I have a theory that they are called "Latin" because they call themselves "Latino/a". People wonder were we Americans got it from. I think the most plausible source is they in Latin America themselves.
Spanish is the most beautiful of all languages
<<Today most people think that "latin"
means only Spanish speaking dut to the ignorance of mass medias, and also due to the US "ethnic"-grouping that had spread its misconceptions all over the world... >>
Absolutely I agree, Latin America is always associated with the Spanish speaking countries of America. I have to admit that I have such bias. I barely think in Brasil under the same context that I put the rest of Spanish speaking countries. For example when I hear the expression "latin music" you can be sure that I don't think in samba, lambada or bosanova, instead I think in salsa, merengue or cumbia. Why ? I'm not sure. Possibly as you said "the US "ethnic"-grouping" has biased everybody since it has a big Spanish-speaking country as neighbour. Even I've seen movies (I know they're not good examples) where they show a Brasilian town looking like a Mexican one, well to be honest any Latin American town is always showed like a Mexican one.
means only Spanish speaking dut to the ignorance of mass medias, and also due to the US "ethnic"-grouping that had spread its misconceptions all over the world... >>
Absolutely I agree, Latin America is always associated with the Spanish speaking countries of America. I have to admit that I have such bias. I barely think in Brasil under the same context that I put the rest of Spanish speaking countries. For example when I hear the expression "latin music" you can be sure that I don't think in samba, lambada or bosanova, instead I think in salsa, merengue or cumbia. Why ? I'm not sure. Possibly as you said "the US "ethnic"-grouping" has biased everybody since it has a big Spanish-speaking country as neighbour. Even I've seen movies (I know they're not good examples) where they show a Brasilian town looking like a Mexican one, well to be honest any Latin American town is always showed like a Mexican one.
<<I think the most plausible source is they in Latin America themselves. >>
This could be true as well.
This could be true as well.
No. "Latino" is just Spanish for "Latin", so they're the same word. The French, with all their imperial ambitions for the Americas coined the name, "Latin America", which would include them, versus "Spanish America", which excluded the French. So, being that these people come from a region of the world called "Latino-America", they are naturally called "Latinos", just as someone from Canada is called a "Canadian". So, they called themselves "Latinos". The English equivalent is "Latin", so Americans came to see "Latin" only in the Hispano-American sense. And because virtually all "Latino" immigrants are mestizo, or "Antonio Banderas stereotypical Hispanic", "Latino" began to carry a racial conotation based on that standard. So today, "Latino/Hispanic" is a racial classification for anybody with a Spanish last name whose national origin is in the Americas. So, over here in the U.S., we never really hear of Latin Europe, but we are, and have been for generations, constantly bombarded with the association between "Latin" and all things of Hispano-America. So to us, "Latin music" is salsa, mambo, and other Afro-Caribbean beat based music, or simply any music in Spanish. To be Latin is to be Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, or Argentinian or Columbian, but not Italian, Portuguese, or French. Oh, and all "Latinos" must have dark skin, black hair, and dark brown eyes.
It's interesting how these names can be so mixed up over the years.
It's interesting how these names can be so mixed up over the years.
To LAA:
I am a Latino from Latin America and I don't know what you're talking about.You wrote "all "Latinos" must have dark skin, black hair, and dark brown eyes.", this is a joke right? Latinos(when use to describe Latin Americans) are not a race, we are a culture.We can be of any race, for example: my race is white, yes I am a white hispanic american, my father is a mestizo, and my mother is white.However there are also black Latinos, and even Asian Latinos.When I go to a store many people think I am "white" as used in USA, buecause of my skin, my brown hair, and my grey eyes, but I am proud to correct them and to tell them that I am a Latino.
And by the way it is correct to say that French, Italians, Potuguese,etc are Latin.I have a friend from Italy, and he agrees with me on this one.
I am a Latino from Latin America and I don't know what you're talking about.You wrote "all "Latinos" must have dark skin, black hair, and dark brown eyes.", this is a joke right? Latinos(when use to describe Latin Americans) are not a race, we are a culture.We can be of any race, for example: my race is white, yes I am a white hispanic american, my father is a mestizo, and my mother is white.However there are also black Latinos, and even Asian Latinos.When I go to a store many people think I am "white" as used in USA, buecause of my skin, my brown hair, and my grey eyes, but I am proud to correct them and to tell them that I am a Latino.
