Etymology, Contemporary Usage and Intercultural Implications of The Word: Gringo

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ETYMOLOGY,!CONTEMPORARY!USAGE!AND!INTERCULTURAL!IMPLICATIONS!OF! THE!WORD:!GRINGO! !
_____________________________________________________________________________! A!Thesis! Presented!to!the!Faculty!in!Communication!and!Leadership!Studies! School!of!Professional!Studies! Gonzaga!University! ______________________________________________________________________________! Under!the!Supervision!and!Mentorship!of!David!Givens! Intercultural!Communication! ______________________________________________________________________________! In!Partial!Fulfillment! Of!the!Requirements!for!the!Degree! Master!of!Arts!in!Communication!and!Leadership!Studies! ______________________________________________________________________________! By! Jaren!Scott! May!12,!2012!
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! Abstract
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This thesis examines intercultural perceptions between Americans and Mexicans, and the etymology/implications of the term gringo. Whereas most investigations have focused on the Hispanic experience within the United States, this research asks participants to create a cultural casting of the typical gringo. Historical events combined with current academic literature in intercultural communication theory examine these stereotypes and their implications in a rapidly merging, or mutually integrating society, consisting of the United States and Mexico. The thesis surveys modern Mexican attitudes in regards to their North American neighbors with emphasis on Stella TingToomeys identify negotiation and face theories. More importantly, the study focuses on the etymology, historical usage and modern implications the word gringo entails in todays modern Mexico.
4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Background of Study Statement of Problem Primary Research Questions Theoretical Basis Organization of Research Purpose of the Study Definition of Terms CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Introduction to Literature Theories and Hypotheses Theoretical Basis Rationale CHAPTER 3: SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY Introduction Design Sample Instrumentation Ethical Considerations and Procedure Strengths and Limitations CHAPTER 4: THE STUDY Results Discussion CHAPTER 5: SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS Limitations of Study Further Areas of Study Discussion Recommendations Conclusion References Appendix: Survey Results 3 5 5 7 8 8 9 9 10 11 11 12 16 22 25 25 25 26 26 27 28 30 30 31 38 38 38 39 40 42 43 46
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Mexicans are acutely aware of the many North American stereotypes used to describe them and in return, do not hesitate to return the favor due to the perceived differences in displaying cultural values regarding issues such as environmental
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protection, common courtesy for others and conducting business in an ethical manner. In fact, when inquiring into alleged ethical violations exempli gratis corruption, stemming from my own cultural relativism, I have received a fair amount of hostility. Through a constant attempt to gain a sense of how to view the other, I set out to research the struggles of North American residents, business people and tourists in Mexico. In doing so, I failed to find any substantial existing research regarding the Mexican attitude toward their North American neighbor. Background of Study Let me preface this thesis with some of the personal experiences I have had in Mexico. I work in Mexico as a language and culture consultant providing English instruction to corporate clients in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Furthermore, I have gained aspects aggregating their perspectives from three primary sources: the Mexican University system, the Mexican business paradigm and the ethnic colloquial perspective of the population. Qualitative evidence was collected from the Mexican University system, under which I spent two years as a direct undergraduate exchange student. More qualitative research has since been conducted while practicing business in Mexico within various organizations over a four-year span. These experiences form the foundation and intercultural relevancy from which I conducted the research concluding this thesis. During my student exchange I can state that I was unequivocally spoiled in
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G !
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Mexico. Aside from the clearly amazing cuisine, climate, customs and culture, I was also introduced to a world where friendship seemed to supersede finance, respect trumped revenue, and surprisingly for a predominantly Catholic society, where religion had been given the backseat to reason. As a bonus, I was granted an all access pass to 500+ years of Hispanic and Pre-Hispanic culture through fine art, literature, music, philosophy, and politics. This allowed me to interact with the breathtaking natural beauty and experience the oral tradition that still has quite the stronghold in this charming society. The modernized, highly educated Mexican elite instructed me in the ways of business, science, and finance while the Mayan descendants of the Lacandon Jungle showed me a new way to transcend my consciousness and view life in completely different terms. When I began my business abroad, I immediately began to notice organizational traits that might be bothersome to the common gringo. Viewing the experience from a US American cultural lens, I observed a personal perception of the lack of organizational structure, human resource administration or general accountability in many Mexicanowned companies. To this day I still find myself occasionally quarreling with the intercultural workplace discrepancies stemming from violations between my own expectations and those of Mexican professional society. I have witnessed management structures actually let contracts fall apart and projects fail due to the refusal to provide previously agreed upon services, respect contractual obligations and encourage subordinates to participate in company processes. Based on the cultural expectations of myself and other extranjeros in the workplace, the following is a list of office complaints from outside cultural observers, most likely in the negotiation phase of culture shock: People do not show up for
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! meetings, lack certain degrees of professionalism, quit unexpectedly or undermine given tasks, and company leadership is often non-participatory in addressing workplace
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concerns. As far as communication habits are concerned, most are exclusively one-way. Oftentimes, e-mails and phone calls are never returned and instructions not followed, with many workplace organizations executing the blame game as standard practice in lieu of identifying and resolving issues. Now, this thesis does not intend to generalize or support any North American ethnocentrism, sense of authority or subjective supremacy in regards to the Mexican culture in any way. Rather, the inclusion of the aforementioned cultural complaints serve to introduce the various attitudes toward the other to begin the conversation as to why it so difficult for some gringos to function south of the border. Statement of Problem In my profession, we pride ourselves on appropriately pairing our clients with North American professional counterparts, or languacultural consultants. Not only do we expect our instructors to impart their linguistic/industry specific knowledge, they must also serve as social ambassadors and mediators to our Mexican clientele. Due to differing communication styles between the two cultures, clients often complain about the manner in which instructors present information, or have general issues in terms of class content. My hope is that the information uncovered during the study will help identify, resolve and mitigate future communication conflict while offering solid solutions such as the implementation of face-negotiation and feedback to facilitate the intercultural communication process between these two cultural value systems. Based on years of being an active participant the target culture, I do feel as though I have gained a valuable bit of insight into understanding the Mexican worldview and
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! what motivates how people think, feel, and behave. I am also well aware of the
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numerous stereotypes and opinions most Americans have regarding their neighbors to the south. However, aside from the occasional questions of Why do gringos? I really have not been presented with a strong case illustrative of how Mexicans view the everyday gringo. With more and more Americans moving to Mexico, and with many Mexicans opting for life in the north, I am concerned that unfriendly attitudes will only increase unless gringos become fully aware of what being labeled as such truly entails. Furthermore, I would like to study the origins of the gringo stereotype, how it entered and evolved in Mexican society, and the role the term plays today. Primary Research Questions How does the average Mexican define the term gringo? What general cultural connotations (positive and negative) are ascribed to gringos? How are gringos perceived as harboring assumed attitudes of superiority over Mexicans? Theoretical Basis Stella Ting-Toomey is a well-known and respected theorist and researcher in the field of Intercultural Communication. A brief overview of Ting-Toomeys background provides prevailing theories and academic contributions to communication studies, demonstrating her importance in an area that is continually expanding as it rides on the wave of globalization. Ting-Toomey explains how she decided to become a communicator due to her frustrations with an ethnocentric bias in the body of academic literature available at the time. I find a current bias in that: communication research concerning Hispanic populations appears to only focus on the perspective from those residing outside of their home countries, with these people typically portrayed as
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! disenfranchised. The theoretical foundation of my thesis focuses on Ting-Toomeys
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notion of facework and mindfulness. These are derived from her leading theories of face and identity negotiation in cross-cultural communication. The changing appearance of the global landscape makes the dynamics of the cross-cultural communication context ever so important. Stella-Ting Toomey (1992) explained that nearly 40% of US managers sent overseas achieve complete failure and return home prematurely (p. 2). Toomey investigated why this is occurring and most importantly, how it can be remedied. In analyzing the theories of researchers, it is important to first examine their background, contributions to the field of study and an overview of their bibliographical history. Organization of Research Since the topic is not necessarily rich with primary research, I compiled much of the data myself. I employed a mixed survey method instructing survey participants to rank agreeability of certain statement on a 5-point scale, as well as provided a qualitative ethnographic interpretation of the results. Luckily most were quite candid in sharing their true sentiments, often without invitation, as to how they felt about foreigners. However, I found it much easier to recruit the help of a former academic colleague from Mexico in order to ensure the delivery of my prompts did not provoke a potential researcher bias. Purpose of the Study The study stems from the fact that I constantly manage teachers, trainers and intercultural communicators within my cultural consulting company in Mexico. We also deal extensively in the assistance of many expatriates residing in the area. All of our instructors are Americans and Canadians that have lived and worked in Mexico for a
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! minimum of one year, possessing at least basic or conversational Spanish skills. These trainers deal with Mexican business professionals seeking industry-specific English
