Hispanics

[BEK]

Ok so this has been bothering me for a while now. Why do we use the word Hispanics do describe a group of people. I wondered this because it seems to be Taboo to call someone a Mexican when they come from Mexico in the U.S for some reason. So I did my little research. True "Hispanics" came from Hispania name given to the Iberian peninsula from the Romans (modern Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar and a very small southern part of France)
So why was there a label put on a group of people from Mexico, Central and South America and Spain. Because of the language they speak. That is the only reason that word is used strange isnt it. Only ONE group of people get linked together by one word. So I guess unless someone tells me that they are from Hispania I will not be calling anyone a "Hispanic" any time soon. So PC Police get ready cause BEK aint gonna follow some strange rule that was started in the 90's by some tree hugging liberals.

[Terminator]

[Rhino]

If it bothers you so much, "Latino" is also acceptable.

Otherwise, what are you going to call them? I mean, white people are Anglo-Saxon or Caucasian. *shrug*

[Illiy]

**shrugs**

I dunno... My family was all born here... but my grandfathers parents were from Spain and my grandmothers were from Mexico... I have never really thought about it...I am American before I am anything else... that is an interesting thought...

[Willowdared]

If it bothers you so much, "Latino" is also acceptable.

Otherwise, what are you going to call them? I mean, while people are Anglo-Saxon or Caucasian. *shrug*

Hmmmm, so are people from France also Latino?

[Rhino]

Hmmmm, so are people from France also Latino?

Fixed, smartass.

[BEK]

The reason I am baffled is because of a crime bulletin that I just got and it said the individuals race was Hispanic. I have also had to deal with some people that demand to be called Hispanic but when you ask them why they say "cuz" I don't know why people would want to be lumped together with other people just cause they talk the same language. I mean, I don't want to be confused for a Canadian because we speak English.

So I broke it down

The word Latino from the dictionary says "La·ti·nos
1. A Latin American.
2. A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States"

Well there is no Latin America... cause Latin America refers only to those territories in the Americas where Spanish or Portuguese prevail. Its not an actual country and Latin is a language that was spoken many moons ago by the Romans.

So if Latin America is made up place because of the language that is spoken, and Hispanics is a word made up because of the language that is spoken that has no baring on where someone is from or what ethnic group they are then isnt it all a sham based on a language that is spoken by any group of people...


So in the end how can someones Race be Hispanic if the only thing that makes them common is that they just speak the Spanish language not from the land that they are from?

[Jenna]

I've heard that Latino is more politically correct than Hispanic. But different individuals prefer different terms. In any case the terms describe ethnicity, not race.

[PeterJasonMN]

And when I'm Supreme Allied Commander-USA there will be no more of this hyphenated-American crap. You will be American (Of XYZ origin) and nothing else.




And the Jessica Biel cloning project will be on schedule.

[MacLean]

And the Jessica Biel cloning project will be on schedule.

You got my vote.

[Jenna]

And when I'm Supreme Allied Commander-USA there will be no more of this hyphenated-American crap. You will be American (Of XYZ origin) and nothing else.




And the Jessica Biel cloning project will be on schedule.

[PeterJasonMN]

[Ender]

giddy. up.

[Buttercup]

I've heard that Latino is more politically correct than Hispanic. But different individuals prefer different terms. In any case the terms describe ethnicity, not race.

That's true. Also, language is not static, it's always evolving. Whether the etymology makes sense or not doesn't seem to matter if the definition is commonly used and accepted.

[GaryArk]

Here's a great article on this subject at (REALLY GAY LAW ENFORCEMENT WEBSITE)

[PapaBear]

And, the circle continues. I wonder, "Can't we all just get along?"

Hispanics is a word that encomasses ALL Spanish speaking persons whether they are from Mexico, South America, Central America, Spain, Hispanola, Puerto Rico, etc.

Mexicans come from Mexico. Mexican-American is the true misnomer. Mexico is part of America and is made up of thirty-one states. Central America is made up of seven states/territories, South America is made up of fifteen territories/states/countries.

All total, the Americas are a vast geographical expanse and population.

Latino infers the person is from one of the above "Latin Americas" which are defined as "...those countries and territories in the Americas where a Romance language (i.e. languages derived from Latin, and hence the name of the region) are spoken: Spanish, Portuguese, French, and creole languages based upon these. Indeed, this was the original intent when the term was coined, by a Frenchman."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_America

Scientifically speaking there are only three races: Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid.

[mack]

BEK once again a thought provoking thread! I was told many years ago that Hispanic is not a race. It was pointed out in a statistical section of a medical computer program I was working with. This was in the early 90's. Since that time I have had many arguments as to whether Hispanic is a race or ethnicity, especially when I went into Law Enforcement and worked in the records division and tracked crime statistics to be reported to the FBI. The argument still continues to this day, I still stick to my guns that Hispanic is not a race unless a new race has been discovered since the 90's.