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An Anglo can be of Hispanic heritage. If their language and worldview (weltanschauung) are of the mainstream American variety (rather than the Spanish-Native culture of New Mexico) then why not.
Think of it this way, a person designated 'Hispanic' can be of African, Native American, or European descent.
So what makes them 'Hispanic' if they don't have an iota of Spanish blood? Their ancestors, whether from Bantu-speaking regions of West Africa, Mayan-speakers from Central America, or Italian-speakers from Italy at one point found themselves in a Spanish speaking society with a Spanish cultural heritage and customs. The West African in the Dominican Republic, the Mayan in Guatemala, the Italian in Argentina. These people adopted the Spanish language and customs and passed them on to their children. They may maintain African, Mayan, and Italian customs as well, but they are subsidiary to the dominant 'Hispanic' worldview.
I appreciate all the work you did here, however CAVA is right. You're making it way too complicated. Growing up here, if you're not hispanic, native american, asian, african american, you're anglo!
OK, maybe, but where I work there was a Swedish girl who described herself as Anglo and was corrected by her Hispanic coworkers (who basically stated that only "white Americans" are Anglo). That was when I started giving serious consideration to to definition of the word both historically and contemporarily.
As a trained anthropologist and linguist, I admit I do tend to make these things complicated :-)
My last word on this is, if a New Mexican (regardless of heritage) wants to call a German-American an 'Anglo', that is one thing.
If that same New Mexican takes a trip to Germany and says, "This country is full of Anglos.", I will call them an idiot to their face.
OK, maybe, but where I work there was a Swedish girl who described herself as Anglo and was corrected by her Hispanic coworkers (who basically stated that only "white Americans" are Anglo).
Assume she was an immigrant who spoke with an accent? I could see how a non-native English speaker could possibly be considered by some there a non-Anglo.
I wondered how my taste in music would change after I moved to Albuquerque. Somewhat unexpectedly I find myself listening to tons of British music (mostly dance oriented), more from the UK than I've listened to since I was in my teens.
Well, they keep telling me I'm an Anglo. *rimshot*
It's used often, in many threads, and it's a newish term to me. I'd never heard it applied to myself until I moved to New Mexico. Since "Anglo" is a form of "Anglo-Saxon" and my ancestry is NOT Anglo-Saxon, I don't know why the term would be applied to me. I certainly never use it to describe myself.
I'm a little on the fence as to whether or not I consider it insulting, although it's certainly not accurate.
Well...many of the people we call "Hispanic" barely have actual Spanish ancestry either.
I appreciate all the work you did here, however CAVA is right. You're making it way too complicated.
Well, it does have a simple definition, someone who speaks American English without accent, and looks white. But the word has a history as well.
Angle member of a Teutonic tribe, Old English, from Latin Angli "the Angles," literally "people of Angul" , a region in what is now Holstein, said to be so-called for its hook-like shape (see angle). People from the tribe there founded the kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbia, and East Anglia in 5th century Britain. Their name, rather than that of the Saxons or Jutes, may have become the common one for the whole group of Germanic tribes because their dialect was the first committed to writing.
Anglo 1738, from Anglo- + American. Originally often in contrast to German immigrants. In contrast to non-English neighboring or border people in the U.S. from 1809 (adj.); 1834 (n.). Meaning "pertaining to both England and the United States" is from 1812
Anglo was used for native, English-speakers in Canada from 1800 and Britain from 1964.
Anglo "American, English-speaking white person," 1941, southwestern U.S..
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