Are Italian- Americans Latin Americans? (live in, places, Hispanic)

[H'ton]

When we use the term Latin-Americans or Latinos we often exclude Italian- Americans but no term is more synonymous with the Italian Peninsula and its culture than "Latin".

The Latin people, language, and culture ALL originated IN and outwards FROM the Italian peninsula.

If fact the region Rome/Roma sits in, Lazio, once was called Latium which literally means "Land of the Latins" .

In fact, I'm sure the word Italia is a root word referring back to the Latins or Italic people.

So...when did the term Latin- Americans and Latinos morph into a totally different meaning...... descendants of people from the NON-ITALIAN Iberian Peninsula (Spain + Portugal)?

Shouldn't they be called Iberian-Americans...I'm pretty sure French Canadians are NOT considered Latin-Americans either?!?! So there goes the Latin- language connections.

And with this information, should Italian Americans check "Latin" on the US Census forms?

[2Easy]

“Latin American” refers to people from Latin America.

[908Boi]

No.

Originally Posted by 2Easy

“Latin American” refers to people from Latin America.

Yup.
/Close thread.

[homenj]

OP does have a valid point here.

Italians are the true Latinos. Remember where we get Latin culture (and language from)?

It wasn't Latin America, of course. It wasn't even Spain. It's from Italy.

Now if Italians want to labelled as "Latinos", that's fine.

But I don't think many would, and would rather see themselves as "non-Hispanic white" instead.

They don't want to asssciate themselves with anything Latino. They'd rather see themselves as "white."

Remember all the discrimination they used to face?

They learned upon arriving this country that being "white" was good and anything other was "bad."

This is why they'll see themselves as "white."

[H'ton]

Originally Posted by 2Easy

“Latin American” refers to people from Latin America.

I know that but the reference to "Latin" is back to Italy.

The term isn't Iberian- Americans or Mestizo -Americans it's Latin (Italy)

That's my whole question..are Italian Americans (ACTUAL direct descendants from Italy ) Latin Americans?

[BostonBornMassMade]

no

[illadelph73]

Nope.

[illadelph73]

And in fact Latin Americans have more in common with Caribbean people & people in South Florida and the Southwestern United States than Europeans.

[H'ton]

Originally Posted by illadelph73

And in fact Latin Americans have more in common with Caribbean people & people in South Florida and the Southwestern United States than Europeans.

guys...this isn't a question about the people that currently live in South America + Central America + Mexico, it's a question if Italian Americans are Latin Americans since the term L-A-T-I-N references the Italian culture and characteristics (latin people/non-anglos, orginally spoke a romance latin language- Italian, are/were majority roman catholic, plus they share many other "Latin" customs and cultural similarities.)


Again, I'm not ignoring the culture in Latin-America, I'm pointing out the main term used LATIN or Latins or Latinos or Latin Americans is a word that means ITALIAN in influence.

[Space_League]

lol yes but no because Italians never colonized America. Latin America is a weird term bcause there are so many exceptions to what it does and doesn't include. Doesn't include spanish-speaking places in Continental US regardless of whether they were originally Spanish colonies or if they are populated with Spanish-speaking immigrants,,, but does include Puerto Rico . Doesn't include Francophone places in Canada or US but does include French Guiana and Haiti AFAIK.