And by the way it is correct to say that French, Italians, Potuguese,etc are Latin.I have a friend from Italy, and he agrees with me on this one.
Alonso,
You have misunderstood LAA. He wasn't giving *his* personal view. He was describing the stereotypical views which exist in the United States and the reasons why a lot of people from the United States associate the word 'Latin' with those things.
You have misunderstood LAA. He wasn't giving *his* personal view. He was describing the stereotypical views which exist in the United States and the reasons why a lot of people from the United States associate the word 'Latin' with those things.
"When I go to a store many people think I am "white" as used in USA, buecause of my skin, my brown hair, and my grey eyes, but I am proud to correct them and to tell them that I am a Latino. "
What white is that
?
If Latino is not a race why do you make a difference between white and Latino.You have to correct people when they say you are white. Come on, what is that for if Latino is not a race?
What white is that
?
If Latino is not a race why do you make a difference between white and Latino.You have to correct people when they say you are white. Come on, what is that for if Latino is not a race?
« If Latino is not a race why do you make a difference between white and Latino.You have to correct people when they say you are white. Come on, what is that for if Latino is not a race? »
It's probably because terms such as this don't always have a very clear and concrete meaning, and often don't simply refer to physical characteristics.
For example, I have a friend who might typically be considered by others to be a 'British Indian' (or a 'British Asian'), because he looks like someone from India, has an Indian name and is definitely of Indian descent (whether he likes it or not). However, he always claims to be 'white' and is very emphatic about this.
It's probably because terms such as this don't always have a very clear and concrete meaning, and often don't simply refer to physical characteristics.
For example, I have a friend who might typically be considered by others to be a 'British Indian' (or a 'British Asian'), because he looks like someone from India, has an Indian name and is definitely of Indian descent (whether he likes it or not). However, he always claims to be 'white' and is very emphatic about this.
He probably has to correct them and tell them he is "Latino" because about 99.9% of U.S. citizens think of "Latino" in racial terms, based on the black hair, dark brown eyes, and dark skin stereotype. For instance, when the police put an alert out for a criminal, they will describe him as a "Latino, 25 years of age" for a physical description. I am often not accepted by many people of my same culture here in the U.S., because I have white skin and brown hair, so I am therefore not "Latino", even though my family is from Latin America, just as they are. It's such a horrible confusion of terms. It's almost intolerable sometimes.
Get this. My mother was at the dermatologist's office yesterday. She was having a mole removed. The doctor said it was a good thing that she was Mexican, because otherwise, she would have had skin cancer, as "White" people are suceptible to higher rates of skin cancer than "Mexicans" and other "Latinos". My mother was confused, and taken off gaurd by such a level of ignorance and stupidity being vomited from a man as educated as that in the form of verbal diarrhea. She said, I have white skin, and freckles. I am lighter complected than you are. So, what do you mean by that?
To which he replied: "But you're still "Latino" right? That means you are less prone to skin cancer than "White" people."
This is coming from a man from the most educated class in American society. And it is representative of the mentality of the majority of the population of the U.S.
Here, people confuse terms so badly, that it is a living nightmare for anyone who knows better. If these small differences in words constitute a unique dialect, then I am ashamed of my countrymen's dialect.
As far as other words and their meanings in the U.S. versus elsewhere in the English speaking world, take a look at the American vs. British examples below:
American British
vacation holiday
fag (homosexual) fag (cigarette)
I was going to do others, but I forgot, and I don't have much time.
Get this. My mother was at the dermatologist's office yesterday. She was having a mole removed. The doctor said it was a good thing that she was Mexican, because otherwise, she would have had skin cancer, as "White" people are suceptible to higher rates of skin cancer than "Mexicans" and other "Latinos". My mother was confused, and taken off gaurd by such a level of ignorance and stupidity being vomited from a man as educated as that in the form of verbal diarrhea. She said, I have white skin, and freckles. I am lighter complected than you are. So, what do you mean by that?
To which he replied: "But you're still "Latino" right? That means you are less prone to skin cancer than "White" people."
This is coming from a man from the most educated class in American society. And it is representative of the mentality of the majority of the population of the U.S.
Here, people confuse terms so badly, that it is a living nightmare for anyone who knows better. If these small differences in words constitute a unique dialect, then I am ashamed of my countrymen's dialect.
