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From: jpm@calmasd.UUCP (John McNally)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: One for our side (gringo)
Message-ID: <618@calmasd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Nov-85 10:48:20 EST
Article-I.D.: calmasd.618
Posted: Wed Nov 20 10:48:20 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Nov-85 10:40:41 EST
References: <973@decwrl.UUCP> <12580@rochester.UUCP>
Organization: Calma Company, San Diego, CA
Lines: 26

> 	"'Gringo' is the term Mexicans gave the American (English).  It may
> 	 be from Sp. 'griego', Greek (as in 'It's Greek to me.'); but it is
> 	 commonly supposed to be from the opening words of a song by Burns,
> 	 popular with the soldiers in the Mexican War:
> 		Green grow the rashes O
> 		The happiest hours that ere I spent
> 		Were spent among the lasses O.
> 	Soldier themes vary little down the ages."
> 
> Now we have three hypotheses, with no substantiation for any of them.
> -- 
> Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)

I was always under the impression that the term "gringo" was
invented by the Mexicans in response to mid-1800 intrusions into
Mexico by U.S. troops.  These troops were, not surprisingly,
unpopular with the Mexican citizens.  These troops also wore green
uniforms.  The Mexicans, who speak Spanish, expressed their
displeasure at the Yanks by shouting "green go", meaning "You guys
with the green uniforms go home".  Of course, with a Spanish
pronunciation this comes out "Gringo".  Note that the
pronunciation of "i" in spanish is like a long "e" in English and
an "o" in Spanish is always pronounced like a long "o" in English.
-- 
John McNally  GE/Calma  11080 Roselle St. San Diego CA 92121
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