Why We're Called Gringo

During the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, U.S. Army troops occupied northern Mexico and captured Mexico City. The U.S. soldiers sang a popular song of the day, "Green Grow the Lilacs," which is derived from an old Irish folk song. The Mexican people interpreted "green grow" as "gringo"...and the name stuck.

Here are the lyrics:

   Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew
   I'm lonely, my darling, since parting with you;
   But by our next meeting I'll hope to prove true
   And change the green lilacs to the Red, White and Blue.

And here's the Tex Ritter version:

that really isn't very smart alex

You're just jealous because the Mexicans have no endearing terms for you Canucks...just a simple scratch of the elbow is about all the recognition you get.

Smartalex wrote:You're just jealous because the Mexicans have no endearing terms for you Canucks...just a simple scratch of the elbow is about all the recognition you get.

LOL.

Jaja......I don't think the term gringo is as "enduring" as you like to think.

http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/gringo.asp

Well, sure, if you are all hung up on logic and facts....  

In my opinion "Gringo" can be good or bad.  It can be a description like "Gringo stuff" or " Gringo House". It serves a
purpose.  More than once I have heard that "Gringo loco" can be affectionate or bad depending on circumstances. If
someone in my Calle doesn't know my name  he just says "the gringo".  Tone of voice can change it to bad for sure.
The truth is I am a Gringo or from the USA.

Are Canadians Gringoes?? I think not but don't know.

Z

CanuckBob wrote:Jaja......I don't think the term gringo is as "enduring" as you like to think.

Well it sure has been around for a long time.

It has been my understanding that "gringo" is any foreigner--not just Americans. In my barrio, it seems that gringos are the people who are not Mexican. Just walking or driving about, no one knows if you are American, Canadian, German or Australian. But, they know you are not Mexican.

in my barrio i have convinced the people that i am not a gringo so they call me pedro "hoser" as i taught them.

Pedro wrote:in my barrio i have convinced the people that i am not a gringo so they call me pedro "hoser" as i taught them.

"HOSER"...Spanish.. (Canadian Argot) de cerveza para hombre tosca para beber, hombre estúpido y vulgar

lapurafelicidad wrote:http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/gringo.asp

Perhaps Snopes needs to do a little more snooping in this case. Spanish-speaking Spaniards on the plain in Spain may well refer to all things foreign as "griego." But what does that have to do with the Spanish spoken by most Mexicans? Nada.

I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Smartalex wrote:

lapurafelicidad wrote:http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/gringo.asp

Perhaps Snopes needs to do a little more snooping in this case. Spanish-speaking Spaniards on the plain in Spain may well refer to all things foreign as "griego." But what does that have to do with the Spanish spoken by most Mexicans? Nada.

The article points out that the word gringo is found in a Spanish dictionary in 1787 and the word was in use in Spain at that time. If you care to revisit Snopes you will see that the word gringo, not griego, was used to describe foreigners who spoke Spanish with an accent. This was 23 years before Mexico was even a country. So in my estimation it is relevant just as most Spanish spoken in Spain is relevant to that spoken by Mexicans to this day. The words origin comes from Spain and not from Mexico. Whether it connotations remain the same is a different story but the word existed in the Spanish language long before the invading Americans were heard singing "green grow the lilacs". Again, this is based on the Snopes article. If you have something that rebuts this explanation I would enjoy seeing it.

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

Z

lapurafelicidad wrote:So in my estimation it is relevant just as most Spanish spoken in Spain is relevant to that spoken by Mexicans to this day.

Ja.

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

You're not supposed to hear it.

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

Z

I'ts a very common term in Mexico,it it's just another way of saying gringo,I'm surprised you've never heard of it.

Smartalex wrote:

lapurafelicidad wrote:So in my estimation it is relevant just as most Spanish spoken in Spain is relevant to that spoken by Mexicans to this day.

Ja.

apparently you only communcate with mexicans who speak espanol of a colloquial nature. i base part of my observation on having heard you speak as well. and no,don't bother-my espanol of any sort sucks and is extremely minimal.

viajero wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

Z

I'ts almost as common as gringo,I'm surprised you've never heard of it.

I am protected by the local Mexicans I think. Honestly never heard it.  I like the part about spitting...Nice!

From the Wiki:

Gabacho (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡaˈβatʃo]; feminine, gabacha) is a word used in the Spanish language to describe foreigners of different origins.
In Spain it is used as a pejorative reference to someone French, coming from the Catalan word gavatx which translates as foreigner.
In Mexico, gabacho refers to anglo people of non-latino decent. Sugar cane leftovers after chewing (usually spit out garbage)and usually white.
In the United States, the word is used mainly by Chicanos (and by extension, American Hispanics) as a descriptive name for White Americans. It is not widely used or understood by Spanish-speakers in the Americas outside of the USA and Mexico. The term güero is sometimes used interchangeably to describe someone who is pale skinned.

Smartalex wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

You're not supposed to hear it.

Very good point. Now I get it.

Z

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

Z

I'ts almost as common as gringo,I'm surprised you've never heard of it.

I am protected by the local Mexicans I think. Honestly never heard it.  I like the part about spitting...Nice!

In Mexico, gabacho refers to anglo people of non-latino decent. Sugar cane leftovers after chewing (usually spit out garbage)and usually white.

That would be gabazo and I don't think thats where the word gabacho comes from but I could be wrong.

viajero wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

viajero wrote: I've never been bothered by the word gringo,on the other hand I'm not fond of the word gabacho.

Could you explain?  Never heard of it.

Z

I'ts almost as common as gringo,I'm surprised you've never heard of it.

I am protected by the local Mexicans I think. Honestly never heard it.  I like the part about spitting...Nice!

In Mexico, gabacho refers to anglo people of non-latino decent. Sugar cane leftovers after chewing (usually spit out garbage)and usually white.

That would be gabazo and I don't think thats where the word gabacho comes from but I could be wrong.

And you could be right. Wiki is not perfect and folks need to remember that. The more obscure the fact the more likely it is wrong because if no body knows no body corrects. Still a
very useful site.

Z

Pedro wrote:my espanol of any sort sucks and is extremely minimal.

After all the years you've lived here and with all the Mexican amigos you claim to have I find that hard to believe.
Echele ganas, ponte las pilas.