As far as other words and their meanings in the U.S. versus elsewhere in the English speaking world, take a look at the American vs. British examples below:
American British
vacation holiday
fag (homosexual) fag (cigarette)
I was going to do others, but I forgot, and I don't have much time.
This must be a very American thing because in Africa you could say that you are latino if you come from a former latin countries holdings but you will never hear that Don't forget Portugal, France, Italy, Belguim and Spain had holdings in Africa but you will never hear about a Latin Africa. I guess it's because you don't have a US next door telling you what you are.
"When I go to a store many people think I am "white" as used in USA, buecause of my skin, my brown hair, and my grey eyes, but I am proud to correct them and to tell them that I am a Latino. "
What white is that
?
If Latino is not a race why do you make a difference between white and Latino.You have to correct people when they say you are white. Come on, what is that for if Latino is not a race?
Guest,
As you can see I wrote "white" as used in the USA.Some of my friends have notice that even though my accent is not that thick, I am not a native English speaker, so they ask where I am from, when I say I am a Latino, they answer: " I thought you were white".If I try to correct them, they tell me that I have whiite skin, but that I'm not "white", how does that work out?.....I dont know.
Let me give you an example.Here in the US when you are filling an application it would ask you the following: Ethnicity: 1White(not of Latino origin.2.Black(not of Latino origin)3.Asian 4.Latino, etc.
This shows you two thing, 1 that Latinos can be of any race, and 2 that the term "white" is use different in the US, then anywhere else in the world.
If I was to fill an application in Colombia, Mexico, Chile, or anywhere in Latin America, it would also ask me for my ethnicity, but instead it would look something like this:1 White 2 Black 3 Mestizo, and maybe even Asian in some countries.And so again I will tell you that even if here in the USA we are consider a race, we are not, we are a culture, and we are very proud of this culture.
What white is that
?
If Latino is not a race why do you make a difference between white and Latino.You have to correct people when they say you are white. Come on, what is that for if Latino is not a race?
Guest,
As you can see I wrote "white" as used in the USA.Some of my friends have notice that even though my accent is not that thick, I am not a native English speaker, so they ask where I am from, when I say I am a Latino, they answer: " I thought you were white".If I try to correct them, they tell me that I have whiite skin, but that I'm not "white", how does that work out?.....I dont know.
Let me give you an example.Here in the US when you are filling an application it would ask you the following: Ethnicity: 1White(not of Latino origin.2.Black(not of Latino origin)3.Asian 4.Latino, etc.
This shows you two thing, 1 that Latinos can be of any race, and 2 that the term "white" is use different in the US, then anywhere else in the world.
If I was to fill an application in Colombia, Mexico, Chile, or anywhere in Latin America, it would also ask me for my ethnicity, but instead it would look something like this:1 White 2 Black 3 Mestizo, and maybe even Asian in some countries.And so again I will tell you that even if here in the USA we are consider a race, we are not, we are a culture, and we are very proud of this culture.
It sounds to me that you just do not like to be labelled "latino" because you think it is a culture. You are not offended by more classic races though - "White" "Black" "Asian" etc.
Society created race and it matters only because society believes in it. It has no basis in anything scientific or biological. You like the ones created in the beginning. You, however, don't like the new ones that are just as artificial as the ones that came before.
I don't see much of a difference - sounds like all the same bs to me.
Society created race and it matters only because society believes in it. It has no basis in anything scientific or biological. You like the ones created in the beginning. You, however, don't like the new ones that are just as artificial as the ones that came before.
I don't see much of a difference - sounds like all the same bs to me.
I am not offended when they call me latino.I am just saying that here in the US the word is as if it was race.As LAA has mention, some Americans think of Latinos as dark skin,black hair, brown or black eyes, even though we can be of any race.And once again I am PROUD of being a Latino.
" I am often not accepted by many people of my same culture here in the U.S., because I have white skin and brown hair, so I am therefore not "Latino" "
Did it ever never crossed your mind that you are a white person of Anglophone American culture ? That is how all people see you (to the language you speak, the way of life you lead and the look you have), in this forum and even in your very ethnic-centred country.
Did it ever never crossed your mind that you are a white person of Anglophone American culture ? That is how all people see you (to the language you speak, the way of life you lead and the look you have), in this forum and even in your very ethnic-centred country.
