Spanish is not so important as latin-americans praise!

« Spaniards are very Unique people. Spaniards way of life is very different from any other country in the world. This is why ALL SPANIARDS are angry at this. If there was a country that is a little similar to spanish people is Italians. »

??

I'm assuming you're not Spanish, since you spoke about the Spaniards in the third person. Please correct me if I'm wrong though.

Spain and Italy, like most European countries, are not two homogenous culture blobs which fit neatly within political boundaries. There is a great diversity within Spain, to the extent that Catalonia (in the Northeast) 'feels' (at least in my experience) more like that part of France next to it than, say, Andalusia or Galicia, which are further away. One can make similar observations between many other European countries, as way of life is often not really dependent on nationality and political borders here, which are largely artificial anyway.

I'm not sure that I'd agree that 'the Spanish way of life' (whatever that means) is 'very different' from that of every other country in the world either. My way of life (I'm English) is very different from the way of life of the people from a very different background to me who live only a kilometre down the road. Realistically, my way of life might even be closer to the way of life of someone in Spain from a similar background to me than to the way of life of someone in England from a very different background.

But I understand what you mean and I agree with you for the most part — Spain is definitely a Western European country and should definitely not be grouped with Latin America (other than for linguistic purposes), nor should it be considered as an off-shoot of Latin America which happens to be in Europe, as you claim that it is seen in the US. But I don't know how the US media presents Latin America — it wouldn't surprise me if the focus is primarily upon Mexico, since that is the Latin American country with which the US has the most contact.

"I can see why spaniards are upset about the Hispanic/Latino definition in the USA."

Really that's not strange, U.S. is the most ignorant country in the world. They don't know anything about anything else but their country. When they donate books to other country guess what kind of books...yes, U.S.history books...I'm not kidding!

Where did that come from?

LOL!!!!!
Maybe they think those will come in handy

One more thing...
Who groups Spain as a Latin American country (besides linguistically)???

But I don't think that Spain should be not grouped at all with latin-America (or hispanic America to be more precise = spanish speaking America), because all those countries, even if they does not share the "US latino" stereotypes, they all share linguistic, religious, and cultural things (and also human) from Spain. the only thing that links the diversity of spanish-speaking america is not a supposed "latino-mestizo" identity, that only some countries share but the culture of Spain, wich was mixed to different elements in the different latin-american countries.

Eso es verdad, si bien existen grandes diferencias entre los paises de la América Española y España (ecónomicas, politicas, raciales y sociales entre otras) estos paises comparten mucho culturalmente hablando con el "pais raíz" en este caso España que los creó.

Es como para nosotros ver a Inglaterra y los demás paises Anglo-Sajones (USA, Canada, Australia, Nueva Zelanda), es innegable que un Inglés y un Estadounidense tienen diferencias importantes tanto en comportamiento como en educación, pero culturalmente hablando comparten mucho, demasiado diría yo y esto se ve a la hora de que se confian mutuamente sus politicas, asuntos económicos, de seguridad etc.
Todos estos paises de habla Sajona comparten la cultura de Inglaterra y a nuestros ojos son muy muy similares culturalmente hablando a pesar de que existan ciertas diferencias internas entre ellos. Por eso es imposible diferenciar a primera impresión a un Canadiense de un Estadounidense, hasta no ver su manera de actuar o de hablar dado el caso.

In my mind, Spain is separate from Latin/Hispanic America. Perhaps in other Americans minds, they are joined. The media does just say "Spanish".

However, has anyone thought that perhaps the phenomenon you speak of (association of Latin America and Spain) comes from Latin Americans themselves? Just look at Sigma's post, defending the view the Latin America should be associated with Spain. I'm am sure he is not the only Latin/Hispanic American that has this view.

The US has many many Hispanic Americans. Is it so hard to believe they have influenced popular thought here?

So quick to mouth stereotypes: that this must be because the US is ignorant. Wow. I guess it doesn't ever get old to you guys seeing as that is the reason you all give for everything you consider wrong. Of course, I should expect this type of thinking. Critical thinking about this must be too hard. It's easy to blame it on ignorance. Especially American ignorance. Quite popular.