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knowledge such as interview preparation, sales pitches and telephone practice, as well as general language study and translation services among other areas. The results obtained from the study will guide training programs to current employees and future new-hires of how to remain mindful of issues regarding intercultural sensitivity while providing a cultural frame of reference for the other. Definition of Terms Per results of the study, as we will examine later, the term gringo was reportedly derived from Mexicans yelling green go at United States soldiers in Mexico during the Mexican-American War a command for the unwanted invaders dressed in green to go home. It is important to note that the term exists elsewhere in the Spanish (and Portuguese) languages and is often used to denote any foreigner in other Latin American regions. In this study the term will refer to the use of the term in Mexican and American dialects of Spanish and English. Although the term is occasionally used in the pejorative sense, for the sake of this study it is not. American, as understood in United States English, denotes a North American from the United States. Although having varying meanings throughout the Spanish speaking population, the traditional American English definition is now most common in Mexican and US Spanish. Note: In Mexico the term America refers to the single landmass in the Western Hemisphere what people from the United States would understand as the separate continents of North and South America.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Chapter 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
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Because different groups have different histories, different religious beliefs, and different circumstances in which they must survive, they have developed different conceptions of what is a true harm and what is a true benefit for them. What is right for me may not be right for you, and vice versa (Wall, T., 2003, p. 21). General human nature leads folks to believe that their way of doing things is the right way. This follows the paradox that different ethical systems define the good and the bad differently, which confounds any strict evaluation of the ethics of an individual at any given developmental stage (Lichtenstein et al., 1995, p. 98). Nobody should discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation [in select geopolitical regions], physical or mental impairment that limits a major life activity, or any other non-merit factor (Gonzaga EEO Policy, 2010). But is it not discriminating to disregard the way in which people make sense of information? This literature review examines common perceptions held between Mexicans and Americans toward one another, setting the stage for bridging the differences and understanding their crossborder counterparts. In order to come to this conclusion, political-correctness has to be put aside slightly in order to delve into the true perceptions of the aforementioned cultures toward one another. The aim of this study is to expose Mexican attitudes toward gringos and provide the instruments necessary for Americans to prevent falling into negative cast stereotypes when venturing into Mexico.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Theories and Hypotheses Mexico vs. US Organizations are made up of coalitions composed of individuals and interest groups who differ in their values, preferences, beliefs, information and perceptions of reality (Carey, 2011, p. 25). In Mexico regional differences are vast and the ways in which members of these regional cultures differ are so grand that many consider their
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own paisanos or fellow countrymen to be of foreign status. Mexico has a ripe history of corruption, genocide, political instability and a de facto societal stratification that, arguably, could challenge the classic caste system of India. Mexicans consider themselves historically oppressed by Anglos, with modern indigenous peoples still falling victim to discrimination and injustice handed down from Mexicos European descendants. Being diversely cast as victims, troublemakers or downtrodden serves as a sad reminder of the disdain and lack of awareness that contemporary Mexico holds for its many peoples (Terborg, Landa & Moore, 2006, p. 438). Cultural ambassadors are often advised to be extremely vigilant over what they say and how they say it due to many Mexicans perceived presence of prejudices and stereotypes unfairly placed upon their country from the United States. In this situation, where cultural backgrounds may reflect a general or supposed power/influence imbalance, it is imperative that ways to advocate clear and consistent goals are found. Doing so allows clients and instructors to share a collective method of achievement without either party becoming offended from face threats. Mexican culture places high value upon hierarchies, structures of influence and interpersonal relationships with much lesser value on the adherence to written policies
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! and procedures. Mexicans consider Americans to be very impatient. This sense of impatience is often a response to many, comparatively speaking, differences in certain expectations and the frequent violation of such. In dealing with these vast societal
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differences, it is often difficult for many gringos to function without letting tempers flair. After adding the semi-turbulent political environment, sometimes lacking or poorly maintained infrastructure and what can be perceived as the conflicting notions and demonstration of honesty and morality patience becomes the Americans absolute key to survival south of the border. Americans tend to have an extremely tough time adapting to general informality, an informality that draws many full-time expatriates looking for a relaxed attitude on life. When living in Mexico, it is not uncommon for Americans to become too comfortable and fail to fulfill strict expectations of personal appearance, presentation and even hygiene while also adhering to the bold hierarchy in social, gender, and racial relations. Bolman & Deal (2008) emphasized survival as the key aim or primary task facing any organization (p. 65). This often leads to playing the dual role of foreigners realigning their cultural behaviors to satisfy host expectations while simultaneously rejecting local ethical violations (such as the denial of basic human rights or freedom of speech) in doing so. Mexicans are often very capricious over things that other cultures may consider non-issues all while neglecting what others might deem organizational, societal and cultural problems. Operating under a traditional authoritative society, workers often feel threatened and find it difficult to challenge higher-ups (Conrad & Poole, 2005, p. 111). Many Americans murmur that they find it very challenging to receive honest and open
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feedback, positive or negative, pertaining to the perceived nature of their communication styles. It may be possible to suggest that some Mexicans view gringos as higher-ups due to the more aggressive and direct nature in which Americans tend to communicate, not to mention the perception that Americans have historically victimized their neighbors to the south. With this being said, living and working in Mexico entails deliberate mitigation and prevention of constant complaint and criticism incurred during daily life as a foreigner. Zhao & Parks (1995) discovered the devastating effects that have been seen as a result of executing the traditional task-oriented management systems, which treat employees with a lack of respect and empathy. These organizational communication styles often parallel the perceptions of viewing gringos as victimizers. Hierarchical structures, although productive from a results/returns standpoint, often result in many feeling bullied. The sentiment of ill treatment is often amplified when combined with intercultural communication dissonance. Linguistic Considerations The biggest challenge present in the inter-linguistic environment is that of communication or cultural dissonance, which inevitably occurs to an extent between any dissimilar groups of people. Zamborlin (2007) places a specific focus on the potential consequences of a speaker's inadequate linguistic, sociolinguistic, or pragmatic competence by examining six utterances occurring in six separate intercultural encounters. Results found the exhibition of many nonverbal instances of communication dissonance, such as the perception of politeness or the lack thereof. With English language instruction being a massive market in Mexico and highly
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! desirable for career advancement, Whorf (1940) presents the challenge of developing
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new realities that come along with linguistic instruction. Although considered outdated, the hypothesis made a solid statement in its time of how language shapes reality: We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native languages. The categories and types that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not find there <span> we cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement to organize this way an agreement that holds throughout our speech community and is codified in the patterns of our language (Whorf, 1940). In assessing foreign speakers of English, Phan Le Ha (2009) described international students as having suffered from negative stereotyping associated with their origins and use of the local language (p. 203). Coates (2004) noted that international students remain the foreigner and the stranger. With many US-based companies outsourcing services and production, the demand for English speakers abroad is increasing exponentially. In these environments, many non-native Anglophones are made to feel like outsiders in their own lands due to inadequacy of the English language proficiency required to make a living. Also to be taken into account are the effects of English instructors perceived prejudices, stereotypes and attitudes toward those on the receiving end of the educational process. Narratives play a significant role in acts of communication consumption, allowing consumers to understand, structure, and share their experiences. Stories can powerfully affect realities, such as when consumers share a tale of an exciting journey, performance, or religious experience (Muiz, 2005, p. 738). Those involved in the corporate
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environment share a number of similar stories, which fall into numerous categories. For example, most true brand fans harbor a knowledgeable account of their favorite companys founding, history, culture and current happenings. Others recant their first encounter with a certain product or speak with amazement about how their selection is simply superior. Another major cornerstone of any brand following is to identify with a common culture, which is also achieved in a narrative nature. Janssen and Murachver (2004) presented the idea of defining culture by language through studying the use of language and its reflection of attitudes toward gender. Culture influences communication and communication reinforces/reshapes culture (Martin J., & Nakayama, T., 2007). For this specific study, it was important to investigate how gender fits into a lexical scheme. Gender roles become clear in the writings of college students exclaimed Janssen and Murachver (2004). In their study, college students were assigned a different topic to write about, either socioemotional/descriptive, functional, or one involving a political issue. Even in writing, which is slower than speech and allows for more thought and revision, perception of these gender roles became clear. More female-role styles were used in the socioemotional/descriptive topics, and more male-role styles were used in the topics about a political issue. Female-role styles tended to revolve around I feel statements, whereas the male-role styles were more direct, I think speech types. Theoretical Basis Facework and Languaculture As native English speakers or sojourners adjust to life outside of their homelands, some of their cultural coping mechanisms may be interpreted as rudeness.
