Gringo - A question about the word

[Comrade Ceausescu]

wat does it mean?like i know it means a britsh or american...but is it a term against whites or something?cus i know che used it.

[Felicia]

Quote: from cheguevara717 on 11:45 pm on June 9, 2003
wat does it mean?like i know it means a britsh or american...but is it a term against whites or something?cus i know che used it.
I've been curious as to the meaning of the term aswell. Was it used in reference to americans? To white capitalists? To westerners? (cause that would include me...). Hmmm, I've never thought to ask though :)

[Mazzen]

Hello comrades. This is my first post on this discussion board. I've been reading it for a few months now and finally decided to register to be a member. Anyway, the answer to your question is...Gringo- a derrogatory term usually towards white americans. There you go.

[BOZG]

As far as I know it means "foreigner" and referred to pretty much white Europeans in South America.

[Larissa]

Actually, it's the old way to refer to both, American and British people since the early XX and late XIX centuries in Latin America. It's like saying "Yanks" or "Brits".

Gringo was almost any blonde/fair hair person who spoke English. Sometimes the term was used to refer to any foreigner.

(Edited by Larissa at 6:42 pm on June 10, 2003)

[Comrade Ceausescu]

hmmm,well does that mean che wouldve disliked me 4 being a white american?

[IHP]

Larissa, is it a derogatory term?

--IHP

[MEXCAN]

My Dad used to tell me that it meant "GREEN GO",has in the green of the military !!!Like has in go away you fucking yanks !!!My dad used to say alot of stuff.

[Rock1Renegade3]

Actually Gringo is a slang insulting name for some one who is caucasian.

[bluerev002]

"Gringo" doesnt mean anything nasty, its not a rascit temr, its just like saying "Yank"

Thats all, were it came from, dunno, but I use it a lot.

[Comrade Ceausescu]

i reasearched it,bluerev is right...sorry rockrenegade,but ur wrong on this one.thanks 4 the help folks!!

[MEXCAN]

I found this !!!!In the mexican-american war of 1846-1848,the US troops used to sing a song called "Green Grow the Rushes-oh".So green grow became Gringo !!

[MEXCAN]

Or this definition !!?? quote"Word History: The word gringo is an offensive term in Latin America 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.'"

[Comrade Ceausescu]

thanks agin for the info all.i'm glad its really not a bad or racist term!!!:)

[CienfuegosJnr]

Some Germans in Mexico told me and my cuz-
'noh noh no somos GRINGOS...'
There the biggest GRINGOS of them all .....
me too but-

[mamboman]

Gringo is not always a derrogative term. When I was in Guatemala after Hurricane Mitch destroyed the country's infrastructure, the newspapers showed a photo of locals cheering aid workers who were rebuilding hospitals, bridges and schools. The headline read:
"¡VIVA LOS GRINGOS!"
How can that be derrogatory?

With regards to the origin of the word, the Greek theory sounds very interesting.... I always thought it originated from "Green... go!" as in green-uniformed American soldiers told to "go away" in the US-Mexican War.

[Inti]

I was told by my Peruvian wife that it was the green of the american dollars and that the americans spend alot and then went, therefor gringo..

[CubanFox]

Quote: from bluerev002 on 2:12 am on June 12, 2003
"Gringo" doesnt mean anything nasty, its not a rascit temr, its just like saying "Yank"

Thats all, were it came from, dunno, but I use it a lot.


So basically it's a blonde anglophone?

[Felicia]

ignorant westerners most likely :-P

[Inti]

Most of the time when people call you gringo they dont really mean to hurt your feelings, I think its more to get your attention. I have gotten into lots of nice people by their opening word (gringo).. It helps a lot if you speak spanish.. :D Thats how I learned my spanish.. Listening to latin music, watching latin movies, chatting in latin channels and the best part was travelling to places where most of the people just speak spanish, like peru and chile. That is, if you dont go to all this fancy neighbourhoods or the most turistic places..

[bluerev002]

Quote: from CubanFox on 2:04 am on July 9, 2003

Quote: from bluerev002 on 2:12 am on June 12, 2003
"Gringo" doesnt mean anything nasty, its not a rascit temr, its just like saying "Yank"

Thats all, were it came from, dunno, but I use it a lot.


So basically it's a blonde anglophone?


Doesnt really need to be blonde.

oh yeah i just memered this GRINGO is what you call guys

GRINGA is what you call girls

that mighta been kinda obious

[RED FIRE]

Gringo,funny,its my new favourite word.

[pissed off citizen]

hey all...

im New here.. just decided to join this forum being a CHE admirer myself... ;)

[Felicia]

PO'd Citizen....... you should introduce yourself in the lounge!! ;)

Welcome to Che lives!!!!!! :cheesy:

[tebvie]

I haven't really been keeping up with all the post on this topic but I think gringo does refer to white people. I don't know where these "white" people would from though.

