# Gringolandia



## Bienvenidos

I don't mean to be offensive, but in Venezuela this is the "argot" term for the United States. Is it understood anywhere else in the Spanish-speaking world?

Gracias


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## nramav

In Mexico we use that word too.


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## Wyatt_BCN

In Spain we have heard about it too (The Gringos = The Americans).


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## Bienvenidos

Interesting. I love Mexican Spanish, too, and of course Iberian Spanish. 

Thanks a lot.  I just wasn't sure if it was just a Venezuelan thing or not. Of course it's not a "formal" term but still.


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## mariposita

Here in Spain, I've heard yanquilandia used to refer to the US. I don't think I've ever heard the term gringo used here, except in reference to Americans in Mexico.


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## Wyatt_BCN

I do think I've heard it here, but you're right because I have also heard Yanquis here


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## Bienvenidos

I've never hear yanquilandia but I have heard this a lot:

   ¿Viste a un Yanqui? (Did you see an American?)
   Vete con los yanquis; a los yanquis te mandarán (Kind of an odd phrase, ¿no?)


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## FSBC

From my own experience, I believe most people in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Perú, Colombia, Chile and Panamá would know exactly where you are talking about.


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## Malevo

It is perfectly understood in the Spanish  speaking world


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## SaritaSarang

I love being called a Yanqui, much much better than a gringa.


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## Malevo

SaritaSarang said:


> I love being called a Yanqui, much much better than a gringa.


 
Si, porque gringa is a little bit despective in Spanish. Yanqui is not used in such tone, even though is also like a slang way  very used in argentina to refer to Americans


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## ejdb78

Here is Chile we used this word too as well as "estados juntos" ,"yanquilandia" but we don't use it as offensive word.


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## gdmarcus

Malevo,  substitute "disrespectful" for "despective".


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## very

hannah1905 said:


> que clase de pregunta es esa solo lee la palabra y sabras lo que es


Si vives en un lugar en el que no se suele usar la palabra "gringo" (como en España, por ejemplo) puede que no te parezca tan obvio el significado de "gringolandia", aunque dudo que incluso en tales lugares haya mucha gente que no lo entienda.


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## very

SaritaSarang said:


> I love being called a Yanqui, much much better than a gringa.


I'm not an American or a native Spanish speaker, but I thought that "yanqui" was more likely to be used in a despective way. From what I've noticed, in many Latin American countries "gringo" seems to be used as a genuine _gentilicio _for people from (and things related to) the USA, probably because _estadounidense _is a mouthful and _norteamericano_ is not very accurate (and also a mouthful). On the other hand, whenever I hear the word "yanqui" it makes me think of anti-USA slogans like "Yanquis go home" and such like, but maybe it is used more in that way in Spain.


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## Javier-Vega

very said:


> I'm not an American or a native Spanish speaker, but I thought that "yanqui" was more likely to be used in a despective way. From what I've noticed, in many Latin American countries "gringo" seems to be used as a genuine _gentilicio _for people from (and things related to) the USA, probably because _estadounidense _is a mouthful and _norteamericano_ is not very accurate (and also a mouthful). On the other hand, whenever I hear the word "yanqui" it makes me think of anti-USA slogans like "Yanquis go home" and such like, but maybe it is used more in that way in Spain.


 
That is exactly the way those words are used in Mexico.


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## atcsat64

Gringolandia -  meaning the land that Gringos come from?  I don't think of "gringo" as a disrespectful term, but I think many from USA _do consider_ it as such.  Travelling Mexico, I have heard "yankee" (yanqui) used to disrespect quite often.  Funny, because I consider myself a "gringo" while in Mexico, and I consider a "yankee" to be someone from the north or northeast USA, _also_ _a little disrespectful._


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## Talant

Muy buenas:

Yo también he oído "gringolandia", "yanquilandia" (menos) y "Estados Juntitos".

