[funsec] Inquiring Gringos Want to Know

[Fergie]

Even though this snippet is from the LA Times, it puts a smile
on my face living in Austin as a Naturalized Texan. ;-)

[snip]

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.

[snip]

More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-gustavo23feb23,0,6797624.story

- ferg, muchacho gabacho ;-)


--
"Fergie", a.k.a. Paul Ferguson
 Engineering Architecture for the Internet
 fergdawg at netzero.net or fergdawg at sbcglobal.net
 ferg's tech blog: http://fergdawg.blogspot.com/