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As suggested by Pitts (2006), specifically nine types of talk are used across the sojourn: advice, superficial/introductory talk, information sharing, comparison, humor, story telling, gossip, complaint, and supportive talk (p.1). Although humorous comparisons and the occasional complaining often serve as a culture shock coping mechanism, members of the host culture tend to view the behavior as threatening, offensive, and rude. Researchers still investigate methods of reducing intercultural conflict that may arise through the presence of incompatible culture communication standards and dissonance. Stella Ting-Toomey is most prominently known for her research in the field of Intercultural Communication with its emphasis on culture, context and culture shock. She addresses the notion that effective identity negotiation revolves around cultural and personal identity validation issues (Ting-Toomey, 1986, p. 78). Her body of research throughout her academic career places importance on cultural values and how they influence language usage and context issues. She is noted for her contribution to communication by contributing the term languaculture and introducing the concept of face theory to the academic field of study. In an attempt to discover the true background of Stella Ting-Toomey and hoping to encounter exactly when and where she discovered her passion for Intercultural Communication, a transcript of an interview conducted by Maria Luisa Perez Caado was reviewed. In the interview, Ting-Toomey explained how she was born and raised in Hong Kong and first experienced communication in an international context while studying abroad in the United States. She began her voyage as a sojourner a term used favorably by Toomey in the year 1972. Undergoing the effects of culture shock, she
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was driven to be curious about the cultural differences, similarities and communication style issues (Caado, 2006). Her first bout of culture shock occurred once she was transplanted from the cosmopolitan Hong Kong to the small community of Iowa City. Susan Rendirle (2002) suggests Ting-Toomey is unique since most researchers in her field are born and bred US Americans who first experienced culture shock and otherness outside of the US. In TingToomeys case, she underwent the same ordeal in the reverse order, offering insight into the US as being odd and experiencing it as something different from her cultural norm. From the initial experience of undergoing culture shock and experiencing its powerful effects for the first time, Ting-Toomey decided to dedicate her career to the study of intercultural communication. She is affectionately known by Rinderle (2002) as one of the most prominent theorists in the field and continues in her assessment of Ting-Toomey as a credible researcher, citing her as a prolific author, professor at California State University at Fullerton (CSUF), partner in a twenty-five year intercultural marriage and mother to a biracial child. Ting-Toomey is renowned for the introduction of her brainchild, face and identity -negotiation theories, accompanied by many identity dialects and themes. She has also introduced numerous terms to the field of intercultural communication. Although in agreement with language shaping reality, in Caados 2006 interview, Ting-Toomey exclaimed it would be very sad if human language shaped our thinking process, believing that humans are much more imaginative than the Whorf hypothesis gives credit. Furthermore, they are entirely capable of moving beyond Stan Deetz culture-centric lenses to empathize and try to understand other cultures.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Ting-Toomey defined the term face as a persons image in an interactional situation with the notion of facework describing the management of face concerns and
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face needs in interaction (Caado, 2006). Ting-Toomey introduced influencing factors outlining the role and attributes of cultures that determine the management of facework. As explained in Griffens A First Look at Communication Theory (2006), Ting-Toomey established four dimensions of organizational management practices when observing, analyzing, and negotiating with the self. The knowledge of cultural traits in regards to individualism-collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and the function of masculinity versus femininity were suggested to help sojourners adequately adapt their communication styles to local standards. Identify-Negotiation Theory One of her most well cited works is the Identity-Negotiation Theory. Developed in 1986, Ting-Toomey addressed the notion that effective identity negotiation revolves around cultural and personal identity validation issues (Ting-Toomey, 1986). TingToomey (1993) also introduced five identity dialectics themes and ten core assumptions with the five boundary-crossing themes. According to Ting-Toomey (2008), these identities are the basic building blocks of the identity negotiation theory, which is a fundamental theory in cross-cultural communication: 1.) Identity security-vulnerability This is the primary dialectic of human existence, referring to the theme of identity challenge and stretch. Humans seek acceptance and the prevention of shame.
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2.) Identity inclusion-differentiation Serves as the theme of group membership communication. Individuals like to feel included when there is communal group relationship involved. 3.) Identity predictability-unpredictability Process of prescriptive and predictive expectancy derived via the familiarity or unfamiliarity of a culture. 4.) Identity connection-autonomy Reaching out for connection with others in order to develop identity security and form a deep connection with a culture. 5.) Identity consistency-change Takes into account eight identity domains in influencing everyday interactions and how people must grapple with the personal meaning of behavior they are producing. Identity negotiation produces the idea of navigating between different personas or faces depending on the communication context. Humans have a tendency to crave acceptance and emotional security. Therefore, in an attempt to ward off un-acceptance and emotional insecurity, most devise a method of adapting to the cultural communication norms necessary to prevent being labeled as outsiders. This theory is essential in presenting its central issues such as face saving, face losing, and face honoring which resonate with diverse ethnic groups and cultural groups on a global level (Rinderle, 2002). Closely related to her notion of identity negotiation is her second most recognized theory of face-negotiation. The study of facework examined the motivators behind selecting identity-negotiation strategies rather than the whys behind the issues. TingToomey introduced influencing factors such as defining the role and attributes of cultures that determine the management of facework. As explained in Griffens 2006 A First
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Look at Communication Theory, Ting-Toomey established four dimensions of organizational management practices when observing, analyzing, and negotiating with the self: 1.) Individualism-collectivism Refers to organizational practices within
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individualistic cultures such as the US, Australia and Great Britain contrasted with collectivistic societies such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore. 2.) Power distance Describes how the US subscribes to equal power distribution verses the high power distance of East Asian cultures, which prefer the adherence to hierarchical structures. 3.) Uncertainty avoidance Cultures such as Japan do not like conflict and pursue group harmony. East Asian cultures are high in uncertainty avoidance in contrast to the US, where folks like to take risks and individual initiative while seeking conflict. 4.) Masculinity versus femininity The most controversial dimension due to its arguably sexist nature. Japan rates high on the masculine dimension, placing males in charge. On the other end of the spectrum, countries such as Norway and Sweden have much stronger feminine dimensions, meaning that roles are more fluid amongst the sexes. Ting-Toomey continues to use the above criteria in order to examine face saving techniques employed by groups and organizations that communicate within an intercultural context. Her theories have been used by everyone from corporations attempting to stimulate overseas growth to academic personnel interacting with exchange students and even bi-cultural couples seeking to accustom to a new romantic roles. She
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has achieved spreading her academic influence through many literary works, interviews, seminars, lectures, committee positions and contributions to peer reviewed journals. Ting-Toomey is a long-standing proponent of removing ethno-centricity and bias from research. While undergoing her Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Washington, she found research to be extremely biased towards the individualistic Western way of managing intimate conflict (Rinderle, 2002). She felt as though she could not identify with the current body of research and used this dissatisfaction to drive and develop new theories. In this sense, I agree that available academic sources tend to depict Americans as villains with non-Anglos assuming the victim role. Ting-Toomey also coined the term mindfulness, which will be a recurring theme throughout this paper, referring to actively removing bias from communication and research. Rationale Poole and Conrad (2005) stated that successful organizations encourage employees to identify (p. 161). On the same note, for one to truly feel a part of society, they must be able to identify as an insider. But what occurs when expatriates call a society that will never see them as included members their home? Carey (2011) positioned that organizations must allow for authentic relationships to foster as well as the chance for an individual to demonstrate self-efficacy and full actualization of potential (p. 10). In order to become a bona fide member of society, the biggest task is merely procuring the tools necessary for expatriates and their hosts to form a mutual understanding. Zhao and Parks (1995) advocated the need to develop innovation techniques in order to prevent communication failure in the intercultural context. The authors
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! expressed the need to stray away from the task-oriented attitude and opt for the
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relationship-oriented communication management style. However, in the development of a relationship-based communication exchange, there are also notions that should be taken into account to avoid the possibility of offending another and preventing the relationship from being forged in the first place. According to Aristotle, one has to think of oneself as a member of the larger community (Solomon, 1992, p. 322), while embracing the hypo-critical self (Johnson, 2007, p. 51). Keith Merron believed that what differentiates a masterful consultant from others is the ability to "feel the situation and the ability to effectively meet the moment (Gallos, 2006, p.374). "The central premise of source credibility is that people we view as trusted experts will be much more effective in their attempts to persuade us than sources we distrust or regard as incompetent" (Griffin, 2009, p. 14). A great consultant knows that he will not produce the change, but rather, will be the facilitator of the change producing process (Gallos, 2006). Bolman & Deal (2008) emphasized, survival as the key aim or primary task facing any organization (p. 65). Credibility is a multidimensional construct focused on the believability of the source (Frymier & Thompson, 1992; McCroskey & Teven, 1999). A number of studies have established that credibility is instrumental for crafting instructional messages (McCroskey & Teven, 1999; McCroskey & Young, 1981). For feedback messages to be persuasive, an evaluative act requires some degree of expertise or knowledge that warrants the quality of the feedback. Two perceived trait dimensions of teacher credibility have particular relevance: 1. Competence credibility refers to a teacher that
