Bolillo

[Glen]

Opinions vary regarding bolillo to describe un estadounidense, with someone from Jalisco telling me it's harmless while someone else, from D.F., saying it's disrespectful. So, as un estadounidense myself, should I use it or not?

[pinosilano]

Originally Posted by Glen

Opinions vary regarding bolillo to describe un estadounidense, with someone from Jalisco telling me it's harmless while someone else, from D.F., saying it's disrespectful. So, as un estadounidense myself, should I use it or not?

El estadounidense es de piel blanca, el que con la historia del "politicamente correcto" pasa a lamarse "caucásico" . Pues bien, en México se hornea un pan especial de color blanco, lamado precisamente "bolillo".

[aleCcowaN]

As a general rule that applies, I think, to the whole Spanish speaking world, using a derogative term, no matter mild or strong, within the group the term is intended to address, implies the acceptance of the disparaging component the term contains.

I mean, from our point of view, black people using the n-word among them implies the acceptance of the despicability the term was coined to convey. Of course, we don't do that because we know we crossed a cultural boundary once we start to speak English. The same applies the other way around.

As an example I have referred to myself as curepa in angry admonition to Paraguayan employees. Curepa is the Guarani term meaning "pig skin" used by Paraguayans as a disparaging term describing Caucasian Argentines (bolillo seems to have the exact same charge). "Se creen que porque soy curepa ..." means "you think you know me, but I know you as well" meaning "we know each other's defects". That's how far we come using such "terms of endearment" <litotes warning>.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I have never heard the word used for anything else than describe the piece of bread... and no one I know does either.
However, if someone has warned you about it being an offensive word, I'm with Alec: do not use it to talk about other people, but if you feel it's alright that you use it to talk about yourself playfully, choose well your audience.

[Sancho Panther]

What about 'guiri' (foreigner) in Spain' is that meant to be offensive? I don't really think so.

[Sancho Panther]

A Limey asks....

I wonder if there's any truth in the story that the origins of "Gringo" stem from the U.S./Mexico war, when the Mexican soldiers are said to have heard the US Cavalrymen singing "Green grow the rushes-oh". Or whether "Dago" comes from 'Diego' - I have strong doubts about both.

Are both considered offensive, or just light-hearted these days?

British warships carried limes for the vitamin C to combat scurvy during the US War of Independence - hence 'Limeys', that is generally accepted as fact.

And Dutch settlers on the East Coast thought that British settlers smelled of cheese so they called them Jan Kaas = Yankees, not wholly convinced by that, either! "Janke" perhaps.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Sancho: There is no certainty about the origin of the word "gringo"; it's probably much older than USA invasion of Mexico, and some historians think it might have been used first in Spain, as some variation of "Greek", which for some time was synonymous of "foreign".
The word still has a pejorative charge, and it depends on the tone and the context where it's used whether it will offend someone or not; it's still a nickname, so it's not appropriate to use it in formal environments.