Hi y'all,

I've been interested in a number of American terms but I am dissatisfied with their given definitions. There seem to be so many different variations. Can anyone offer me some better explanations of how they emanated??

Two in particular:

Main Entry: grin·go
Pronunciation: 'gri[ng]-(")gO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural gringos
Etymology: Spanish, alteration of griego Greek, stranger, from Latin
Graecus Greek
Date: 1849
often disparaging : a foreigner in Spain or Latin America especially
when of English or American origin; broadly : a non-Hispanic person

This is interesting because I have heard the legend that the cowboys of texas sang a song called 'green grows the grass of .........' and the mexicans picked it up as 'gringos'. The definition above sounds more plausible but I am in two minds as to which version to accept.


Main Entry: Dix·ie
Pronunciation: 'dik-sE
Function: noun
Etymology: name for the Southern states in the song Dixie (1859) by
Daniel D. Emmett
Date: 1859
: the Southern states of the U.S.

Okay. I know the song and it makes sense that it was adopted by the Southerners particularly at that volatile time in US history. But where did the word 'Dixie' come from???? My educated guess would be that it has something to do with the Mason-Dixon line. Am I right?? Does anyone truly know?

I look forward to your comments......

Rubrick