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has expertise and is knowledgeable; and 2. Character credibility refers to perceptions of the instructors trustworthiness and honesty (McCroskey & Teven, 1999). In a case study dealing with the effective management of perceived face threats and its presence in the teacher-student relationship, Trees & Hess (2009) obtained results against a hypothesis stating students assessment of instructors attention to face concerns will positively predict students appraisal of feedback usefulness. Applying an 8-item Revised Instructional Face-Support (RIFS) scale, the researchers measured students perceptions of the positive and negative face support they received during instructional feedback from teachers. The study revealed that negative and positive instructional feedback was strongly correlated with teacher credibility and mitigation of face threats. Dong Q. Days (2008) survey of 419 young adults, in an attempt to gauge whether the presence of multiculturalism is an accurate predictor of potentially reducing ones ethnocentrism, declared that the ability to properly promote multiculturalism while reducing ethnocentrism is of high importance in ethnically/culturally diverse environments (p.2). The study also suggested that through the promotion of intercultural communication sensitivity and multiculturalism, critical measures may be developed to reduce ethnocentrism and eventually conflicts among intergroup interactions, which lead to the reduction of intercultural conflict.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Chapter 3 SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY Introduction There appears to be little question that the United States and Mexico often have
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strained relations and distorted perceptions of one another. Yet, they also remain two of the most important trading partners on the planet, being considered economic leaders of the English - and Spanish -speaking worlds, respectively. Through trade, migration, educational exchanges and technology aiding in a large import/export market of cultural artifacts, Mexicans and Americans are now in closer contact than ever. Nevertheless, these two countries are remarkably diverse and differ significantly from one another despite such close geographic proximity. In order for the two cultures and economies to flourish, it is of upmost importance that both understand the other. Due to the overwhelming influence of Mexican heritage in the United States, academic literature tends to exclusively reflect the Mexican narrative from within United States. This thesis examines the other side of the equation How Mexicans view the American migrant and the cultural stereotypes that affect the gringo visitor, expatriate, loyal tourist or passionate aficionado. Design The research unfolds along a multi-method design including both qualitative and quantitative elements. The goal here was to look for keywords in regards to attitudes towards North Americans and derive common themes amongst the Mexican perception of gringo culture and community. A simple survey method was used to examine the general sentiment and prevailing stereotypes towards the common gringo. The study also included an ethnographic interview in which the respondent was presented the results of
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! the survey in order to reflect upon its findings. Sample In order to effectively gauge recurring themes across a variety of populations in Mexico, a stratified sample of 20 people was employed. The sample included representatives of all socio-economic classes from Guadalajara and Mexico City. In
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order to be included in the test population, some subjectivity in the selection process was necessary, such as excluding the I love everything American and I hate everything gringo demographics. The survey contained two quality control questions to ensure that the aforementioned attitudes did not potentially skew the results. For example, many United States fanatics merely tout how anything American is superior and often identify themselves as being more American than Mexican, even if they have never stepped foot north of the Mexican border. And of course you have those on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. I ultimately chose to exclude any apparent bias of either sort. Instrumentation In conducting the data analysis a survey frequency scale examining the occurrence of the key words and themes was employed. Survey questions were designed to prompt commentary on gringos, with many responses falling into categories corresponding to traditional cultural differences described between United States and Mexican culture: structure, education, family, morality, sexuality, communication style, honesty, independence, work ethic, and the function of gender/race. The keywords and categories were selected based upon observation of continuous differences cited during my years of discussion, periods of personal instruction, interaction and negotiation with Mexican clients and American working professionals abroad.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Following the collection of survey data, a professional colleague and graduate student at the Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico (National Autonomous
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University of Mexico, or UNAM) was interviewed extensively and asked to analyze the results based on cultural assumptions toward his own people and the gringo. Respondents were instructed to provide answers addressing certain face concerns involved with the aforementioned criteria, if at all possible, falling along the lines of: individualism-collectivism, power distance relationships, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity versus femininity. The primary method of investigation applied in the interview portion was the ethnographic participant approach. During the study, survey-takers were continually reminded that many gringos consider themselves an equal part of Mexican society, in the same sense that many Mexican-Americans identify with their contributions to the United States while retaining a strong admiration for their cultural heritage. For the purpose of gaining quantitative insight, a 1-5 rating scale was used to measure general gringo stereotypes in society. Participants were encouraged to subjectively share positive and negative aspects of both US and Mexican societies. Ethical Considerations and Procedure Due to the very sensitive nature of Mexico-United States relations from a Mexican perspective, it was extremely necessary that the scope of the experiment be presented positively, prior to the solicitation to participate in the survey. It was made clear that the purpose of the study sought to foster stronger intercultural communication practices rather than further degrade specific cultural groups along stereotypical lines.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Strengths and Limitations The main strength of the design method was that controversial topics were touched upon under the correct conversational context. By reiterating the fact that the intent of the research was to bridge cultural gaps and increase mutual understanding, it was anticipated that participants would be much less likely to withhold authentic information. Survey participants included a carefully constructed list of selected individuals known through personal and/or professional relationships of mine, such as past professors, friends, clients, students and a percentage of random contestants. A major weakness of the sampling method was that it was not as thorough as multiple extended one-on-one interviews. This proved to be difficult in the data collection process as many reviews ended up being staunchly pro or anti-American, which seemed to stem from either extremely positive or negative subjective past
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experiences either in the US or with an American person. The digital distribution of the questionnaire also required participants, regardless of socio-economic class, to be at least familiar with basic computer use. This is a skill obtained by those that have received some education and does not necessarily encompass the massive segments of society that are tech or even completely illiterate. In examining themes regarding cultural perceptions, there was clearly going to be a slight presence of subjective bias in some of the reviews. This possibly occurred from how survey participants self identified or their level of patriotism. Another crucial fact to take into account is that Mexico is an extremely diverse country with numerous regional differences. With this being said, research conducted in Guadalajara, Jalisco and Mexico City, Federal District only reflected the attitudes of a very select subpopulation of
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Mexican society and did not necessarily portray the same picture for the entire country. Mexico does not possess an immigrant presence to the scale of the US. Due to the lack of centuries of mass world migration, Mexicans are very reluctant to bring an outsider inside. It is not uncommon for a foreigner to spend their entire life in Mexico, pay taxes, raise a family, learn the language and actively participate in society while still being considered an outsider. As a foreign researcher in a closed society, it must be taken into consideration that some participants perhaps chose to filter or withhold information during the survey/interview processes. In an attempt to prevent any possible researcher bias, I recruited local colleagues of mine to distribute the survey on my behalf.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Chapter 4: THE STUDY Results The study was conducted using an online surveying and data collection service. Local colleagues of mine distributed the survey to a target sample of 30 Mexicans in
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Guadalajara and Mexico City. Eventually the test sample ended up being reduced to 20, mostly due to some not completing the survey entirely. The selection criteria stated that participants had to be Mexican nationals who had not previously lived in the United States. Since the questionnaire was distributed online, I was afraid that this would limit results to those living in the appropriate socio-economic class to afford a computer. Fortunately I was able to convince a friend of mine to solicit answers from inside an internet caf in a low-income industrial area of Mexico City. All survey participants were afforded anonymity and instructed that they were taking place in an intercultural study based on Mexican perceptions of North Americans. Post survey, participants were instructed that the results would be analyzed and used for an American master students thesis and were offered the right to not submit their answers if they felt uncomfortable. The survey was conducted in two sections. The first five questions prompted participants to provide short answers regarding their perceptions of the gringo. The questions were intentionally left open in order to promote a wider range of responses. Despite the broadness of the questions, sufficient data was gathered to determine very strong themes present in the answers. The second section required survey takers to assign a 1-5 quantitative ranking following a series of statements pertaining to the topic. Finally, I recruited the help of a masters student at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with whom I had previously worked when dealing with intercultural
