Pocho
Encyclopedia
Pocho is a term used by native-born Mexicans to describe Chicano
s who are perceived to have forgotten or rejected their Mexican heritage to some degree. Typically, pochos speak English
and lack fluency in Spanish
. Among some pochos, the term has been embraced to express pride in having both a Mexican and an American heritage asserting their place in the diverse American culture. The word derives from the Spanish word pocho, used to describe fruit that has become rotten or discolored.
Pochos are usually identified by their use of poorly spoken Spanish. Code switching and the use of loanword
s is common as is the use of phrases popular in American culture translated to Spanish, sometimes literally. Code switching often involves inserting English preposition or objective nouns, such as, "Voy a ir shopping ahora en el supermarket" (I am going shopping now at the supermarket). Modified loanwords are referred to as "pochismos." Examples include mopear for trapear (to mop), parquear for estacionar (to park), or chequear for mirar or verificar (to check, to inspect or to verify). A clear example of a popular American phrase that has been adopted by people familiar with both cultures would be Clint Eastwood's famous quote "Make my day.", which has been increasingly used in Spanish as "Hacer mi día.".
The term does, however, imply different meanings. In San Diego/Tijuana, "pocho" carries no negative connotations. The word simply refers to one who has both Mexican and American roots. By contrast, in Ciudad Juárez
, the moniker is very much a term of abuse, referring in particular to (what residents of Cd. Juárez see as) "uncultured" Mexican-Americans living across the border in El Paso
, though this is certainly not universal.
However, modern definition of "pocho/a" defines any Mexican blood (especially Mexican born) who take pride in being Mexican yet indulge and often prefer American culture. After 9/11, pocho/a is a Mexican with American taste. One can be born and raised in Mexico yet be a pocho/a because he/she rather takes part in American culture over Mexican culture. Mexico born American residents, for example, watch football rather than futbol. Or listen to American or British music rather than their Spanish counterparts.
In general, the word "pocho" can sometimes have these different meanings:
Pocho is also the title of an important 1959 Chicano
novel
by José Antonio Villarreal
.
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
s who are perceived to have forgotten or rejected their Mexican heritage to some degree. Typically, pochos speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and lack fluency in Spanish
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...
. Among some pochos, the term has been embraced to express pride in having both a Mexican and an American heritage asserting their place in the diverse American culture. The word derives from the Spanish word pocho, used to describe fruit that has become rotten or discolored.
Pochos are usually identified by their use of poorly spoken Spanish. Code switching and the use of loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
s is common as is the use of phrases popular in American culture translated to Spanish, sometimes literally. Code switching often involves inserting English preposition or objective nouns, such as, "Voy a ir shopping ahora en el supermarket" (I am going shopping now at the supermarket). Modified loanwords are referred to as "pochismos." Examples include mopear for trapear (to mop), parquear for estacionar (to park), or chequear for mirar or verificar (to check, to inspect or to verify). A clear example of a popular American phrase that has been adopted by people familiar with both cultures would be Clint Eastwood's famous quote "Make my day.", which has been increasingly used in Spanish as "Hacer mi día.".
The term does, however, imply different meanings. In San Diego/Tijuana, "pocho" carries no negative connotations. The word simply refers to one who has both Mexican and American roots. By contrast, in Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
, the moniker is very much a term of abuse, referring in particular to (what residents of Cd. Juárez see as) "uncultured" Mexican-Americans living across the border in El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, though this is certainly not universal.
However, modern definition of "pocho/a" defines any Mexican blood (especially Mexican born) who take pride in being Mexican yet indulge and often prefer American culture. After 9/11, pocho/a is a Mexican with American taste. One can be born and raised in Mexico yet be a pocho/a because he/she rather takes part in American culture over Mexican culture. Mexico born American residents, for example, watch football rather than futbol. Or listen to American or British music rather than their Spanish counterparts.
In general, the word "pocho" can sometimes have these different meanings:
- A person of Mexican heritage who is assimilated and acts "American" (a "wannabe" American).
- A Mexican-American who can speak little or no Spanish.
- An American who speaks Spanish and acts "Mexican" (a "wannabe" Mexican).
- A person who frequently crosses the U.S.-Mexican border and feels at home on both sides of the border.
Pocho is also the title of an important 1959 Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by José Antonio Villarreal
José Antonio Villarreal
José Antonio Villarreal was a Chicano novelist. He was born in 1924 in California to migrant Mexican farmworkers. Like Juan Manuel Rubio in Pocho, Villarreal's father fought with Pancho Villa in the Mexican Revolution...
.