Originally posted by Mountainmeg

Originally posted by ashanu90

You may be wondering why I didn't simply look "gringo" up in a Spanish-English dictionary, since I was so determined to find its definition. Well, I did, and the word was defined as "one who speaks gibberish," and "blonde," neither of which made much sense in the common usage of the word unless you are writing a story about a gibberish-talking fair-haired woman, right?

Now don't get mad at me, all you blondes out there who speak gibberish, I didn't write the dictionary. Anyway, you know me. If it's simple, I'm not interested. Confusion, chaos and complication are my middle names, so I began to search through dusty etymological tomes for an answer.

The word "gringo" was mentioned in Spanish literature as early as the eighteenth century. In his famous Diccionario, compiled prior to 1750, Terreros y Pando, a Spanish historian notes that "gringo" was a nickname given to foreigners in Malaga and Madrid who spoke Spanish with an accent. Maybe it sounded like gibberish.

never freaking mind i was probably thinking of something else, life is contradiction

[edit on 22-3-2010 by ashanu90]