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! disputes. He served as my cultural lens by interpreting and analyzing the data from a Mexican perspective and offering objective interpretations and local perspective. This
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communication exchange also led to a more in-depth interview to further gauge the local and cultural context of the term gringo. Discussion The first survey question asked for a definition of the term gringo. Of 20 people that responded, 15 indicated that the word referred exclusively to Americans. Still, there were degrees of variation in the answers. Interestingly, many mentioned that a gringo is a legal American, an official American and even a white; born and bred, English speaking American. Five people provided an explanation confirming the etymology of the word. The common consensus is that the words green go were yelled during the Mexican-American war. I have encountered two conflicting accounts as to who was actually doing the chanting. One theory claimed that the words were shouted by American military men invading Mexico for their troops to advance onward, green go! Other sources indicated that the term was a cry from Mexicans for the uniformed Americans to go home. Nevertheless, it was unanimously agreed upon that the term stems from the Mexican-American War. Although a couple of folks indicated that the word gringo can be used to describe any foreigner that does not speak Spanish, they also mentioned that the term is more commonly applied to those from the United States. The following question invited contestants to describe the typical gringo. The wording of this question attempted to solicit the most stereotypical version of the term. Once more, strong themes were developed throughout the answers. More than half of the
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! answers (13/23) indicated that gringos are white with light colored eyes. Only one participant mentioned that other races do indeed inhabit the United States. Another theme was that gringos like to drink and party. As my interviewee noted, this is likely because most peoples only interaction with gringos is when they share common beach vacation spots, usually during Spring Break. Others commented on the relaxed dress
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code of Americans and that it is often uncustomary to dress as formally in public as their Mexican neighbors. Five respondents indicated that gringos posses a certain attitude of superiority over other cultures, an idea that will be revisited shortly. Humorously, three people commented on the typical American as being overweight, with one answer simply stating McDonalds. This also led to the interesting discussion of fast food being reserved for the wealthier classes in Mexico, which may possibly explain why it is not too common to see morbidly obese people in Guadalajara. The next question asked survey takers to state some of the positive aspects of American culture. Half of those (10/20) that answered the question commented on Americans as being highly educated and cultured with a strong consensus that gringos are open-minded. Of the remaining respondents, there was a notion of the United States having a superior economy due to patriotism, dedication, discipline and capitalism. Once more, a few people mentioned Americas whiteness light skinned, blond haired, and light colored eyes, as being a positive cultural aspect. And of course, a select bunch of folks did not fail to mention the food as being a strong cultural trait. One person stated that the United States doesnt have a culture, an idea I encounter on a daily basis in my personal life in Mexico. My interviewee clarified that Mexicans typically feel the United States is merely an accumulation of many cultures and
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! lacks anything truly proprietary. I invited him to look up many United States cultural experiences that do not exist in Mexico such as tailgate parties, homecoming, prom, Thanksgiving, bonfires, drivers education, yard sales, allowance, beer pong, riding public school buses, et cetera. As a follow-up to the positive aspects of gringo culture, participants were then asked to state the negative characteristics of United States society. Half (10/20) that answered the question indicated, to a degree, that Americans in general feel as though
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they are superior to others, are not very emotional and lack complete sympathy for others including their own families. One person cited the state of our for-profit healthcare system as an argument supporting the claim, while two others stated that the immense support of the US military complex and constant desire for war as being a consequence of low morality. Once again health was brought into question, with five people commenting on the unhealthy nature of American food, poor diet and the tendency to be overweight. In a culture where people are often perceived to be motivated only by money, it is not difficult for us (Mexicans) to gauge your ethical guidelines based on your economy my interviewee explained to me. A few contestants were also bothered that gringos use the term American to describe themselves, since in Mexico there is only one American continent English: North America and South America. Therefore, anyone from Alaska to Argentina is technically an American. Unfortunately, the appropriate Spanish designation estadounidense, or what would hypothetically be United Statian if it were to exist in English, does not. With all the stereotypes, positive and negative exposed, the last question asked what Mexicans needed to take into account when doing business with a gringo.
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Overwhelmingly (12/20) participants indicated that a solid grasp of the English language is necessary to effectively conduct business. One person stated that it is undeniably important to understand the Americans way of thinking in regards to business, which is most appropriately reflected through the use of the English language. Another strong theme was intelligence yet again. Some folks went into much more detail of how one must be savvy to understand how commerce should work and which topics/tactics are to be avoided. An interesting notion presented by one person was that of independence. According to this survey taker, Americans have a strong desire to be independent and individualist and that anyone dealing with a gringo must learn to address these issues in order to enter into a mutual interdependent agreement. Surprisingly, the topic of character and morality appeared again, this time showcasing that Americans are regarded as genuine and honest by nature. In fact, one person even went as far to state, dont be a stupid rat liar like most Mexicans, a notion I found a bit harsh, slightly humorous and immensely ironic, since this is the kind of comment most Mexicans might expect an American to produce. My interviewee indicated that many Mexicans feel a deep sense of embarrassment and a certain degree of anger over how the world perceives them, which may have provoked such a cruel comment toward their own from the participant. Plus, he adds, it does not help that most Americans living in Mexico have experienced firsthand the deeply rooted corruption prevalent in Mexican business practice. Americans are also known to not show restraint in vocalizing their negative experiences, often presenting major unintentional face threats. The remainder of the survey consisted of statements prompting participants to select their degree of agreeability. A simple 1-5 scale 1 being disagreement and 5
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! agreement was used to quantifiably determine attitudes in regards to certain
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stereotypes. The statements evolved from a series of declarations that I hear most often when the topic of the gringo comes into conversation. Those taking the survey were also given the option to provide additional comments if necessary. These additional comments were mainly used in the early stages of my survey to ensure my questions were understood correctly. Two questions were used as quality control measures in order to identify the gringo haters and gringo lovers. Only two outliers (one from each extreme) were identified. After reviewing the quality (i.e., no overtly racist rants) of their other answers, I decided to include them in my results. The first prompt stated, Gringos have a better way of doing things, which is intended to mean better than Mexicans in its original Spanish form. Typically when using comparatives in Mexico, it is understood that the comparison is being made against the personal frame of reference of the person receiving the question. I confirmed this with my interviewee before distributing the survey and he agreed that my wording would be accurate. On a 1-5 scale, the average score was 2.75, with 70% of participants claiming to neither agree nor disagree with the statement. Four people absolutely disagreed and two people strongly agreed that gringos have a better way of doing things. The second statement read, I prefer for my boyfriend/girlfriend to be gringo(a). I selected this prompt for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to see if there was a correlation between those that viewed the perception of whiteness as being desirable and the number of those preferring gringos which we have seen indicates white in Mexico as potential mates. Secondly, I have personally encountered numerous types that either only date gringos, or exclude them entirely. In my experience, these attitudes often fall
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along racial lines, although this was not independently evaluated. On the same 1-5 scale, the average rating was 2.20. I have since realized that I am not satisfied with the way in which I worded the question. Since I asked whether there was merely a preference, an answer of no does not necessarily indicate whether the person is opposed to the idea of dating a gringo. Yet if one were to answer yes, this would simply imply that there is an increased desire to be with a foreigner. With this being said, 35% of participants neither agreed nor disagreed that they had a preference, 45% had no preference and despite the wording of the question, it can still be concluded that 10% had a definite preference. A statement I hear made quite often in Mexico is that gringos view Mexicans as inferior. Surprisingly not one person disagreed or even slightly disagreed with the statement. On the 1-5 scale an average score of 4.16 was generated, the highest in this survey. I believe this statement can provide great insight into how Mexicans perceive the manner in which Americans regard them and may even may make them preemptively expect face attacks. Examining the precise sources of these massive face attacks would be an interesting area of study in future investigations. While summarizing the results, my interviewee suggested that Mexican anthropologists agree to Mexicans possessing a deep societal inferiority complex comparative to anything considered Anglo. Another common complaint I hear is that the American media exaggerates the issue of security in Mexico. For my next prompt, I asked participants to agree or disagree that the situation in Mexico is blown out of proportion in the US. The average rating on the 1-5 scale was a 3.10. Only 30% of people disagreed with the statement. 40% of contestants either agreed or strongly agreed that Mexico is not nearly as dangerous as the
