Posted on 02/23/2006 12:15:19 PM PST by John Jorsett
Dear Mexican, Why do Mexicans call white people gringos?
It was the type of impolite question few people would dare ask in everyday Southern California, much less in print.
"Dear Gabacho," began Gustavo Arellano's answer in the OC Weekly alternative newspaper. "Mexicans do not call gringos gringos. Only gringos call gringos gringos. Mexicans call gringos gabachos."
Arellano went on to explain that gabacho is a sometimes pejorative slang term for white Americans, with "its etymological roots in the Castilian slur for a French national."
"Ask a Mexican," the newspaper headlined it.
The column, published in 2004, was meant as a one-time spoof, but questions began pouring in.
Why are there so many elaborate wrought-iron fences in the Mexican parts of town? What part of the word "illegal" do Mexicans not understand? Why do Mexicans pronounce "shower" as "chower" but "chicken" as "shicken"?
Arellano has responded each week, leading an unusually frank discussion on the intersections where broader society meets the largest and most visible national subgroup in the country: Mexicans.
Nothing is taboo. When asked to explain the inclination of Mexicans to sell oranges at freeway offramps, he fired back:
"What do you want them to sell — Steinways? According to Dolores, who sells oranges off the 91 Freeway/Euclid onramp, in Anaheim, she can earn almost $100 per week hawking the fruit. That averages out to more than $5,000 a year — and since it's the underground economy, she doesn't pay taxes!"
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"Gabacho?"
Way too much information....
Americans are not Frenchmen. We DEMAND "gringo" be adopted as the only legitimate pejorative to be applied to "norteamericos". We earned it, we deserve it, and by golly, we will fight to keep the term.
I agree. That is totally untrue and BS.
HAHA..Yeah I meant Grits....Well my mother born in Montebello Ca (East Los Angeles told me that Mexicans were called Pachucos by what they wore suit and hat type of thing in the 40's.. I think now they are just called
**hey essay*
Hmm, "Green Grow the Lilacs" was the name of the original play written by Lynn Riggs that became the musical, "Oklahoma!"
Seems like the song itself was really "On Top of Old Smokey," or the tune was the same.
habla espano'l?
Nope, "puta" means "whore."
If "chicken" is "shicken", why then do they pronounce Chevy as Chevy instead of Shevy?
But I like "gritlans" - I'll have to make something with grits and call it that. A new dish! Like "grits and grillades," but with chittlin's in it! Grittlins!
"Why are there so many elaborate wrought-iron fences in the Mexican parts of town?"
I would like to know. I want one for my yard to impress my snob neighbors.
The only people I've heard use the term "gabacho" referring to anglos were Mexican Americans kids in Los Angeles. Someone else can tell me what they say elsewhere.
I have heard the word used to refer to frenchmen, by Spaniards, if memory serves.
South of the border, not only Mexico but points further south, you hear "gringo". It isn't an every day expression, but its used. Sometimes in a friendly way, sometimes its a pejorative, and sometimes its use is entirely neutral.
Nope - usted?
HAHA...Okay we have eggs and gritlins...
But I would rather have a Chile Ren'o!
That's "one" of them. Like the Italian one - as in pasta putanesca - made with anchovies and cooked in 5 minutes on a hot plate in a putaria (I made that word up, but you get the picture) between "appointments".
There's another closer to pachuco, but I'm afraid to venture past that.
Didn't I see this already on "Mind of Mencia"?
Un-poquito seno'r
They're called "burglar bars."
I always thought it would be funny for someone named O'Malley to do that on their back window.
I love chiles rellenos, but especially love them as "chiles en nogada". Just made some not long ago and have picadillo and pomegranate seeds left enough for 4 more, when the poblanos are prettier.
In the movie TRAINING DAY the 3 Mexican guys that were going to kill Denzels partner were like Pachucos....
or as Cheech says *Hey Pendeho's!
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