Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 221, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1916 — TERM “GRINGO” LONG IN USE [ARTICLE]

TERM “GRINGO” LONG IN USE

Contemptuous Epithet Applied to Foreigners Alleged to Have Had Its Origin In Spain.

• WIIJ you permit me to contribute a few words on the subject of the origin of the word gringo? Gringo Is an old Spanish word that antedates the Mexican war by 70 yefars. It was defined by the first edition of the Standard Dictionary, In 1891, “One of English blood or speech; a contemptuous epithet.” By the New Standard, 1913, the term was treated as follows: “In Spanish America, a foreigner, particularly an American or one of English blood or speech; a contemptuous epithet (Spanish gibberish).” I have been able to trace the word back to 1787, 129 years, and find It explained In P. Esteban de Terreros y Pardo’s “Dlctionarlo Castellano,” published in Madrid In that year. See Vol. n, page 240, column 1: “Gringos —Unman en Malaga a los estranjeros, que tlenen clerta especie de acento, que los priva de una locuclon facll y natural Castellana; y en Madrid dan el mlsmo y por la mlsma causa con pi.rtlcularidad a los Irlandeses.” Roughly translated, this means: “Gringos—The name given In Malaga to those foreigners who have a certain accent which prevents them from speaking Spanish fluently and naturally, and in Madrid the same term is used for the same reason, especially with reference to the Irish. “The word may *be found also In Melchior Emmanuel Nunez de Taboada’s “Dlctlonnaire Espagnol-Francais,” published In Paris In 1845; “Gringos, ga—AdJ., (figure et familier.) Grec. Hebren. On le dlt d’une chose Inintelllglble.” Translation: “Gringos, ga (figuratively and colloquially.) Greek. Hebrew. It Is said of a thing that is not intelligible.”—Letter to Editor of New York Times.