On Driving to Zihuatanejo

Peter wrote:

bobnliz wrote:

Peter wrote:The other word more commonly used in central Mexico is "gavacho" or "gabacho" which does have some derisive connotations, though most often it is not used derisively. Given the choice of gringo or gabacho I choose the former and let my friends here know my preferrence.

I think of it like the British using "yankee" to speak of American colonists and them in turn proudly accepting the name and making songs declaring themselves "yankee-doodle dandies."

Here I am a gringo and I am OK with it. If someone calls you a "yankee" it is usually followed by, "go home."

Peter ~ I think you will find it was the indians who were unable to pronounce the word "English". The best they could do was "Yankeesh" which became "Yankee."

I believe Gabacho, or Gavacho is a slang, sometimes derogatory reference to a resident of Mexico City, or so I was told in Xalapa. Lizzy

A common name for those from Mexico City is Chilango. It is used both derisively or otherwise and some from Mexico City call themslves that. Still, it should not be used too loosely because for some it does have derogatory meanings.

Gabacho is always used for white English-speaking foreigners. It is commonly used but many Mexicans will not use it in front of us gringos for fear we would find it offensive. Ask around, you'll see. I have heard gabacho originally was used by the Spanish to refer to the French, but here it is reserved for English-speakers.

Thanks for that "yankee" story. The Brits may have picked it up from the local indigenous people and threw it back at us.