[dopediana]

a gringo in the pure sense of the term is a white person.

but a gringo is much more than just a white person. a gringo is a white person who is totally white. the gringo is inept at getting by easily in south america and shows it. the gringo is nearly pathetic, comical, and oblivious to all of this. my best friend's family was probably the biggest pack of gringos in brazil. all of them were blond-haired and blue-eyed.

the dad was continuously mistaken for arnold schwarzenegger on the public bus. the brother mistakenly asked for a woman at mcdonald's instead of a spoon. the mom asked for alcohol instead of fruit at the supermarket and a dick and a half instead of a manicure and pedicure at the salon. my friend was utterly oblivious, unmoved, and plain naïve when guys did little dances in front of her to impress her.

ah, but i loved them all.

[Organic Revolution]

uh huh

[dopediana]

what the fuck do you know, rise up? my post was made out of love and affection for my friends and an appreciation for the comedy that is the gringo in south america. get over it. i LOVE those people to DEATH.

[Felicia]

Quote: from the amaryllis on 4:47 pm on July 18, 2003
and a dick and a half instead of a manicure and pedicure at the salon. my friend was utterly oblivious, unmoved, and plain naïve when guys did little dances in front of her to impress her.

That's hilarious about the mom!!!! As for the dances, we wouldn't notice because guys don't do that sort of thing up here...... we are talking about your canadian friend right?

[dopediana]

yes, this is my canadian friend. well, we were watching a volleyball game at the club and one guy was wiggling his eyebrows at her and doing a little victory jig and she was totally unaware.

[Felicia]

Quote: from the amaryllis on 11:47 am on July 19, 2003
yes, this is my canadian friend. well, we were watching a volleyball game at the club and one guy was wiggling his eyebrows at her and doing a little victory jig and she was totally unaware.
oh, haha, we'd just think he had something in his lashes or having trouble seeing or something ;) :biggrin:
We're completely oblivious to that sort of thing :-P

[dopediana]

Quote: from felicia on 10:01 pm on July 19, 2003

Quote: from the amaryllis on 11:47 am on July 19, 2003
yes, this is my canadian friend. well, we were watching a volleyball game at the club and one guy was wiggling his eyebrows at her and doing a little victory jig and she was totally unaware.
oh, haha, we'd just think he had something in his lashes or having trouble seeing or something ;) :biggrin:
We're completely oblivious to that sort of thing :-P

or that he had to take a whiz really badly and was trying to distract himself.. lol.

[Felicia]

hahaha, yeah :biggrin:

Dunno why but I tend to like the shy and quiet ones ;)

(Edited by felicia at 10:44 pm on July 19, 2003)

[dopediana]

Quote: from felicia on 2:44 am on July 20, 2003
hahaha, yeah :biggrin:

Dunno why but I tend to like the shy and quiet ones ;)

(Edited by felicia at 10:44 pm on July 19, 2003)


see, if he's shy and quiet, i generally won't even bother talking. i'll just nod and occasionally say "nice weather we're having today"

someone who stirs things up a bit is alot of fun but the dude also has to know how to chill out and just talk and discuss and stuff like that. you dig?

[Felicia]

Quote: from the amaryllis on 10:56 pm on July 19, 2003

Quote: from felicia on 2:44 am on July 20, 2003
hahaha, yeah :biggrin:

Dunno why but I tend to like the shy and quiet ones ;)

(Edited by felicia at 10:44 pm on July 19, 2003)


see, if he's shy and quiet, i generally won't even bother talking. i'll just nod and occasionally say "nice weather we're having today"

someone who stirs things up a bit is alot of fun but the dude also has to know how to chill out and just talk and discuss and stuff like that. you dig?
hmm, dunno. I like people who don't express too much of an interest in their surrounding environment, but yet notice I'm there. :)
Plus, I like lots of Felicia-alone time, I don't like being called 24/7, I need lots of space, and inturn, I can give lots of space... so long as there's lots of trust and all that stuff :cheesy:

I'm not usually too serious about relationship stuff, but I tend to take people too serioiusly (or so I'm told, time and time again, lol). I suppose that's a bit contradictory of me :biggrin:

[dopediana]

i take everything seriously from the depths of my soul.

we're like, the exact opposite. i love hanging out and hugging and cuddling and all that nice stuff. it's kind of like exchanging energy. it's refreshing.

[Felicia]

Yes, we are complete opposites :biggrin:

Kind of funny really, hmmmm......

[dopediana]

but you know, it sort of balances everything out.

sometimes i do have sudden spurts of wisdom and common sense and sobriety though. not enough though...

[Felicia]

hmmm, yes, I suppose that it all might just balance out :)

I'm full of wisdom........I just don't share it ;)

j/k :biggrin:

[Domino]

I prefer "Yanks" but anyway, gringo is just for yanks, not brits. It's like saying Americans, which is wrong. Everyone here in Mexico refers to the yanks as gringos.

It depends the way you use it. You can use it in a friendly way, or you can use it to offend. Like when they call us beaners.

[Felicia]

I like "yanqi" :cheesy:

Yeah, it does depend on how you use it. Honestly, I'd have no problem being referred to as "la gringa", but aslong as it's meant in an affectionate way and not in an offensive way. :)

[schumi]

by gringo they mean amerikans, some of you already mentioned this...

Did you guys knew that when Che was in Miami he called all americans "bill"??? because of the "Dollar Bill"...

I read that somewhere...

[Felicia]

haha, that's funny. :cheesy: