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From: deb5@midway.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff)
Subject: 'Gringo' [was: Re: What is the origin of spanish Usted?
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References: <19970728235200.TAA04009@ladder01.news.aol.com> <Stuart.Robinson-3007971818580001@asianstmg-221.anu.edu.au>
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 1997 18:56:18 GMT
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In article <Stuart.Robinson-3007971818580001@asianstmg-221.anu.edu.au>,
Stuart Robinson <Stuart.Robinson@anu.edu.au> wrote:
>This question ought to be addressed in the FAQ.  It seems to crop up
>fairly often.  Maybe the FAQ could say something along the lines of: 
>
>There are two theories as to the origin of the Spanish polite form of the
>second person "Usted".  One contends that the word is the product of
>borrowing from Arabic.
>
>But does anyone really know which account is correct?  Maybe we'll never
>know.  Maybe it's like "gringo", which ought to also be tossed into the
>FAQ.  We could have any entire section entitled something like "All you
>have ever wanted to know about etymology and aren't ashamed to ask".

Or we could just direct readers to dictionaries and other reference works.
Like Mark, I don't remember questions on specific words coming up all that
often--I don't remember anyone ever asking about 'gringo' before, for
instance.  But since you brought it up, is there really a sound competitor
to the theory that it's merely a corruption of 'griego'?  (The only
alternative I remember hearing is the patently ridiculous "Green grow the
lilacs" origin.)

I really can't think of that many Spanish words that have the etymologists
stumped.  'majo' is one; Corominas goes on for pages but comes to no
definite conclusions about it.

-- 
	 Daniel "Da" von Brighoff    /\          Dilettanten
	(deb5@midway.uchicago.edu)  /__\         erhebt Euch
				   /____\      gegen die Kunst!