<<I don't see much of a difference - sounds like all the same bs to me. >>
No, I don't think so Tiffany. And, I'll tell you why. Terms like "Black" and "White" are physical descriptions, based on the color of your skin. Whether that is a race or not, it is still an accurate physical description of a group of people of that color. "Latino" on the other hand, when used to refer to people of Latin American origin, is not suppossed to be a physical description. It is a culture, just like being an "American" (U.S.) is a nationality, or culture. It does not mean simply a Thomas Smith, Anglo-Saxon, protestant. People can be an American and be Irish, German, Italian, Black, Chinese, or Arab. The same goes for "Latin Americans". Latin America is a region of the world, measured by cultural boundaries, not by political or ethnic borders. So, anyone from within Latin America is a Latino, whether he be black, white, or Mestizo. As you know, all of these people look very different from each other, and are clearly not of the same race or ethnicity. But they are all Latinos. Within my circle of friends, there are mestizo Latinos, white Latinos, and Black Latinos. But in America, "Latino" describes a race, based on people with Hispanic last names, and usually mestizo physical characteristics.
<<Did it ever never crossed your mind that you are a white person of Anglophone American culture ? That is how all people see you (to the language you speak, the way of life you lead and the look you have), in this forum and even in your very ethnic-centred country. >>
Fab, you can't possibly understand the circumstances in the region in which I live. Even immigrants, or children of immigrants from Hispanic countries think of Hispanic in racial terms many times. People here are categorized in society based on physical appearance. People group together by racial lines. So a lot of times, some ignorant second generation Mexican-Americans think that to be "Latino" or Hispanic, means to be brown skinned, black hair, and dark brown eyes. In other words, the mestizo look. So, then, you are not Hispanic or Latino if you are white. Now, if they know any better about their people's heritage, or their culture, they will know that Latinos come in all shades and colors.
Immigrants, that is first-generation Americans, from Latin America, know that there are plenty of white "Latinos". So, they see that I have a Spanish last name, and that I eat their same food at home, and that I have the same cultural mentality and views, and that although my Spanish ain't perfect, it is not accented like most Anglophone Spanish-students, and I use their same slang, etc., and they accept me as one of them. And that is not to say that all Mexican-Americans raised in the U.S. don't accept me. That is not true. It's only the ignorant ones. But most that I encounter, treat me as one of them. I'm usually nicknamed "Guero", or the "White-Beaner", or the "White-Mexican", as most of them are of the mestizo look. And simultaneously, a lot of white Anglophones here might know that I'm Mexican, but can't get past the fact that I'm white, and sometimes see me as white, because everyone here thinks in racial terms. There are some other white-mexicans here, but they usually have that Andalucian "Antonio-Banderas" look, so they are not usually thought of as "white" per se.
But, Fab, I think you need to learn something about what constitutes an "Anglo" in the U.S. I'm an Anglophone, and I'm proud of it. But, to be more precise, I'm a "Hispanophone-Anglophone". As a Frenchman, you can't possbily understand that. But, there are such drastic differences in culture, mentality, outlook, etc. between Anglo-Americans and Hispanic-Americans in the U.S. I have tons of Anglo-white friends who come to my house, and they will tell you. They feel like they're in a foreign land. There's Spanish language music playing in my house as you walk in the door. My big Catholic baby machine producing family might be there, talking in Spanish. Everyone is very affectionate, hugging and kissing (which Anglos are not as inclined to do). The women are cooking, and are assigned the traditional household roles that women in Hispanic countries are. The men are all of the Machismo mentality. We're all cooking up Mexican food....
There are major differences between our sub-culture and that of mainstream, Anglo society. I mean major differences. Our whole attitude toward family, children, everything, is different. Anyone who knows me, would know that I am definitely not of "Anglo" culture, as it is used here. I'm an Anglophone because I speak English, and because I'm an American. But, I am of Mexican-American culture, and I'm a Hispanophone-Anglophone.
If you want to get an idea of what I mean, pick up a movie called "Spanglish". The actors include Paz Vega, Tea Leoni, and Adam Sandler. It's important to watch the movie in English, so you get the true idea of what I mean. It's about a mother and daughter, who emigrate to the U.S., when the daughter is about 4 years old. Throughout the whole movie, it shows the clear differences between Hispanic and Anglo culture, and the gradual understanding of each by both parties.