Lo que me parece curioso es que "gringo" en realidad yo lo asociaba a un extranjero de tez blanca más que a los norteamericanos en especial. Así un americano que no sea de ascendencia pura europea no sería gringo. Es decir, el actor Emilio Estévez, de origen hispano pero estadounidense, no sería "gringo".

Por cierto.... ¿sabíais que los niños ya no vienen de París? Ahora vienen de Estardos Unidos 

Un saludo


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## Javier-Vega

Talant said:


> Es decir, el actor Emilio Estévez, de origen hispano pero estadounidense, no sería "gringo".


 
En México, Emilio Estévez sí sería "gringo", lo mismo que Jennifer López y Michael Jordan.

Lo que sí sucede es que en México los turistas blancos y rubios como alemanes, ingleses etc, suelen ser confundidos con "gringos" por la razón de que éstos últimos son mucho más comunes en nuestro país. Tal vez por eso muchos visitantes creen que "gringo" significa "blanco", pero, como dice very, es un gentilicio.


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## SaritaSarang

I guess I dont mind being called a Yankee so much because its used by other americans as well. (We refer to people from the north as "Yankees")   It originally came from the americans themselves during the civil war, (and also revolutionary war with the british)  and the Northerners were called Yankees and I agree with the values of the yankees because they wanted freedom for slaves and didnt support succession of the south. (sorry for the history lesson)     So Im proud to be a Yankee, Its not offensive to me at all.


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## C1PNR

Perhaps this belongs in it's own thread, but I always thought "gringo" was a generic term for "white man" and "yanqui" was more specific to being American.

If gringo is American, what are Canadians, and all other "whites" in the world?


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## mariposita

C1PNR said:


> Perhaps this belongs in it's own thread, but I always thought "gringo" was a generic term for "white man" and "yanqui" was more specific to being American.
> 
> If gringo is American, what are Canadians, and all other "whites" in the world?


 
Hmm... not all Canadians are "whites"--I think this topic is going off the tracks.


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## Arenita

Alguna vez en Perú he visto la palabras USAdos. Tal vez una mezcla de USA con EstaDOS Unidos.


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## C1PNR

mariposita said:


> Hmm... *not all Canadians are "whites"*--I think this topic is going off the tracks.


Of course not - and not all Americans are either.  Thus my question, which you neatly sidestepped answering.

I'm not asking this to be argumentative, and certainly not racist!  I'm asking to be informed.


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## Edwin

gdmarcus said:


> Malevo,  substitute "disrespectful" for "despective".



otras posibilidades:  *derogatory* or *pejorative*

Según WR.com:

*despectivo*,-a adjetivo *derogatory, disparaging*

*peyorativo*,-a adjetivo pejorative, derogatory


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## Bienvenidos

Edwin said:


> otras posibilidades:  *derogatory* or *pejorative*
> 
> Según WR.com:
> 
> *despectivo*,-a adjetivo *derogatory, disparaging*
> 
> *peyorativo*,-a adjetivo pejorative, derogatory



Most Americans don't know what *pejorative *means, unfortunately.


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## Jannobis

C1PNR said:


> Perhaps this belongs in it's own thread, but I always thought "gringo" was a generic term for "white man" and "yanqui" was more specific to being American.
> 
> If gringo is American, what are Canadians, and all other "whites" in the world?


 
I gree with C1PNR cuz most of the time we call "Gringos" to all white man and we call "Yankee" only to American people...


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## Jiggly Puff

*IN THE CASE OF MEXICO*


To be a Gringo is not a matter of being white, is a matter of being "gringo", I mean, a person who was born in the USA. No matter the color or the racial heritage. 

If being white were what is need to be a gringo, God! I would be a gringa because of my skin and my eyes. 
Thanks God, I’m more Mexican than the mariachi and the tequila. And I say "thanks God" because living in this land, even with the problems that we have, is something amazing. The unique culture, the heritage, the folklore, the food…
How I love my homeland!

but I'm misleading myself....