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media makes it out to be. However, it needs to be noted that the degree of violence varies in different geographical areas. Many of the survey participants live in Mexico City, which has not been nearly as affected by the recent drug violence as the rest of the country. It should also be noted that Guadalajara participants answered the question three days after a string of bus hijackings, explosions, robberies and shootings following the arrest of a high-ranking cartel member. Had it not been for the recent wave of violence, I am suspecting the results of this question may have been a bit different. Yet, despite these considerations, 40% still feel safer in Mexico than what the media portrays. My last proclamation was one that I used for quality control purposes, and also out of general curiosity. The statement asked the participant to agree or disagree the gringos deserved to be attacked on 9/11. On the 1-5 scale, contestants overwhelming leaned towards the disagree end, with an average score of 1.45. Not one person agreed and only one slightly agreed, although a few felt neutral toward the statement. One additional comment mentioned that any civilian attack is to always be condemned. My interviewee exclaimed that years ago the results might have looked a lot different. But, through the escalating number of terrorist acts committed against the population of Mexico over the last few years, people are now newly sympathetic to the impact such atrocities have on a society.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Chapter 5 SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSIONS Limitations of the Study One major limitation of the study was due to the obvious language barrier. Although I was seeking to identify recurring key words in my short-answer survey questions, being able to accurately translate certain subtext, slang and cultural attitudes presented in some of the responses is reduced to an approximation. Another major restriction I ran into was that many people I attempted to interview were unable to
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successfully complete an online survey. Some of the participants did not understand the instructions, scope of the assignment, or showed a general wariness in regards to the purpose of the project and decided to opt out of the questionnaire. Further Areas of Study While the assignment focused on the etymology, use and implications of the term gringo, upon commencing the study it became apparent that the subject was quite vast. Conversely current research still manages to be overwhelmingly one-sided and presents the American view of Mexicans or the Mexican experience in the United States. With increased numbers of expatriates heading south of the border for a myriad of reasons, it becomes even more important for research regarding their perceived cultural identity in their newly adopted land to be conducted. A method used to gauge the average Mexican attitude of Americans, such as an approval rating, would be effective in providing accurate warnings, advisory messages or relocation/assimilation tips to those relocating to Mexico.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Discussion
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In regards to my three primary research questions, the research indicated that the etymology of the word gringo is believed to have originated in the Mexican American War of the mid-1800s. The research also confirmed that the word in Mexico connotes a white, English speaking person from the United States. Although other races or ethnicities were not explicitly excluded from the definition, they were not mentioned even once alongside the term white. Attitudes regarding gringos seemed positive overall. I was extremely surprised to see that most participants perceived Americans as intelligent, honest and hardworking. The only negative responses, which were prompted, trended more toward comedy rather than hostility. For example, obesity and overindulgence seemed to be a reoccurring theme in the negative category and were presented in a sarcastic manner. The question asking whether gringos deserved to be attacked on 9/11 was used as a quality control indicator to identify those that may be providing extremist or racist responses. Fortunately, there was a very large degree of disagreement with the statement. Following the comment of Mexicans being deeply affected by the recent drug terror in their country, perhaps these experiences have helped them develop a sense of mindfulness and sympathy for those affected by the 9/11 attacks. A significant portion of my research was used to indicate whether Mexicans perceived Americans as feeling superior. The results of the survey indicated that this is especially true due to the perceived sense of supremacy and exaggerated depictions of crime in the country via major American media outlets. Interestingly enough, much of the language used in the responses conveyed a slight sense of despair in their country and
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! culture. I wonder whether there is a correlation between the negative depiction of
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Mexico in the press and the perception of American superiority. In terms of face theory, I have found that Americans, including myself at times, tend to exhibit an heir of superiority during visits to Mexico. Furthermore, the perception that American media is out to belittle Mexico probably does not help them from losing face in the eyes of the US and the rest of the world due to US media opinion being so influential around the globe. Recommendations The current research continues to present the importance of effective communication behavior to be displayed while managing/conducting international business or interface. Researchers Trees & Hess (2009) found that learning increases within communication systems where feedback was highly encouraged and deemed effective, with face-attentive feedback being the best method of mitigating face threats. Overall, authors have identified communication competence that they consider key elements that may predict the success of business management in intercultural and international environments. Mitigation of perceived face attacks combined with an open feedback-based communication system are most effective at ensuring communication proficiency and cultural competency in intercultural classrooms and consultation. Coates (2004) presented the notion of non-native students and teachers abroad falling into the stranger and the foreigner roles. Although culture shock organizational and societal is constantly experienced when dealing with locals, I also advise my Mexican clients to recall that not all Americans fit the gringo cookie cutter mold and that many come from vastly different cultures from within the United States. In fact, it is not uncommon to see conflict between in-groups of foreigners due to cultural
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differences amongst themselves. It is for that reason that a true cultural ambassador must possess a solid sense of what it is they represent. The following suggestions are recommended when communicating in any intercultural context: Form solidarity phrases like it matters to me that you understand this to successfully encourage greater comprehension (Piorkowski and Scheurer, 2000, p. 85). Use considerate tone, recognition of effort, and encouragement as helpful elements of feedback (Lizzio & Wilson, 2008). Learners get the most from their education when teachers are able to communicate feedback in ways that make students eager to implement it (Lizzio & Wilson, 2008, p. 397). Skilled feedback must attain apparently contradictory goals: to share corrective information (task goal), but also to protect social self-images (identity goals) in the process. Cazden (1979) posited that instruction threatens positive and negative face needs by evaluating much of what is said and done by constraining and redirecting peoples freedom to act as they please. Evaluative feedback, in particular, may be heard as disapproval and limit autonomy, potentially threatening both dimensions of face. These same consequences can easily be seen when communicating during day-to-day conversations in which the host may feel as though the sojourner is criticizing rather than sharing cultural relevance. Skilled intercultural interaction thus must include the ability to mitigate face threats and negotiate mutually acceptable identities all while remaining mindful of the other (Cazden, 1979, 2001; Kerssen-Griep, 2001).
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Conclusion With the effects of globalization immeasurably bridging two vastly differing neighboring cultures, the demand for research of this nature will only become greater. With the influence of unique cultures on either side of the border, there are also many problems that both countries are going to mutually face if they due not learn to
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effectively co-exist in an intercultural context. In order for both societies to prosper, it is of utmost importance for participants on the same side of modern global melting pot to gain a true sense of understanding for, and how to effectively communicate with, one another.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! References
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! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! APPENDIX:!!SURVEY!RESULTS! ! 1. How do you define the term gringo? ! Person born in the United States.! Any official American. ! It was due to the war when the Americans would yell go. ! Native Caucasian from the United States. Cool. American person. ! A man that is from the United States of North America. ! In the general sense, the term applies to foreigners that speak in a language that is not understood by Spanish speakers. ! Typical American. ! Green go! ! American that comes from green colored money. ! Its simply a colloquial word referring to North American people. ! A person born in and living in the United States. ! American. ! Green go!
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Cmo definas el trmino gringo? ! Persona nacida en Estados Unidos. ! Cualquier estadounidense oficial. ! Fue por la guerra, ya que los americanos gritaban go. ! Nativo caucsico de Estados Unidos. ! Equis. ! Persona americana. ! Hombre que es de Estados Unidos de Norte Amrica. ! En forma general el trmino se aplica a extranjeros que hablan en un idioma que no se entiende por personas que hablan espaol. ! Tpico estadounidense. ! Green go! ! "Americano" que viene de su moneda color verde. ! Es simplemente una palabra coloquial para referirse a las personas norteamericanas. ! Persona que naci y vive en Estados Unidos. ! Americano. ! Green-go! !