Latin-American ? Latino ? Hispanics ? What a shame !

Latin Americans are not even Latin, as they don’t descend from the Romans, they descend from the European romanised population mixed with Aztecs, blacks and other indian south Americans. They should first of all protect their Aztec or Local cultural patrimonies and be proud of it, not pretend they’re latin. They are not Latins at all, but were enslaved and exploited by the Europeans with a Latin ancestry. Their name (Latino in Americas) refers at the Latin language (Spanish and Portuguese) imposed by the Latin Europeans. It doesn’t refer their Latin ancestry, because they don’t have one. They descend from Europeans, Africans and native Americans, not Romans.

The first wonderful example were the Columbians that renegades the Latinity and say. “We Columbians are not Latin, we are proud native Americans that were only enslaved by the European Latins, imposing their language.” The Columbians even demolished the statue of Columbus stating – Columbus was an Latin invader. You should be proud of your Inca, Maya and Aztec, etc civilizations, and not pretend you are Latins , because you’re not. The Peruvians, Uruguayans, Mexicans, etc are 68% native Americans, and not European. The Brazilians are only 23% Caucasian. Just by speaking a Latin language doesn’t mean you’re Latin.

Inca, Maya and Aztec civilization is something to be very proud of !

This is the most elitest racist statements that I have ever come out of this linguist community that I have ever heard before. First of all, ALL OVER LATIN AMERICAN THERE IS A VARIETY OF DIVERSITY GENETICALLY!! White phenotypes are not just isolated to Southern South America and Spain. Each and evry country has a variety and they consider themselves as all Argentenians, Chileans, Uruguayians part of a large scale latin community. Yes, most do not consider the people of Spain as part of their cultures. I recent the statements about stereotypes such as spicy food, and tacos being asociated with all Latin America. There is a variety of food spicy or not all over Latin America. Tacos are nlt a pan Latino food as the idiot that made that statement above suggests. WHEN DID WE START LETTING RACIST IDIOTS ON THIS FORUMPOST COMMENTS? Please do not comment if you do not know what you are talking about. By the way, I am one of the Latins of Southern European decent with no indigenous blood rebuting your comments and I know for fact many other latins feel the same way I feel.

the Latin America should be associated with Spain

Sería mas apropiado decir "América Española debe ser asociado con España" no Latino América por que aquí no incluimos a la América Portuguesa y a la América Francesa dentro del contexto.

Latin-American ? Latino ? Hispanics ? What a shame !

Fue Francia un pais Latino-Europeo quien ideó y creó el concepto de "América Latina" como contrabalance a la América Sajona para tratar de ganar aliados en el continente Américano a favor de su causa, tratando de decirle a los Estados Unidos: ustedes son "Anglo-Sajones" no tienen por que intervenir en este subcontinente, eso es "América Latina" nos corresponde a nosotros Franceses (Europeos Latinos) el actuar en esa región.

Entonces no nos venga con el cuento de que nos "apropiamos" del término "Latino América" por que en primer lugar nosotros no creamos dicho término.

Inca, Maya and Aztec civilization is something to be very proud of !

¿Qué sabes tu acerca del estado actual de las comunidades indígenas? En algunos estados de sur de México donde predomina un gran número de población autóctona como: Oaxaca, Chiapas, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, etc., muchos indígenas aún rechazan la cultura Española y esa es la hora en la cual maldicen el momento en que los Españoles pisaron tierras Américanas, dichas comunidades aún hablan sus dialectos tales como: Zapoteco, Mixteco o Maya sobretodo, y más recientemente las clases en los niveles elementales de educación (primaria y secundaria) se imparten en Maya en algunas comunidades indígenas de Yucatán. Estas personas siempre han estado orgullosas de sus orígenes (en este caso indígenas) y mencionan que han sido ya más de 500 años de resistencia de las comunidades indígenas contra la invasión. Esta es la fecha en la cuál el castellano se les impone a la fuerza a los indígenas; en un afán desesperado por "asimilarlos" a la cultura Española (en este caso específico a la cultura Mexicana), ya que el gobierno no puede poner en marcha su antigua política indigenista de "liquidación" que utilizó en el siglo pasado. Esto demuestra que estas honorables gentes estan lejos de sentir pena de sus raices ancestrales indígenas, muy a pesar de las tendencias actuales anti indigenistas.

