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Origin of the Word Gringo
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Jalisco Lancer View Drop Down
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Posts: 2112 		  Quote Jalisco Lancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Origin of the Word Gringo
    Posted: 22-Oct-2004 at 16:09
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Posts: 233 		  Quote Abyssmal Fiend Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Oct-2004 at 16:20
That's intresting. I always thought of it as foreigner, but with a rude connentation. Good job.

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Posts: 2187 		  Quote Gubook Janggoon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Oct-2004 at 16:27
Interesting...even if it didn't start out as a slur isn't it used as a slur now?  Kind of like "Nigger"?
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Posts: 2112 		  Quote Jalisco Lancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Oct-2004 at 17:20
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Oct-2004 at 14:44

A little remark: In Spain "gabacho" means "French" and it is peyorative.

I have heard it was used to name the poor French peasant who went to work to Spain (Catalonia and Aragon).

Obviously it was very used during Spanish war of independence (1808-12), what Anglosaxons called the Peninsular War. Nowadays it is very outdated.

Interesting Jalisco. I had only heard about the song origin.
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Posts: 1185 		  Quote demon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Oct-2004 at 07:07

It's a nice fact to know, Jalisco.  I thought the word gringo originated from the "green coat" worn by the army of Zachary Taylor who led the landing in Veracruz, who also lead the capture of Mexico D.F.

 
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Posts: 2419 		  Quote JanusRook Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Oct-2004 at 14:39

Calling someone a donkey isn't pejorative?

This coming from the same people where if I say aren't you cuban, I get smacked.

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Posts: 952 		  Quote Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-Oct-2004 at 20:28

On the subject of Gringos, Donlkey's and the like....

Anyone know where the word 'dago' originated?
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Posts: 2329 		  Quote Yiannis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Nov-2004 at 06:02

Hi jalisco.

It's my understanding that the origin of "Gringo" is from Latin "It's Greek, not understandable" (can't remember the Latin term). That was introduced into Spanish and used by Mexicans for all "western" foreigners.

See modern day expression: "sounds Greek to me" etc...

 

 
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Posts: 485 		  Quote Serge L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Nov-2004 at 08:10
Originally posted by Paul

Anyone know where the word 'dago' originated?

AFAIK from the word "dagger", probably referred to Latin-European alleged hot blood and tendence to resolve controversoes with blades and violence.
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Posts: 2112 		  Quote Jalisco Lancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Nov-2004 at 18:17
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Posts: 2112 		  Quote Jalisco Lancer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Nov-2004 at 18:19
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Posts: 196 		  Quote John Doe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Nov-2004 at 18:25
Good thread, learnt stuff 
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Posts: 3987 		  Quote hugoestr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-Nov-2004 at 20:31
I have read Argentinean short stories where they use the word "gringo" to refer to Englishmen. I also read somewhere that the word gringo is used in all Latin-American.

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