Question/suggestion of a Newbie

Ieesha

New member
Oct 27, 2005
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Hi Everyone! I'm new to the forum. I visited the Punta Cana for a 3 night excursion back in January 2005 to celebrate my friend's birthday and absolutely fell in LOVE with the island, the culture, the people (what little bit I did get to see while trying to escape the resort). I wasn't able to get the Santo Domingo excursion...this is one of my life's greatest regrets. As an African American female it is amazing to me to see people who are of African decent myself who possess a totally different culture. Being immersed in their culture made me realize that I remembered more espanol than I originally thought. I've even contemplated moving there...my husband isn't feelin it tho.

My suggestion is this:
I've noticed that there are quite a few Spanish speakers on here who live in the DR and are familiar with Spanish and DR slang. I looked everywhere, but could not find a GLOSSARY on the website for unfamiliar words. There was a thread that I saw on here last week that mentioned words and their meanings, but I think that a GLOSSARY of popular Spanish words and slang would be helpful for those of us trying to eventually be able to be conversational in their Spanish.

My Question:
What exactly is a GRINGO? Is it someone who appears to be of European decent. Or someone who looks like anybody but doesn't speak the Language (Spanish)?
 

A.J.

New member
Jan 2, 2002
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Gringo usually refers to whites from the US. Using the phrase european descent can get a little confusing here, since there are alot of europeans of of course european descent - so stick with the old basic of white people.

If you check the archives you will find both discussion on the term Gringo and on slang including definitions. There are many words which are considered Dominican slang not spoken in other countries, so the dictionary would be pretty long.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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Look in DR1's Spanish 101 forum - there are a couple of threads full of what you're looking for. One is called 'El Espanol de Santo Domingo' and there are others.
 

Marcus

New member
Mar 13, 2002
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I found this online. I am sure there are other versions.

Word History: In Latin America the word gringo is an offensive term for a foreigner, particularly an American or English person. But the word existed in Spanish before this particular sense came into being. In fact, gringo may be an alteration of the word griego, the Spanish development of Latin Graecus, "Greek." Griego first meant "Greek, Grecian," as an adjective and "Greek, Greek language," as a noun. The saying "It's Greek to me" exists in Spanish, as it does in English, and helps us understand why griego came to mean "unintelligible language" and perhaps, by further extension of this idea, "stranger, that is, one who speaks a foreign language." The altered form gringo lost touch with Greek but has the senses "unintelligible language," "foreigner, especially an English person," and in Latin America, "North American or Britisher." Its first recorded English use (1849) is in John Woodhouse Audubon's Western Journal: "We were hooted and shouted at as we passed through, and called 'Gringoes.'"
 
L

LarrySpencer

Guest
Ieesha,

Before you make any long term plans, I would suggest that your really come out and stay for a while longer. Yes, it is definately a great place to live, but can also be one of the most difficult ways to live if you are not completly prepared for the lifestyle. Being "immersed" in the sulture will take much longer than a three-day whirlwind jaunt.

If you don't know Spanish yet, take a college course, or get some books, and surround yourself with friends who speak Spanish so that you will really be able to get a true idea of how things are when you are here.