El único indígena 100 % puro que ha tenido éxito en destacar en la vida política del país (México) fue Bénito Juarez nacido en un estado con gran población índígena (Oaxaca). En lo particular yo no tengo sangre indígena, soy lo que anteriormente llamaban "criollo" posiblemente por eso mi mode de pensar difiere bastante de un Mexicano con raíces indígenas o de un mestizo, pero considero que es tan Mexicano una persona con sangre española como una persona con sangre indígena, a pesar que su visión del mundo y su manera de actuar sean tan diferentes como el agua y el aceite.

Mi modo* de pensar no mode
Es la culpa de estar parlando en Inglés los últimos dias.

« Es como para nosotros ver a Inglaterra y los demás paises Anglo-Sajones (USA, Canada, Australia, Nueva Zelanda), es innegable que un Inglés y un Estadounidense tienen diferencias importantes tanto en comportamiento como en educación, pero culturalmente hablando comparten mucho, demasiado diría yo y esto se ve a la hora de que se confian mutuamente sus politicas, asuntos económicos, de seguridad etc.
Todos estos paises de habla Sajona comparten la cultura de Inglaterra y a nuestros ojos son muy muy similares culturalmente hablando a pesar de que existan ciertas diferencias internas entre ellos. »

I think that it would be a huge understatement to suggest that the culture of the United States is primarily an off-shoot of the culture of England. I live in England, and that is certainly not how the United States is usually viewed here. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but I can't really imagine that many Americans see it that way either. I usually see the United States as a country which has been influenced to an extent by a vast number of different cultures, has a vast amount of largely home-grown culture, but happens to have English as its main language due to historical reasons (since the majority of Americans are not predominately of English descent).

I also think that it would be a bit of an understatement, although to a somewhat lesser extent, to suggest that the cultures of Canada, Australia and New Zealand are primarily off-shoots of the culture of England.

And let's not forget that it's not simply the US and other English-speaking countries with which the UK coöperates on an international scale. We arguably work far more with other European countries through the European Union.

« Por eso es imposible diferenciar a primera impresión a un Canadiense de un Estadounidense, hasta no ver su manera de actuar o de hablar dado el caso. »

We in England are not usually able to differentiate between Americans and Canadians either, until they tell us. But then when we do know, our attitude towards them is often very different.

On the subject of countries being 'grouped' together according to language... I've often found that people here in Britain are usually fairly happy for us to be 'grouped' with Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But then when it's suggested that we should also be 'grouped' with the United States, the response is often a very big 'no'. I could suggest some possible explanations for this difference in attitude if you're interested. This view is often manifested in the policies of right-wing British political groups — I've read several manifestos which emphasise reinforcing links with Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but are very critical of the current coöperation with the US and the evolvement within the EU. (Centrist and left-wing political groups here tend to be more Europeanist anyway).

Anti-US sentiments are common throughout the world, and as for me, there is no real need to explain why.

But I think Sigma was agreeing with you, that Canada, the U.S., Ireland, etc. share much in common culturaly, although "much" can be anywhere between enough to be linked together, and so much that they cannot be distinguished.

I'm a "Latin-American", and the label really has no meaning to me. I can see why Spaniards are "angered" that they are grouped with a cultre that is distinctively different from their own, but "Latin American" doesn't really mean anything, it's all in the context.

« But I think Sigma was agreeing with you, that Canada, the U.S., Ireland, etc. share much in common culturaly, although "much" can be anywhere between enough to be linked together, and so much that they cannot be distinguished. »

I'm not sure if you've understood me correctly, since I didn't think that I was agreeing with him/her. Is it your view that Britain and Ireland should be linked culturally with the US, before being linked with any other country in Europe? It's not mine.