Back to the point


The Canadians are Canadians
The Argentinians are Argentinians
The English people are English people
The Russians are Russians
The French people are French people
The Roses are red
the violets are blue
the honey is sweet
And the Americans (a person who was born in the USA) are gringos

That's all!

Now, about thinking that a gringo is a foreigner. I think Javier Vega has explained the case of the use of this word here in México quite clear.





Javier-Vega said:


> En México, Emilio Estévez sí sería "gringo", lo mismo que Jennifer López y Michael Jordan.





Javier-Vega said:


> *Lo que sí sucede es que en México los turistas blancos y rubios como alemanes, ingleses etc, suelen ser confundidos con "gringos" por la razón de que éstos últimos son mucho más comunes en nuestro país.* Tal vez por eso muchos visitantes creen que "gringo" significa "blanco", pero, como dice very, es un gentilicio.


 


By the way, there is a word here in México to call specifically the white people: *"Gabacho"* o *"Gabacha".* 

Even I have been called gabacha by my friends, probably a few times in my life. 

However, "Gabacho" has nothing disrespectful.

But, once more, is more often use it with gringos, ha, ha!.
And, due to is not a disrespectful word but almost friendly, even "Javier Alatorre" (a well known news presenter here in México) has used it to talk about our "north neighbors" on his TV News show.


Regards


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## Alicky

Jiggly Puff said:


> To be a Gringo is not a matter of being white, is a matter of being "gringo", I mean, a person who was born in the USA. No matter the color or the racial heritage.
> 
> If being white were what is need to be a gringo, God! I would be a gringa because of my skin and my eyes.
> Thanks God, I’m more Mexican than the mariachi and the tequila. And I say "thanks God" because living in this land, even with the problems that we have, is something amazing. The unique culture, the heritage, the folklore, the food…
> How I love my homeland!
> 
> but I'm misleading myself....
> 
> 
> Back to the point
> 
> 
> The Canadians are Canadians
> The Argentinians are Argentinians
> The English people are English people
> The Russians are Russians
> The French people are French people
> The Roses are red
> the violets are blue
> the honey is sweet
> And the Americans (a person who was born in the USA) are gringos
> 
> That's all!
> 
> 
> 
> Regards


 
A lengthy discussion about "gringo" is here. http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=5072&page=8&highlight=gringo

The problem is that gringo doesn't mean in Argentina the same it does in Mexico. The meaning can change from country to country. There a famous book (here in Argentina) called Martín Fierro. Is a poem about the gaucho and his life. The poem uses the word gringo to refer to any foreigner whose mother tongue isn't spanish. In the poem an italian is called a gringo. This book was written in 1872.

About the original question, there was a chapter of The Simpsons where they travel to Japan. There Homer (I think it was him) wants to experience traditional japanese food and they end up in a restaurant called "Gringolandia".


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## abeltio

Por extensión, en Argentina se le dice gringo a cualquiera que no tiene el castellano como lengua materna. Si la lengua materna es inglés... es gringo de pura cepa. 
He conocido gente apodada "gringo" de origen húngaro.


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## Dission

abeltio said:


> Por extensión, en Argentina se le dice gringo a cualquiera que no tiene el castellano como lengua materna. Si la lengua materna es inglés... es gringo de pura cepa.
> He conocido gente apodada "gringo" de origen húngaro.



Estoy de acuerdo, ocurre igual en España con la palabra "guiri", se le aplica a todo aquél que sea extranjero pero de habla no hispana.


