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P.S. Can anyone enlighten me as to the use of Hispanic vs. Latino, and which is preferred?
Hispanic was/is identified with Mexico. Latino with Latin America.
Almost all Latino's hate the term Hispanic and think it refers to Mexico only. Not sure in today's world, but there was no love lost between Latino's and Mexican's in the past.
In my case.....I check Latino of European origin on the census box. I do have citizenship in Latin America, being born and raised there as a citizen. However, that culture did not take. In the long run, neither did my parents European culture. But hey, that American culture....well, except for my name and some interesting cultural attributes...so you would definitely think I am an American. And so I am.
However, the Census wants to check a box. I am fine with Latino of European origin.
America has always had deep traditional roots in racism. Don't ever forget it!
Yes, but Mexicans and people of Spanish origin werecomplicitin the racism. Spanish Texans were as white and as racist as Anglo-Americans. They were not the victims, they were accomplices. Don't ever forget it.
An Ecuadorean friend corrected me when I used the term Hispanic. She said it refers to Spaniards who are Old World. Latino is anyone from Latin America in the New World.
An Ecuadorean friend corrected me when I used the term Hispanic. She said it refers to Spaniards who are Old World. Latino is anyone from Latin America in the New World.
She doesn't know what she is talking about. Spaniards sometimes use the word Hispano but in general they prefer is Iberico which means Iberian. Not all Ibericos are Hispanos.
TBO you guys on this thread are either drowning or barely treading water in a soup of terms you barely understand.
An Ecuadorean friend corrected me when I used the term Hispanic. She said it refers to Spaniards who are Old World. Latino is anyone from Latin America in the New World.
The word Latino isn't very accurate at all. Most people that consider themselves Latino have very little to do with being of Latin origin. First of all, they don't speak Latin. Latin is a language, it's not a group of people. Spanish is derived from Latin but so are dozens of other languages. Italian is the closest language to Latin but Italians don't call themselves Latino. There has never been a Latin race and people speaking Latin were originally the Romans from the Italian peninsular, not anywhere in the Americas. So, using Latino as an accurate description of who one is leaves a lot to be desired.
Hispanic was/is identified with Mexico. Latino with Latin America.
Almost all Latino's hate the term Hispanic and think it refers to Mexico only. Not sure in today's world, but there was no love lost between Latino's and Mexican's in the past.
...
This is not correct, the world hispanic comes from hispania, it was the name of the iberian peninunsula. So spaniards are also included in the term hispanics.
Latin refers to latin related languages, and this include brasil, and other small territories that speak french.
In practice the terms are used interchangeably. I've never met anyone taking offense of either term.
I'm assuming by assimilation you mean learning the language, culture and fitting in rather than creating a parallel society. It's not clear entirely what you mean by assimilation some find ethnic enclaves offensive and would consider than counter to assimilation.
I find the strong attachments to racial identities as something impeding the "assimilation" of Americans into one people. The made up classification of Hispanic/Latino which was added to the US census contributes to the balkanization of America in my opinion.
Ethnic enclaves existed for a reason - often they came about due to exclusion, racism, and poverty. Like Chinatown.
So it's disingenuous and intellectually dishonest to charge or accuse a certain ethnic group of not assimilating, when they were historically denied the opportunities to partake in American society, that was available to others.
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