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! American. ! An American. ! Americans. ! American. ! Person native to and resident of the United States of America. The word arrives from the American military that used it to say green, go! It comes from a combination of the words green and go. This refers to the whites (pejorative) that went to Latin American countries to invade and defend their commercial interests through military force, such as the contras. Americano. ! Un estadounidense.! Estadounidenses. ! Estadounidense. ! Persona nativa y residente de Estados Unidos Americanos.
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En el ejrcito estadounidense se utilizaba para decir green go! De ah surge. Viene de la combinacin de las palabras "Green" y "Go" refirindose a que los gabachos se fueran de los pases latinoamericanos que invadan para defender sus intereses comerciales a travs de fuerzas militares (como los contras). Es un termino utilizado en espaol que se le aplica a la gente extranjera en especial a los de Estados Unidos.
Its a term used in Spanish that applies to foreigners, especially to those from the United States. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! 2. How would you describe the typical gringo? ! Well, I describe it as one that is aware of everything around them and is stable. ! Blonde, white, and a partier. ! Taller than the average Latin with colored eyes, high prevalence of diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy and Cancer. Colored eyes and skin with very little pigmentation. ! Pleasant, authoritative, they think they know everything and have a right to everything. Slim, tall, white, and super cool for their way of being and way of dressing in Bermuda shorts, Hawaiian shirts and sandals. Very relaxed dress. ! White, blonde, with colored eyes. ! Wears the typical super white shirt with the US flag to show they are gringo and refined. ! Thinks that the US is the best and calls it America. Cant speak other languages well and the majority are white with colored eyes. ! Blonde, thin and tall. ! American person who visits another country as a tourist. ! Patriots, thinking that they are always the best. Cmo describiras el gringo tpico? !
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Pues lo describo como el que siempre esta al pendiente de todo lo que le rodea que este estable. ! Rubio, blanco. y fiestero. ! Mayor estatura que un latino promedio ojos de color, mayor prevalencia de enfermedades como DM y Cncer. Ojos de color y piel con poca pigmentacin. ! Ameno, autoritario, creen que lo saben todo y que tienen derecho a todo. ! Flaco, alto, gero y sper equis por su aspecto, forma de vestir bermudas, camisa hawaiana, sandalias. Muy relajado al vestir. ! Blanco, gero, con ojos de color. ! Lleva a la tpica camiseta salida blanca, blanca con... la bandera de estados unidos para mostrar que es gringo y refinado. ! Cree que USA es lo mejor y lo llama Amrica, no puede hablar bien otros idiomas y es en su mayora gero y de ojos de color. ! Rubio, delgado y alto. ! Persona, americana, que visita un pas como turista. ! Patriotas, pensando que siempre son los mejores. !
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Blonde hair, white skin, tall, funny (jokers) and happy. ! Blonde and tall. ! McDonalds. ! Weird. ! Clueless. ! Blonde, tall, very particular when living with new people. ! Fat and blonde. ! Caucasian, light eyes, tall, and speaks English. Wears flip flops, blonde, and a bit overweight. White-skinned, although a large part of their population is black. It is also known that they (blacks) dont have the same economic advantages as their white brothers. Blonde hair, respectful until something bothers them, they arrive (to Mexico) taking pictures of everything and they come as tourists to get drunk. Cabello gero, piel blanca, altos, bromistas, alegres. ! Gero y alto. ! McDonalds. ! Raro. ! Despistados. ! Gero, alto, son muy especiales al momento de convivir con nuevas personas. ! Gordo y gero. ! Caucsico, ojos claros , alto y hablando ingls. Con flip flops, gero y poco subido de peso.
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Blancos de piel (aunque gran parte de su poblacin es negra es conocido el hecho de que no tienen las ventajas econmicas de sus hermanos blancos) y de pelo rubio. Respetuoso hasta el punto que algo les molesta, llegan tirando fotos para todas partes y vienen a embriagarse y hacer turismo.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! ! 3. What are son good characteristics of American culture? ! The majority is orderly, for example when taking the bus. The majority is also educated. ! I dont know any. ! Average height is much more than other races, culture regarding other religions, political ideologies, the rules of their country, education, helping society, etc. ! The food! White skin and colored eyes. Blonde hair, colored eyes, light complexion. ! Discipline. ! They are not close-minded, they are funny and good people. ! Work, respect, quality. ! It is important to note that the US has a tendency to be an exporter of culture, and at the same time, absorbs other cultural traditions with relative ease, such as origami, soccer, anime, pizza, and yoga. This marks a very large contrast. ! Educated, liberal, friendly. ! They have good education/manners and are well cultured in general. They are very direct, and have a very positive, winning attitude. Cules son unos buenos rasgos de la cultura gringa?!
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La mayora ordenados por ejemplo para tomar el camin la mayora educados. ! No conozco. ! Altura promedio mayor a las dems razas, cultura hacia las religiones, ideologas polticas, las reglas de su pas, educacin, apoyo a la sociedad etc. ! La comida! ! Piel blanca y ojos de color. Cabello rubio, ojos de color, tez clara. ! La disciplina. ! No son de mente cerrada, son chistosos y buena onda.! Trabajo, respeto, calidad. ! Es importante notar que Estados Unidos tiende a ser exportador de cultura, y adems absorbe otras tradiciones culturales con relativa facilidad, tales como el origami, el ftbol, el anime, la pizza y el yoga. Esto marca un contraste muy grande. ! Educados, liberales, amistosos. ! Tienen buena educacin, y buena cultura en general. ! Son muy directos, tienen una mentalidad muy positiva y ganadora.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! ! Tall, blonde, colored eyes. ! Patriotism. ! Fast food. ! Certain foods, such as chicken nuggets! ! I do not believe a gringo culture exists ! There is no particular culture; it is a mix of other world cultures without any of its own characteristics. ! World power, first world country. They defend their interests regardless of what happens, they are relatively more open than Latin communities, their democracy is more functional than ours (Mexican). ! Alto, gero, ojos de colores. ! Patriotismo. ! Comida rpida. ! Ciertas comidas, como los nuggets de pollo! ! Creo que no existe la cultura "gringa"... !
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No tienen ninguna cultura, es una mezcla de diferentes culturas mundiales pero ni un rasgo propio.! Potencia mundial, pas primer mundista. Defienden sus intereses pase lo que pase, son relativamente ms abiertos que los pueblos latinos, su democracia es ms funcional que la nuestra.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! 4. What are some bad characteristics of American culture? ! Sometimes they do not view Mexicans positively or, or at least they are infamous in that respect. ! I dont know any. ! Imitation food. Although they are a bit below the Japanese in technology and economic stability, as well as in their society, they are still a world power in preventing future errors and disasters. Their institution of medicine, such as medical insurance is bad since it lacks logic and practicality. ! Consumerism, and that they are only creating a material world. Smile, I think. Carefree, cold and emotionless, they feel superior to other cultures. ! They do not have moral or ethical education. ! The gringo calls himself American because he believes he is the owner of the continent of the same name (if aliens arrived they would be considered carnal sinners). Therefore, believing that the entire world belongs to the US, they treat competition as potential terrorists and/or communists. ! Many are racists and believe they are the best in the world. ! Cules son unos malos rasgos de la cultura gringa? !
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Que a veces no ven a los mexicanos de buena manera o tienen mala fama respecto a esto. ! No conozco. ! Comidas copiosas, aunque son poco mas a bajo que los japoneses en tecnologa y estabilidad econmica, as como en su sociedad, siguen siendo potencia mundial. Por prevenir errores y desastres futuros su medicina y su nivel institucional as. Como seguros mdicos, son malos ya que carecen de practica y lgica. ! El consumismo, y que solo estn creando un mundo material. ! Sonrisa, creo. Despreocupados, fros sin sentimientos, y hablando hacia otra cultura se sienten superiores. ! No tienen educacin moral y tica. ! El gringo se llama a s mismo "americano" porque se cree dueo del continente del mismo nombre (ante los extraterrestres se autodenominan mundanos). Por lo tanto, al creerse que todo el mundo es de Estados Unidos, tratan a la competencia como potenciales terroristas y/o comunistas en potencia. ! Muchos son racistas y creen que son lo mejor del mundo.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Indifference. ! It discriminates. ! Believing that they are always right. High level of drug use. ! A bit short, with characteristics from other countries. ! Fast food. ! Food. ! They believe the world revolves around them. ! It does not exist, or at least there is not anything defined that could be called culture. ! If you can call it culture, materialism, bad diet, lack of family values, everything is very superficial. ! They refer to their country as America (the continent). They defend their interests at all costs, causing pain and misery in many parts of the world (such as the Middle East or Mexico where drug cartels unleash their fury due to drug prohibition). The government focuses in profits without worrying who suffers in order to reach them. And, their economy has always been based in war. ! Indiferencia. ! Discrimina. ! Creer que siempre tienen la razn. ! Alto ndice de consumo de sustancias. ! Bajito, y con rasgos de otro pas. ! Fast food. ! Comida. ! Se creen q el mundo gira al rededor de ellos.!
