Discussion: WhiY are Hispanic Americans called Latino? - Page 2

izzy™

Quote:

Originally posted by Fernando.

who cares. we r tan and hot

MaRy

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Originally posted by andresg770

No, no, I'm sure those companies held on to the term for those reasons, but the term itself was created by the French.

Back in the 19th century when the French invaded Mexico (shortly after independence) and founded a Mexican "Empire." Napoleon III of France wanted to form alliances with Mexico and other former Spanish/Portuguese colonies, so he (and his followers) kept writing about how France and these American countries had common Latin origins, like their languages, Roman Catholicism, etc.

So yeah, basically the term was an imperialistic tool used by the French, but it stuck across Latin America, and later on it also stuck in the U.S. as an easy way to classify everything south of the border.

So in

thanks that's very interesting... i find it weird that latin americans are called latinos while italians, french, spaniards, portuguese etc. are not called that... and even more weird that they are classified as a race. I met many people from latin america and some are fully european and white while others are mixed, others are black, etc.

Nippy'sReceipts

Hispanic means of Hispania, from Spain/Spanish origin.
Latino means of Latin America.

Most Hispanics are Latinos but there are a few exceptions.
Brasilians are not Spanish-speaking or from Spain which means they are not Hispanic but Brasil is in Latin America. Spaniards from Spain are Hispanic obviously but they are not Latino. They are European.

Also many indigenous people in Latin America despite being Spanish Speakers do not have actual Spanish blood/lineage (Amerindians and Afro-Latinos being the main groups). In Latin America, Hispanics are at the top of the totem pole over these indigenous groups

Dancehall

Quote:

Originally posted by MaRy

thanks that's very interesting... i find it weird that latin americans are called latinos while italians, french, spaniards, portuguese etc. are not called that....

They're from countries that are in Europe though and because of that they can be called Europeans. Latino is in that same vein because the countries are referred to as Latin American countries.

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Originally posted by MaRy

i find it weird that latin americans are called latinos... and even more weird that they are classified as a race.

It isn't classified as a race though. The US Census has it as a separate category.

Quote:

Originally posted by MaRy

I met many people from latin america and some are fully european and white while others are mixed, others are black, etc.

Latino works better exactly because of this. Hispanic is so heavily about the connection to Spain/Portugal, which undoubtedly had the most impact on many of those countries, but it doesn't really define them accurately as individuals. Using Latino acknowledges more current realities than the dated Hispanic in my opinion. It's more unifying and broad.

-brian

Quote:

Originally posted by MaRy

thanks that's very interesting... i find it weird that latin americans are called latinos while italians, french, spaniards, portuguese etc. are not called that... and even more weird that they are classified as a race. I met many people from latin america and some are fully european and white while others are mixed, others are black, etc.

Well, you can call them Latin-Europeans, but that just isn't heard of much.

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Originally posted by Nippy'sReceipts

Hispanic means of Hispania, from Spain/Spanish origin

You're right, but I don't understand why Hispanic only relates to Spain/Spanish-speakers when Hispania compromised of modern day Spain and Portugal

(Although I have seen some forms list Portuguese/Brazilians as Hispanic.)

Nippy'sReceipts

Latino definitely should be the term. It's all-encompassing. Latin America=Latin American/Latino.
Calling people from that region Hispanic just because they speak Spanish and were colonized by Spain is the equivalent of Americans being called Anglo instead of American just because we speak English and were colonized by Britain.

aleik2

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Originally posted by jayyyxtee

I'm dominican and peruvian and usually I just say I'm Spanish but then I have the one person who feels the need to correct me but idc

People of spain are called Spanish