the word "gabacho

[ajijicgail]

In the Friday, August 25, 2006, edition of fthe Miami Herald, International MEXICO edition, there is an article by Cesar Huerta which contains the following:

"When they would see this little white guy with a camera, they would ask if he was with Televisa, or a TV station in the gabacho (United States) or who else. But as soon as I explained things to them, they calmed down," he said.

See the entire article at

http://www.mexiconews.com.mx/14.html


This is typed exactly as it appears in the newspaper, except gabacho is in italics. I found the word "gabacho" in some dictionaries, but am having difficulty relating the definitions found to the United States.

[Tomisimo]

In Mexico, "gabacho" refers to a person who is an outsider or a foreigner. It can also be used to refer to a white american "Yankee" might be a good translation. The usage in that article doesn't make a lot of sense, unless the word has more meanings than what I know. It looks like they are (mistakenly??) using Gabacho to mean the US, instead of the people in the US. That's my take on it.

Any more opinions?

[ajijicgail]

I just went to this website which gives more "definitions," and includes United States as one of them:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gabacho
It's not a term I am familiar with at any rate, and seems rather more derogatory than anything.
:-\

[sosia]

I din't know it was similar to "gringo"
For us, in Spain, "gabacho" refers to the French people, like the page says.

[Zach]

Originally Posted by ajijicgail

I just went to this website which gives more "definitions," and includes United States as one of them:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gabacho
It's not a term I am familiar with at any rate, and seems rather more derogatory than anything.
:-\

I wouldn't rely on Urban Dictionary for accurate definitions.. :P

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Zach

I wouldn't rely on Urban Dictionary for accurate definitions.. :P

I agree, but it makes for some interesting reading.

[luis]

the word "gabacho" the use in the language best popular in mexico.
Can be adjetivo gentilicio:
Estadounidense = gabacho
Mexicano = azteca

[Elaina]

la palabra GABACHO/GABACHA is used to indicate - a white, anglo-saxon person from the U.S.

Sometimes people say: los gabachos - when talking about the whole U.S. OR el gabacho to indicate "the man" in the U.S.

Por ejemplo - A los gabachos les gusta venir de vacaciones a Cancun. means....... People from the US like to come to Cancun on vacation.

OR

El gabacho tiene trabajo en los campos. means...... There's work in the fields in the U.S.

I hope this makes sense to you.

Elaina

[Tomisimo]

So gabacho can also refer to the US?

[Elaina]

Buenos Dias!

The word Gabacho in itself does not refer to the U.S. but it does refer to people from there (everyone in general). It is an understood term that is mostly used in Mexico, as Luis pointed out. Even American born Mexicans are Gabachos...........BUT..........it is not the same or similar to the word GRINGO. Only a white, blue/green eyed person born in the U.S. is a GRINGO......

A funny story as to the origin of the word.......

Many, many years ago when the US was invading or tried to invade Mexico there was a terrible war between them. As with any other war there will be instances where the soldiers of one side don't really want to fight the soldiers from the other side and since there was a BIG language barrier the Mexican soldiers wanted the American soldiers to go back to the U.S. and stop fighting......so, since they couldn't speak English except for a few words....they would say GRINGO ( which means: GREEN... GO) the American soldiers wore green fatigues during the war.

So, that is today's History lesson!

Elaina