Etymology of "Pinoy"?

Where did the word "Pinoy" come from?

According to The Story of Why You Should Not Use the Word "Pinoy", two American employers in the 1970s coined the term "Pinoy" by combining "Filipino" and "Unggoy" (Tagalog term for "monkey").

I don't know where Gyzmo (Gimo Gomez) of Echeblablah got that story. He mentions Chris S., but Chris S. posts a rebuttal.

I wonder if those two employers also coined the terms Kastilaloy and Egoy.

Anyway, if the word Pinoy does go all the way back to the 1920s, it would be interesting to find out the true etymology of that word. I just don't know how that will affect current usage because it is already so ingrained in our culture.

It's probably similar to "podcasts". Although you don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts (any mp3 player or computer will do), and even if some people have suggested alternative terms, the word "podcast" has stuck. And that didn't even start in the 1920s.

Do you know the true origin of the word "Pinoy"? Please email me. Thanks!

Update: Thank you Gelo for the Wikipedia entry for Filipino People. ("The word was coined by expatriate Filipino Americans during the 1920s and was later adopted by Filipinos in the Philippines.")

[ First posted on 03/14/2006 by Manuel Viloria ]