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No existe, o al menos no hay algo definido a lo que se le pueda llamar "cultura." ! Si se puede llamar cultura, materialismo, mala alimentacin no hay valor sobre la familia, todo es muy superficial. ! Se refieren a su pas como Amrica (el continente). Defiende sus intereses a toda costa, provocando dolor y miseria en muchas partes de mundo (como Medio Oriente o Mxico donde la prohibicin de las drogas desata la furia de los crteles). Un gobierno enfocado en las ganancias sin importarles quienes sufren por alcanzarlas. Y que su economa siempre se ha basado en la guerra.
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! 5. What does one need to know to effectively conduct business with an American? ! Well, the pros and cons of doing business with a gringo Know English and negotiate intelligently. ! Speak the language, how to speak about the history of the US, prove to be capable and not rats and liars like most Mexicans. !
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Qu debera saber alguien para conducir negocios efectivamente con un gringo? ! Pues, los pros y contras de hacer tratos con un gringo... Saber ingls y negociar inteligentemente. ! Dominar el idioma, platicas acerca de la historia de EUA, demostrar ser capaz y no demostrar que son unas ratas y mentirosos como la mayora de los mexicanos. ! Mas que saber, es la forma de actuar y hablar, es bsico la confianza y obviamente dominio de lo que se quiere negociar. ! Ingls. ! Principalmente su idioma, y ser lo contrario de ellos formales, responsables, atentos, para que juntos puedan coordinar un negocio. (Opuesto a ellos). Que es dedicado y serio. ! En la negociacin americana, las caractersticas se arraigan histricamente en los valores del individualismo y de la independencia. Sin embargo, estos valores crean problemas en las negociaciones por haber situaciones de interdependencia... ! Ingls, hablar bien de estados unidos. ! Vaya al punto. ! Dominar en un 90% el ingls. !
More than knowing, is the way to act and speak. Its basic, confidence and obviously knowing about what it is you want to negotiate. ! English. Principally their language, and against the masses, formal, responsible, attentive, so that both can come to an agreement. (Opposite of them). That (the gringo) is dedicated and serious. ! In American negotiation, the characteristics that take root historically are values in individualism and independence. However, those values create problems in business when there are situations of interdependence ! English, speaking well of the US. ! Get to the point. Have a 90% in English. (Reference to TOEFL/University standards). !
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! If it is in American territory, know the laws under which guide their system. If it is in national territory (Mexican), verify their work papers and let the gringo know the national and international commercial laws. And, as with any type of business, the same risks will be run, with or without gringos. ! Principally, their business culture, the type of greeting, topics to avoid, etc. Comply with punctuality and observance of agreements.
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Si est en territorio americano, saber las leyes bajo las que se rige su sistema. Si est en territorio nacional, verificar los papeles de permiso de trabajo y hacerle saber al "gringo" las leyes de comercio nacional e internacional. Y que como cualquier tipo de negocio, se corren los mismos riesgos, con o sin gringos. ! Principalmente su cultura en los negocios, el tipo de saludo, temas a evitar, etc. Cumplimiento en cuanto a puntualidad y los tratos acordados ! Saber los intereses de los gringos. ! Ingls. ! Ingls, porque ellos no se dignan a aprender otros idiomas. ! Dominar el idioma principalmente, despus tener carcter al momento de hacer el negocio. ! Su forma de pensar. ! El idioma. ! Ingls, es una pregunta demasiado abierta. A qu se refiere? A Mxico en especfico o Argentina o a medio oriente? A qu tipo de negocio, drogas, armas, etc.? !
Know the gringo interests. ! English. ! English, because they do not bother to learn other languages. ! Know the language principally; next have character when it is time to do business. ! Their way of thinking. ! The language. ! English, it is a question that is too open. What does it refer to? To Mexico specifically, or Argentina, or the Middle East? What type or business, drugs, weapons, etc.? !
! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! ! ! 6. Gringos have a better way of doing things El gringo tiene una mejor manera de hacer las cosas 1 No 20% (4) 2 0% (0) 3 Neutral 70% (14) 4 5% (1) 5 S 5% (1)
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Average Rating: 2.75 Additional comments: They view things in a different way and the majority follows the steps they should take. Everyone does things according to what is most convenient. Race or country has nothing to do with how to do things. Ven las cosas de otra manera ya que la mayora si siguen los pasos que se deben tomar. Todos hacen las cosas de acuerdo a lo que es mas conveniente. No tiene que ver ser de una raza o pas para hacerlo.
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7.
When choosing my boyfriend/girlfriend, I have a preference for Americans Al elegir a mi novio/a, tengo preferencia gringa... 1 No 45% (9) 2 10% (2) 3 Neutral 35% (7) 4 0% (0) 5 S 10% (2)
Average Rating: 2.20 Additional comments: Obviously not. It is probably because the American (pejorative) culture is widely accepted in Mexico. Obvio no. Es probable ya que la cultura gabacha es ampliamente aceptada en Mxico.
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8.
Americans look down on Mexicans Los gringos ven a los mexicanos de menos... 1 No 0% (0) 2 0% (0) 3 Neutral 26.4% (5) 4 36.1% (6) 5 S 42.1% (8)
Average Rating: 4.16 Additional comments: Maybe. I think that each person acts differently. What I do know is that Americans are the worst tourists in the world. I have to clarify that many of them still view Mexicans from an equivocal perspective. That is individual, many do it, and many do not. Tal vez. Pienso que cada persona acta diferente. Lo que se es que los americanos son los peores turistas de todo el mundo.
Tengo que aclarar que muchos de ellos aun siguen viendo al mexicano de la perspectiva equivocada. Eso es individual, muchos lo hacen, muchos no.
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9.
The American press exaggerates the lack of security in Mexico La prensa gringa exagera la falta de seguridad en Mxico... 1 No 30% (6) 2 0% (0) 3 Neutral 25% (5) 4 20% (4) 5 S 25% (5)
Average Rating: 3.10 Additional comments: They benefit from the countrys (Mexico) lack of security. The press does not give precise information and it does not put pressure on the government (US) so that it (information) is released quickly. Sometimes. Se benefician por la inseguridad del pas.
La prensa no da la informacin precisa y no se oprime a su gobierno para que la libere rpidamente.
A veces.
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10.
Americans deserved to be attacked on 9/11 Los gringos merecieron ser atacados el 11 de septiembre... 1 No 80% (16) 2 0% (0) 3 Neutral 15% (3) 4 5% (1) 5 S 0% (0)
Average Rating: 1.45 Additional comments: The same US government attacked its own people and innocents. No, not one person deserves that. Ask Bush! Attacks against civilians have always been condemned as acts of cruelty. El mismo gobierno de EEUU ataco a su misma gente y a inocentes. No, ninguna persona merece eso. Pregntenle a Bush! Los ataques a civiles siempre se han condenado como actos de crueldad.

Etymology, Contemporary Usage and Intercultural Implications of The Word: Gringo

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Etymology, Contemporary Usage and Intercultural Implications of The Word: Gringo

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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ETYMOLOGY,!CONTEMPORARY!USAGE!AND!INTERCULTURAL!IMPLICATIONS!OF! THE!WORD:!GRINGO! !

! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! disenfranchised. The theoretical foundation of my thesis focuses on Ting-Toomeys

! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! Chapter 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

! RINGO:!MODERN!MEXICAN!PERCEPTION! G ! agreement was used to quantifiably determine attitudes in regards to certain

La prensa no da la informacin precisa y no se oprime a su gobierno para que la libere rpidamente.

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