An ugly word

[Steelyeyes]

They must love you. It means dumbass. I've heard them using it among the guys more than once.

It also means badass, dude, or bastard depending on the situation. It's really the word for male goat.

 

[Steelyeyes]

It is fun how the same word, Gringo in this case, can vary so wildly in its positive-negative attribution.
Here in Italy the name Gringo is associated with a very positive character, featuring the "macho" gunman in a series of TV spots of the sixties and seventies.
The spots were promoting canned meat, branded Montana.
No one consider an offense to be called "Gringo" here in Italy.
Instead it is an appellative meaning you are a tough guy, as the character in the TV spots...
Even if these TV spots are not aired since almost 50 years, people here continues saying "hey, Gringo" as an appreciaton to a guy looking smart and fit...
Here a couple of these TV spots on Youtube:

I spent some time on a train between Oristano and Olbia on Sardinia (Sardegna) some of it held up by sheep crossing the tracks for 45 minutes. Looking out the window I kept having flashbacks to all of the Clint Eastwood western movies I'd seen as a kid.

 

[falcon125]

Gringo and Proud.
YMMV

 

[Hank49]

Wonder if maybe the reason they are judging it as inferior is because they keep getting called gringo while their down there..

Can’t imagine blacks in America were all the chuffed to bits with the American way of life when they were being called N***** on the reg.

Well, that was San Pedro, which has more Spanish speaking folks than down in southern Belize.
Dangriga and Hopkins....Seine Byte...have more Garifuna, Mayan and Creole folks. Expats have been known to complain about loud music during customary holidays (the Easter party in Placencia) etc. Point being, this is Belize. Deal with it.

 

[flyboy08]

If you really want to know how to truly deal with this PC ****, watch some George Carlin specials

He's a genius.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

They must love you. It means dumbass. I've heard them using it among the guys more than once.

Lol, I know what it means, through I've been told it translates more to a$$hole.

 

[Doctor Rig]

Interesting dialog, brings to light a number of thoughts!

My immediate response to hearing “Gringo” called a “racial slur” brings to mind political correctness which is so prevalent today and is a complete turn-off. On the flip side, I do agree Gringo could be considered a sign of disrespect, but to what degree depends on the context of use.

If one is a visitor to another country and unfamiliar and careless about the countries culture and customs then you are being disrespectful. If extreme, one should not be surprised with a disrespectful response in return....including being called Gringo. If one worked in the service industry and had to constantly deal with pushy disrespectful visitors everyday, then some kind of disrespectful label (like Gringo) for those visitors would be a natural and not unexpected response. No matter what, if you are a visitor get over the use of these labels and enjoy being a visitor... go diving!