Guiri
Encyclopedia
Guiri is a colloquial Spanish
name used in Spain applied to foreigners.
, when Basque-speaking Carlist forces took the "cristino" nickname of their enemies (after regent Queen Maria Cristina) and changed into "guristino".
In the late XX century Spain under Francoist
dictatorship, police forces were also called "guiris"
Also, "guiri" is used by inhabitants of Reus
for visitors from near city of Tarragona
.
And in last place, there is the idea that it is derived from Moroccan Arabic gaouri, which in turn stems from Ottoman Turkish gâvur.
sphere was prominent from the 1970s to the 1990s, when coaches and cars used to flood to the Spanish beaches every year. This red-faced tourist who drinks beer in the hot sun, is now described as a "Langosta" (Lobster) which replaced the term guiri in the early part of 2000. This was also due to the term guiri being understood by regular tourists and the need for another term which was unfamiliar and could be used to talk about the tourists in secret by those working the restaurants and bars of the coast (Costa) of Spain.
It entered the Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española
in 1925. When a ""guiri"" would be the term used by the opposing political parties of the time, later to be exclusively used for the Guardia Civil and Policía Armada (Armed Police) under the Francoist régime. The term mainly limited to Barcelona in years of suppression following the Spanish Civil War
(1936–1939) when large numbers of Police were brought into the city to repress the Catalan population. Use of Catalan in the mass media had been forbidden by the so called ""Guiris"", but was later permitted from the early 1950s in theater form which marked the start of the decline in its usage.
Another local use today of the term guiri started in late 1990s in the city of Reus
, Catalonia, started from the late 1990s when the city of Tarragona declined and the shift in importance for business and commerce turned to the expanding area of Reus. The importance of Reus and the use of the term Guiri for those living in Tarragona was further altered in perception after the battle over the high speed train AVE
station in the province of Tarragona. Both cities campaigned heavily for the station to be in the limits of their cities, Reus being the favorite, due to the expansion of the Reus Airport
. But at the last moment the ""guiris"" of Tarragona surprised all parties concerned and won the right to place the station in Camp de Tarragona north of the province. The location is a 21.3 km drive to Reus, 11.2 km drive to Tarragona and 13.5 km to Reus Airport. This compromise of placing the AVE station literally in the countryside away from all towns and cities in the region, has led to the station having little or no visitors. The term "Només un guiri pensaria així", which translates to; "Only a Guiri would think in that way", was continuously used as a form of protest against the supposed madness of the idea.
The use of the term guiri by the Catalan community is becoming widely accepted as a descriptive term for foreigner or outsider. For example those living in the cities, traveling to the countryside at weekends with little or no understanding of the pace of life and community which they are visiting.
In India and Pakistan the word "ghauri", which probably comes from Turkish "gâvur" or Arabic "gaouri", has a similar meaning.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
name used in Spain applied to foreigners.
Source
According to the Real Academia Dictionary, this word traces back to XIX Century Carlist WarsCarlist Wars
The Carlist Wars in Spain were the last major European civil wars in which contenders fought to establish their claim to a throne. Several times during the period from 1833 to 1876 the Carlists — followers of Infante Carlos and his descendants — rallied to the cry of "God, Country, and King" and...
, when Basque-speaking Carlist forces took the "cristino" nickname of their enemies (after regent Queen Maria Cristina) and changed into "guristino".
In the late XX century Spain under Francoist
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
dictatorship, police forces were also called "guiris"
Also, "guiri" is used by inhabitants of Reus
Reus
Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague...
for visitors from near city of Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
.
And in last place, there is the idea that it is derived from Moroccan Arabic gaouri, which in turn stems from Ottoman Turkish gâvur.
Definition
The term Guiri to describe the stereotype tourist from Northern Europe and the Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
sphere was prominent from the 1970s to the 1990s, when coaches and cars used to flood to the Spanish beaches every year. This red-faced tourist who drinks beer in the hot sun, is now described as a "Langosta" (Lobster) which replaced the term guiri in the early part of 2000. This was also due to the term guiri being understood by regular tourists and the need for another term which was unfamiliar and could be used to talk about the tourists in secret by those working the restaurants and bars of the coast (Costa) of Spain.
It entered the Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española
Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española
The Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española or DRAE is the most authoritative dictionary of the Spanish language. It is produced, edited, and published by the Real Academia Española ; the first edition was published in 1780...
in 1925. When a ""guiri"" would be the term used by the opposing political parties of the time, later to be exclusively used for the Guardia Civil and Policía Armada (Armed Police) under the Francoist régime. The term mainly limited to Barcelona in years of suppression following the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
(1936–1939) when large numbers of Police were brought into the city to repress the Catalan population. Use of Catalan in the mass media had been forbidden by the so called ""Guiris"", but was later permitted from the early 1950s in theater form which marked the start of the decline in its usage.
Another local use today of the term guiri started in late 1990s in the city of Reus
Reus
Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague...
, Catalonia, started from the late 1990s when the city of Tarragona declined and the shift in importance for business and commerce turned to the expanding area of Reus. The importance of Reus and the use of the term Guiri for those living in Tarragona was further altered in perception after the battle over the high speed train AVE
AVE
Alta Velocidad Española is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to . The name is literally translated from Spanish as "Spanish High Speed", but also a play on the word , meaning "bird".AVE trains run on a network of...
station in the province of Tarragona. Both cities campaigned heavily for the station to be in the limits of their cities, Reus being the favorite, due to the expansion of the Reus Airport
Reus Airport
-Incidents and accidents:* On 20 July 1970, a Condor Boeing 737-100 which was approaching Reus Airport, collided with a privately owned Piper Cherokee light aircraft near Tarragona, Spain. The Piper subsequently crashed, resulting in the death of the three persons on board...
. But at the last moment the ""guiris"" of Tarragona surprised all parties concerned and won the right to place the station in Camp de Tarragona north of the province. The location is a 21.3 km drive to Reus, 11.2 km drive to Tarragona and 13.5 km to Reus Airport. This compromise of placing the AVE station literally in the countryside away from all towns and cities in the region, has led to the station having little or no visitors. The term "Només un guiri pensaria així", which translates to; "Only a Guiri would think in that way", was continuously used as a form of protest against the supposed madness of the idea.
The use of the term guiri by the Catalan community is becoming widely accepted as a descriptive term for foreigner or outsider. For example those living in the cities, traveling to the countryside at weekends with little or no understanding of the pace of life and community which they are visiting.
In India and Pakistan the word "ghauri", which probably comes from Turkish "gâvur" or Arabic "gaouri", has a similar meaning.