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## abeltio

emilio sería un gringoide P


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## Edwin

Gilberto Fernandez said:


> La raiz de dicha palabra inicia en la guerra de Mexico y Estdos Unidos, y originalmente los mexicanos decian Green go, lo que significaba retirate verde (fuera de aqui soldado)



Eso es una teoría, para ver otras mira: http://etimologias.dechile.net/?gringo


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## Jiggly Puff

Alicky said:


> The problem is that gringo doesn't mean in Argentina the same it does in Mexico. The meaning can change from country to country. There a famous book (here in Argentina) called Martín Fierro. Is a poem about the gaucho and his life. The poem uses the word gringo to refer to any foreigner whose mother tongue isn't spanish. In the poem an italian is called a gringo. This book was written in 1872.
> 
> About the original question, there was a chapter of The Simpsons where they travel to Japan. There Homer (I think it was him) wants to experience traditional japanese food and they end up in a restaurant called "Gringolandia".


 


Exactly, I never said that it was it. In my post I mentioned the case of México after the remark that you quoted.

May be I should be more specific. Never mind I have already done and amendment to my original post.
 
 
I remembet that chapter, is a very good one. 
The Simpsos rule. 

Regards


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## Mirlo

Yo creo que el término "gringolandia" = el mundo de los gringos
es muy parecido a "Disneylandia" = el mundo de "Disney"
y para cerrar, lo escucho frecuentemente,
saludos,


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## Reina140

Back to the point


The Canadians are Canadians
The Argentinians are Argentinians
The English people are English people
The Russians are Russians
The French people are French people

And the Americans (a person who was born in the USA) are gringos

That's all!

*I can't believe that I'm the first one to say "What the hell is this?"*

Everyone is everyone . . . . but then those )(*(*^&*&%*& americans.

Why can't the Americans be Americans?????

HEY EVERYONE FROM THE USA!!! In case you didn't know . . . WE ARE THE ONLY FOREIGNERS ON THIS ENTIRE PLANET . . . Russians are russians and french are french, canadians are canadians . . . . and us . . . . we are just on the outskirts somewhere, not even worthy of our own name . . . . Just foreigners!!!!!


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## Mirlo

Edwin said:


> Sabes que "Disneyland" está en California y París y "Disney World" está en Florida.


 
Si, lo se pero de veras, pero

"and Walt Disney remains a hero of the American dream".
 
a eso me refiero.
Saludos,


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## SaritaSarang

Reina140 said:


> Back to the point
> 
> 
> The Canadians are Canadians
> The Argentinians are Argentinians
> The English people are English people
> The Russians are Russians
> The French people are French people
> 
> And the Americans (a person who was born in the USA) are gringos
> 
> That's all!
> 
> I can't believe that I'm the first one to say "What the hell is this?"
> 
> Everyone is everyone . . . . but then those )(*(*^&*&%*& americans.
> 
> Why can't the Americans be Americans?????
> 
> HEY EVERYONE FROM THE USA!!! In case you didn't know . . . WE ARE THE ONLY FOREIGNERS ON THIS ENTIRE PLANET . . . Russians are russians and french are french, canadians are canadians . . . . and us . . . . we are just on the outskirts somewhere, not even worthy of our own name . . . . Just foreigners!!!!!





hmmmm i agree with you. They should call us "Americans", as we are from "America".  Those who call us those other offensive terms are just jealous.
lots of people are jealous of Americans.    (and they know it)

The Canadians are Canadians
The Argentinians are Argentinians
The English people are English people
The Russians are Russians
The French people are French people
And the Americans (a person who was born in the USA) are gringos

I can see how that could be really offensive, when all the others (even the british for godsakes!!)  are all what they are from their country, but then the americans are gringos? (and thats not the only term used to describe us)


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## Reina140

SaritaSarang said:


> hmmmm i agree with you. They should call us "Americans", as we are from "America". Those who call us those other offensive terms are just jealous.
> lots of people are jealous of Americans.  (and they know it)


 
I'm just so tired of being singled out. "You don't like being called "Gringos" . . . well we're going to call you GRINGOS anyway, . . . . But oh by the way, we also are going to tell you what you should call yourselves!"

