Hispanic, Mexican, Latino?

[katautumn]

This has come up recently when discussing the refugee children from Central America and many people erroneously calling them "Mexican". An off-shoot of this discussion is Hispanic vs. Latino - which is the appropriate term? Not all people are from Latin-America. If you call someone a Mexican and they are from Guatemala, it is offensive.

What is the best way to handle this situation, because at some point it becomes an issue of, "we don't all look the same"? Let's discuss labels, their meaning, and figure out which is the best nomenclature to use.

 

[Tigger45]

My Grandmother came from Mexico therefore she is Mexican.

Her son/my father did not so we are not Mexican. Mexican is referring to the country of origin.

Hispanic is referring to ethnicity. Spain originally conquered central, south and well into what we now refer to as the United States.

Latino refers to language of origin. Latin>Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and even French fall into this category.

But considering the refuges you're referring too are what is considered Latin America, (central and south America) my choice would be to call them Latin Americans or Latinos.

 

[Paradoxum]

Can't both Hispanic or Latino be used? I have no idea if either are appropriate... I have nothing to do with such terms in the UK.

 

[poolerboy0077]

We prefer to be referred to by terms which reflect our affinity for beans.

 

[Chesterton]

I read once that "Hispanic" was a really arbitrary word invented relatively recently by some American beaurocrat for purposes of labeling in the U.S. census. The origin would seem to indicate to me - being from/of Hispanola - which makes no sense for 99% of them, or none of them, but the word seems to have caught on even among themselves.

Here in Texas, a lot of them use the name "Chicano" also.

I've never really understand why Latin America is called Latin, unless it has to do with the Catholic Church connection?

 

[Lost Angel]

I never really put a great deal of thought into it. Usually in discussion, I address it as the country of ancestral origin. If I don't know I typically say hispanic.

My old neighbors were from Brazil, where the dominate language is Portuguese. I don't know what term would be used.

I am not sure what other term Puerto Ricans prefer.

 

[Paradoxum]

I've never really understand why Latin America is called Latin, unless it has to do with the Catholic Church connection?

The Latin (romance) languages are Spanish, Portuguese, French, Itallian, and Romanian. Spanish and Portuguese are mostly spoken in Latin America.

(These languages evolved from Latin).

 

[Joykins]

I have a tendency to use "Hispanic" for Latin-American ethnicity, but this may simply be because the US Government does and most of my professional life involved writing abstracts using GPO style for many years. My understanding is that Latino may be preferred by this ethnic group, so I try to use that too. Either way Mexican is for people from Mexico. Most Latinos in my area are Central American.

Chicano is another term for Mexican-American but I rarely hear it used.

 

[Tigger45]

Chicano is a first generation American of Mexican immigrants.

 

[Chesterton]

So what's the deal with Ranch dressing? Is that what a ranch is supposed to taste like or what?

 

[faroukfarouk]

In Spanish, a general word used is 'hispano', which is very similar to 'Hispanic'; it basically covers people from a Spanish-speaking background.

 

[poolerboy0077]

So what's the deal with Ranch dressing? Is that what a ranch is supposed to taste like or what?

Ranch dressing?

Oh! You mean aderezo ranchero!

 

[Strathos]

It was originally a brand name I think

 

[Radrook]

We prefer to be referred to by terms which reflect our affinity for beans.

Ah you mean beaners? Strange because I lived among Mexicans in Chicago for almost four years and did not see any of them ever eating beans. Maybe in the California area? In any case, if we were to apply that rule you mention to every ethnic group then what would we call African Americans based on what they eat? Watermeloners? Anglo Americans Apple Piers? Italians Spaggety-meatballers? Seems a bit childishly shallow minded and silly to me.
Ummm, do they prefer to be called those things as well?

 

[Desk trauma]

Ah you mean beaners? Strange because I lived among Mexicans in Chicago for almost four years and did not see any of them ever eating beans. Maybe in the California area? In any case, if we were to apply that rule you mention to every ethnic group then what would we call African Americans based on what they eat? Watermeloners? Anglo Americans Apple Piers? Italians Spaggety-meatballers? Seems a bit childishly shallow minded and silly to me.
Ummm, do they prefer to be called those things as well?

Necroed for that comment? Wow.

 

[Radrook]

In Spanish, a general word used is 'hispano', which is very similar to 'Hispanic'; it basically covers people from a Spanish-speaking background.

The issue is that Hispanic refers to the Iberian Peninsula and in an effort to distinguish Latin Americans from people of the Iberian Peninsula some have suggested Latino instead. To USA AAs and Anglos neither term makes a difference because to most AAs and USA Anglos all Latinos are conveniently seen as one huge indistinguishable group of people and are treated accordingly.

 

[Radrook]

Necroed for that comment? Wow.

Excuse me? What does Necroed mean?

 

[Radrook]

The Latin (romance) languages are Spanish, Portuguese, French, Itallian, and Romanian. Spanish and Portuguese are mostly spoken in Latin America.

(These languages evolved from Latin).

I think that Catalan and Gallego are included?
Arab and German had an influence on the Spanish and Portuguese Language as well due to the occupation of Iberia by both.

 

[Desk trauma]

Excuse me? What does Necroed mean?

Commenting on a thread that has not been active for some time. Such as one that was dormant for the better part of two and a half years.

 

[Radrook]

Commenting on a thread that has not been active for some time. Such as one that was dormant for the better part of two and a half years.

I haven't been a member of this website for that long and was looking on the search engine provided here for Latino subjects and this subject came up in the search. Is posting on dormant subjects, as you call them, against forum rules? If indeed so, then they should be deleted from search engine searches. In any case, the subject was not responded to properly so I added my thoughts.