Nicknames for Foreigners - Gringo, Farang, etc.

Replies: 42 - Last Post: 04-May-2008 05:04 Last Post By: raymundlully

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shantidude

31-Oct-2007 07:41
Posts: 43

Nicknames for Foreigners - Gringo, Farang, etc.

So, what have you been called while traveling? Any idea where the nickname comes from?

I'll start with a couple of the better-known ones:

Farang - Thailand/Laos: From Farang Seht, the Thai pronunciation of Francais. The first Europeans to arrive in big numbers were the French.

Gringo - Latin America: When US soldiers invaded Mexico in the Mexican/American War, the song "Green Grow the Lilacs, Red, White and Blue," was popluar. The Mexicans heard, "green grow," and started calling them Gringos.

Who's got more?

Official Sergeant at Arms, The League of Gentlemen Adventurers, San Diego Chapter
Quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu.

Atocha

31-Oct-2007 09:59
Posts: 122

Once in the Italian Alps we were called 'Tedesci' which is Italian for Germans. Tone was hostile. They were mortified to find we were Americans, apologized all over the place.

LiVaCo

31-Oct-2007 13:13
Posts: 242

In West Africa, "toubob" and in East Africa "wazungu".

Both are, I believe, specifically terms for white foreigners. I know "wazungu" is swahili, but I don't know any story behind its origin.

I've heard that "toubob" came from "two bob" as in two shillings.

Napenda kusafiri

Doc_Sarvis

01-Nov-2007 08:29
Posts: 1,301

Once in Brussels a friend and I sat down to order a drink from the bar at a restaurant that was about 50% full. After we placed the order we were told that they were closed and we would have to leave. Looking at eachother and the bartender with blank faces we got up and made our way out of the restaurant. As we were leaving we were laughed at and called "Typical Americans". To this day (7 years later) I still have no idea what that was about....

Oweena

02-Nov-2007 08:02
Posts: 2,015

Haole is what non-locals are called in Hawaii.

I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them.

VinnyD

02-Nov-2007 15:32
Posts: 22,735

OP, that story about the etymology of gringo is pretty doubtful.

And while it's true that the French had extensive early contact with Siam, farang most likely comes from Arabic, which used it for Frank, perhaps through Persian, perhaps directly.

Meet VinnyD.

elbosqueterno

03-Nov-2007 20:06
Posts: 130

"Machita" is Costa Rica, referring to white-skinned females.

"Guera" (with a dieresissp? over the u, in Mexico. Same meaning as machita.

Both were employed by random men on the street, often in combination with "compliments" or requests for sexual acts.

micvan

04-Nov-2007 08:50
Posts: 1,073

In cree the term for whiteys is monyass.

julgran

04-Nov-2007 12:08
Posts: 126

In Madagascar "vazaha" is shouted in a friendly way (means foreigner/white person).

traveller

Usher73

04-Nov-2007 13:12
Posts: 2,195

"yankees" are considered to be especially annoying travelers in some parts of the southern USA, and in Boston.

The origins of the term are uncertain.

Joell

04-Nov-2007 14:18
Posts: 7,759

In Nicaragua, we were called Chele...

They said it meant Whitey from the word Leche (milk) spelled backwards.

There are plenty of ways to stir shit up that don't put the ol' noggin in jeopardy. - Msdanarae

CheersTerry

05-Nov-2007 07:55
Posts: 6,475

In Cuba a white foreigner, in particular an American, is called a Yuma. The term comes from the Glenn Ford classic western, 3:10 to Yuma.

Cheers,
Terry

Kerouac2

05-Nov-2007 10:35
Posts: 5,583

It is always interesting when names are based on the food that the foreigners reputedly eat. Two of the old disused pejorative names formerly common in France concerned the British ("les rosbifs") and the Italians ("les macaronis").

This is akin to Americans calling the Germans "krauts".

*http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com*

Jeraboa

05-Nov-2007 13:36
Posts: 436

In Ethiopia your called Faranji, and where ever you go you'll here it in chorus from small children "faranji, faranji, money, money, you,you,you". Habishat is a fun response it's Amhara for Ethiopian.

keoni

06-Nov-2007 09:39
Posts: 28

Ghana the traveller is called "Obruni" one who has travelled.

Web Site www.makaiohana.com International travel videos http://current.com/people/MakaiOhana

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