No, I don't think so Tiffany. And, I'll tell you why. Terms like "Black" and "White" are physical descriptions, based on the color of your skin. Whether that is a race or not, it is still an accurate physical description of a group of people of that color. "Latino" on the other hand, when used to refer to people of Latin American origin, is not suppossed to be a physical description. It is a culture, just like being an "American" (U.S.) is a nationality, or culture. It does not mean simply a Thomas Smith, Anglo-Saxon, protestant. People can be an American and be Irish, German, Italian, Black, Chinese, or Arab. The same goes for "Latin Americans". Latin America is a region of the world, measured by cultural boundaries, not by political or ethnic borders. So, anyone from within Latin America is a Latino, whether he be black, white, or Mestizo. As you know, all of these people look very different from each other, and are clearly not of the same race or ethnicity. But they are all Latinos. Within my circle of friends, there are mestizo Latinos, white Latinos, and Black Latinos. But in America, "Latino" describes a race, based on people with Hispanic last names, and usually mestizo physical characteristics.
<<Did it ever never crossed your mind that you are a white person of Anglophone American culture ? That is how all people see you (to the language you speak, the way of life you lead and the look you have), in this forum and even in your very ethnic-centred country. >>
Fab, you can't possibly understand the circumstances in the region in which I live. Even immigrants, or children of immigrants from Hispanic countries think of Hispanic in racial terms many times. People here are categorized in society based on physical appearance. People group together by racial lines. So a lot of times, some ignorant second generation Mexican-Americans think that to be "Latino" or Hispanic, means to be brown skinned, black hair, and dark brown eyes. In other words, the mestizo look. So, then, you are not Hispanic or Latino if you are white. Now, if they know any better about their people's heritage, or their culture, they will know that Latinos come in all shades and colors.
Immigrants, that is first-generation Americans, from Latin America, know that there are plenty of white "Latinos". So, they see that I have a Spanish last name, and that I eat their same food at home, and that I have the same cultural mentality and views, and that although my Spanish ain't perfect, it is not accented like most Anglophone Spanish-students, and I use their same slang, etc., and they accept me as one of them. And that is not to say that all Mexican-Americans raised in the U.S. don't accept me. That is not true. It's only the ignorant ones. But most that I encounter, treat me as one of them. I'm usually nicknamed "Guero", or the "White-Beaner", or the "White-Mexican", as most of them are of the mestizo look. And simultaneously, a lot of white Anglophones here might know that I'm Mexican, but can't get past the fact that I'm white, and sometimes see me as white, because everyone here thinks in racial terms. There are some other white-mexicans here, but they usually have that Andalucian "Antonio-Banderas" look, so they are not usually thought of as "white" per se.
But, Fab, I think you need to learn something about what constitutes an "Anglo" in the U.S. I'm an Anglophone, and I'm proud of it. But, to be more precise, I'm a "Hispanophone-Anglophone". As a Frenchman, you can't possbily understand that. But, there are such drastic differences in culture, mentality, outlook, etc. between Anglo-Americans and Hispanic-Americans in the U.S. I have tons of Anglo-white friends who come to my house, and they will tell you. They feel like they're in a foreign land. There's Spanish language music playing in my house as you walk in the door. My big Catholic baby machine producing family might be there, talking in Spanish. Everyone is very affectionate, hugging and kissing (which Anglos are not as inclined to do). The women are cooking, and are assigned the traditional household roles that women in Hispanic countries are. The men are all of the Machismo mentality. We're all cooking up Mexican food....
There are major differences between our sub-culture and that of mainstream, Anglo society. I mean major differences. Our whole attitude toward family, children, everything, is different. Anyone who knows me, would know that I am definitely not of "Anglo" culture, as it is used here. I'm an Anglophone because I speak English, and because I'm an American. But, I am of Mexican-American culture, and I'm a Hispanophone-Anglophone.
If you want to get an idea of what I mean, pick up a movie called "Spanglish". The actors include Paz Vega, Tea Leoni, and Adam Sandler. It's important to watch the movie in English, so you get the true idea of what I mean. It's about a mother and daughter, who emigrate to the U.S., when the daughter is about 4 years old. Throughout the whole movie, it shows the clear differences between Hispanic and Anglo culture, and the gradual understanding of each by both parties.