the color was mistaken.
Forgive a

Non-Military Personal.

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 01:27 PM

The song,"Green Grow The Lilacs" could possibly have been heard sung by men of the San Patricio Batallion, immigrants to the US from Ireland, who deserted the US side to fight with the Mexican forces. The origen of the song is Ireland.

Just another published theory.

Skipjack Joe - 10-19-2009 at 01:50 PM

The term is used throughout South America.

Are we sure it started in Mexico?

If your hair is light colored in South America they'll call you gringo.

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe

Are we sure it started in Mexico?

That's just it, Igor. We arn't sure of anything regarding the origen of the word. It's all guesswork. [is that one word?]

Bajahowodd - 10-19-2009 at 02:42 PM

I guess work may be guesswork. :lol:

I take this with a grain of salt.

tripledigitken - 10-19-2009 at 02:48 PM

from Wikipedia..................

Railroad construction in Chile
When William Wheelwright built the railroad from Caldera to Copiapo in Chile, the workers were trained to stop on red lights and to go on green lights. But they did not understand English, so William would repeatedly say:

"Green - Go Green - Go Green - Go"

And therefore all they remembered was "Gringo" and began calling him that.

Rock Salt

Bajahowodd - 10-19-2009 at 02:52 PM

Considering the (open) source. :tumble:

As the OP (Original Poster)

Gypsy Jan - 10-19-2009 at 02:53 PM

I guess I have a dog in this fight.

It must be an Irish Setter, since I am not a "Pointer".

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken
from Wikipedia..................

Railroad construction in Chile
When William Wheelwright built the railroad from Caldera to Copiapo in Chile, the workers were trained to stop on red lights and to go on green lights. But they did not understand English, so William would repeatedly say:

"Green - Go Green - Go Green - Go"

And therefore all they remembered was "Gringo" and began calling him that.

Remember Engineer Bill?

Red light...............Green light.

Aw shucks...that's just plain silly. What we really need to know is the origen of the word that goes with Gringo.
Where did the word "Peenche" come from?

[now, before all you spelling critics chastise me, the machine won't tolerate the correct spelling of that P-nche palabra]

[Edited on 10-19-2009 by DENNIS]

tripledigitken - 10-19-2009 at 04:06 PM

Silly?..................I have three words for you DENNIS..........

Go....Green....Go!

:lol:

Reader Alert

Bajahowodd - 10-19-2009 at 04:09 PM

It's been quite academic so far, but folks should know that Sr. Dennis has a big problem with the use of the word gringo. Don't say I didn't ell ya.

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Don't say I didn't ell ya.

I don't have time to get into that aspect of the word right now. I'm busy watching the Angels and Yankees. Then...the Chargers. Then....the inside of my eyelids. :tumble:

Osprey - 10-19-2009 at 04:51 PM

In the early 19s or so, mas o menos, I formed a partnership with one Phillip Mortenson, the developer of Grung-go, a revolutionary cleaning product the public was clammoring for after the invention and sales explosion of indoor stoves. (Later he left me in the cold to make billions with Formula 409). We had great sucess in Texas and New Mexico and gave hungry entreprenuers franchise opportunities in Sonora and Chihuahua. There were billboards everywhere and the streets were littered with empty cardboard containers with our name on it. It sure caught on. You're the first one's I've told about this.

Bajahowodd - 10-19-2009 at 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Don't say I didn't ell ya.

I don't have time to get into that aspect of the word right now. I'm busy watching the Angels and Yankees. Then...the Chargers. Then....the inside of my eyelids. :tumble:

Dodgers?

DENNIS - 10-19-2009 at 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd

Dodgers?

After last night? I'd rather watch the Chargers lose.

BajaGringo - 10-19-2009 at 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd

Dodgers?

After last night? I'd rather watch the Chargers lose.

Howard - 10-19-2009 at 08:00 PM

How about the orgin or the word has something to do with the University of Notre Dame?

Skipjack Joe - 10-19-2009 at 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd

Dodgers?

After last night? I'd rather watch the Chargers lose.

I don't know why I let them make me think they could go all the way. That hit in the bottom of the ninth spells the end.

dezertmag - 10-27-2009 at 08:48 PM

Hey Gang,
I was told that in one of the earlier wars ( could be the 1846 one ), that not all the Americans wore blue. Here a quote from Wikipedia:
DezMag" One story that is widely repeated among Mexican-Americans as well as throughout the Southwest United States was that during the Mexican-American War the Mexicans who knew little English referred to the Americans' green uniforms and would shout, "Green go!", meaning "Leave our country."[citation needed] But, the U.S. military in the Mexican-American War did not wear the color green. They were still wearing blue at this time. During W.W.I the uniforms were tan. Not until W.W.II did the U.S. army begin to wear green.[9] "

[Edited on 10-28-2009 by dezertmag]