What does "gringo" mean and who is it really?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:48

The word “gringo” is often found in colloquial speech. What it means, many people know, but some, despite the prevalence of the term, have certain difficulties when used in speech. In particular, many are interested in the question of whether it carries a negative emotional connotation, whether it is abusive. Let's try to figure it out.

The Spanish-Russian dictionary gives this translation of the word "gringo" - a foreigner. This word is:

• often refers to a white foreigner, especially a North American;
• used mostly in colloquial speech between non-Gringos;
• sometimes acts as a reference to a foreigner.

The specific usage and meaning of the word also depends on the country and situation in which it is used.

Origin story

It is believed that the first use of the word belongs to the Mexicans, and the term has been used since the 19th century. In writing, based on data from the Oxford English Dictionary, the word first appeared in 1849 in the Western Journal, an edition of John Audubon. Over time, it began to be used in almost all Latin American countries.

Historical version

This version was influenced by the US-Mexican War that began in 1846, when US troops invaded the northern lands of Mexico to allegedly support their farmers, who had colonized Mexican lands decades earlier and established a practically slave labor system there. To put it simply, the army seized and included in the US these lands (New Mexico and Upper California), where the American colonists lived next door to the local population. While the US military wore green uniforms, the Mexicans shouted to them: Green, go home! ("Greens, go away"). Green go was later shortened to "gringo". According to another version, the word came from the Mexicans mimicking the shouts of the commanders of the American battalions Green, go! (“Greens, go!”).

Within the framework of the same version of the war, but in a slightly different version, the following theory of the origin of the word is also considered: American soldiers were called "gringo" by the color of their eyes (mainly green or blue), which sharply differed from black-eyed or brown-eyed Mexicans.

True or not, but in any case, the historical version explains why the Americans were called "gringo". It had a derogatory meaning for a long time. They used the word "gringo" (which means "invader") in a speech to humiliate and insult.

Etymological version

Although there is another version of etymologists, according to which the word "gringo" was widely used in Spain, but long before the AmericanMexican War. So, in the Castilian dictionary of 1786, it is mentioned for the first time. Scientists are inclined to believe that it came from the Spanish word griego ("Greek"). In those days, the expression "to speak Greek" meant the same as the Russian "to speak Chinese", that is, it was an idiom for the expression "to speak incomprehensibly (in an incomprehensible language)". And later transformed into "gringo" meant "a foreigner, a visiting person who does not speak Spanish." This version is also supported by the existence of similar expressions in other languages, for example, in English that’s greek to me (“I don’t understand this, it sounds Greek to me”).

The meaning of the word in different countries of Latin America

In different countries of Latin America, the meaning of the word undergoes changes: from minor to very significant. So, in Mexico, the word "gringo" means that a person is a resident of the United States, and regardless of his race. In Cuba, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica, this is the name given to any North American.

In Brazil, especially in tourist regions, the word refers to all foreigners from the US, Canada, Europe, even from other countries of Latin America itself, who speak English. And in Argentina, this is the name for all fair-haired and white-skinned people, regardless of their citizenship, gringo is almost synonymous with the word "blonde".

Emotional coloring

Depending on the situation in which the word is used, "gringo" can be both neutral, negative and positive emotional connotation,express both friendliness and hostility, which largely depends on the facial expressions, intonation, and context accompanying the word. You should know that "gringo" also means a whole layer of cultural phenomenon inherent in the countries of Latin America. The famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo referred to the United States exclusively as "Gringoland".