SUCH DOUBLE STANDARDS HERE . . . I know this will probably be erased, but that is one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever seen . . . . A =  A,  B = B, C = C . . . . But D .. . well D . . . = is whatever we feel like calling it


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## Mirlo

Reina140 said:


> I'm just so tired of being singled out. "You don't like being called "Gringos" . . . well we're going to call you GRINGOS anyway, . . . . But oh by the way, we also are going to tell you what you should call yourselves!"
> 
> SUCH DOUBLE STANDARDS HERE


 

I'm sorry that you are upset 'Reina'  and I understand your frustation, but first of all this thread is not about "gringos"  there has been to many arguments about this word and the truth is that people from other countries has nicknames for  anybody even the "French" It's been posted before, and sencondly the opinion of "Alicky' is only hers .
Now let's keep our cool!


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## Reina140

Mirlo said:


> I'm sorry that you are upset 'Reina' and I understand your frustation, but first of all this thread is not about "gringos" there has been to many arguments about this word and the truth is that people from other countries has nicknames for anybody even the "French" It's been posted before, and sencondly the opinion of "Alicky' is only hers .
> Now let's keep our cool!


 
Yes, but to actually post a list like this:

The Canadians are Canadians
The Argentinians are Argentinians
The English people are English people
The Russians are Russians
The French people are French people

And the Americans (a person who was born in the USA) are gringos

It's so blatantly ridiculous, I would be embarrassed to post something like that . . . . . . . . Sorry Mirlo, I had to respond.   . . . Oh and I would also like to add, that this horrible list should be credited to "JIGGLY PUFF" as these were his/her words.


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## Jayjay

Back to the post on etymology, here is what wikipedia has to say about the history of "gringo". There is also a good overview showing whom the various countries use gringo to refer to here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gringo

now back to the etymology quote:

Etymology
The Spanish etymologist Joan Corominas states that *gringo* is derived from _*griego*_[1] (Spanish for "Greek"), the proverbial name for an unintelligible language (a usage found also in the Shakespearean "it was Greek to me" and its derivative "It's all Greek to me"). From referring simply to language, it was extended to people speaking foreign tongues and to their physical features - similar to the development of the ancient Greek word _βάρβαρος_ (_bárbaros_) - "Barbarian".


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## Bienvenidos

The word "American" should *NOT *be used to describe someone that is SOLELY from the United States. If I were to ask you where you were from, and you were to say America, I would be confused. That's not a clear answer. People from Costa Rica are Americans. Argentinians are Americans. Canadians are Americans. Brazilians are Americans. An "American" is someone from the "Americas." It's selfish to say that only people from the *United States of America *are *Americans *because that's not true. 

*People from the United States of America are Americans, but not all Americans are from the United States.

*It does frustrate me when people "guard" the term America as a "definite term" to describe people from the United States. There's a Central and South America, too, and you're sharing North America with Canada and Mexico. 

Anyway sorry for this rant, but we need to be "culturally accurate" when using adjectives.


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## Bienvenidos

*Just want to point out here that the intent of this thread was not to stir up emotion in any way, but to ascertain where the word is most commonly use; the discussion has grown and the etymology of the word as well as individual opinions have been presented. Discussion of the term is welcomed but let's not get worked up about anything here. 

"Gringo" is a single word. Nine times out of ten, it is not used in an extremely negative manner, and let's not pretend that the United States doesn't use terms (many of which are much more offensive than gringo will ever be) when describing groups of people. Just stick to this philosophy:

Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me. 
*


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## belén

Thanks Bienvenido for trying to put some order here.

As the original question was:



Bienvenidos said:


> I don't mean to be offensive, but in Venezuela this is the "argot" term for the United States. Is it understood anywhere else in the Spanish-speaking world?
> 
> Gracias



and it has been answered and there are other threads that deal with the subjects:

Gringo
Americans are from the whole continent of America etc

Please refer to that threads for future discussions, this one is now closed.

Thanks
Belén


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