Definitions

[Dorothea]

I'm just wondering if any of you want to talk about the meanings of the word "hispanic" vs. the word "latino".:gathering:

[Laura]

Perfect use of those chatty smiley faces!

Well, technically, Latino is anyone from Latin America, of which Mexico is a part of (I guess) although it's also part of North America.

Hispanic refers to peoples descended from the Spanish. For a while I thought my husband was 100% Nahuatl (and therefore not technically Hispanic). He later told me that's probably not true, that somewhere along the line there must have been some Spanish blood there, or he wouldn't have a beard. (He seriously believes that the European descendants brought facial hair, and that pure-blooded native Mexican Indians would not have facial hair). :dunno:

That's how I understand those terms anyway. They aren't exclusive. Most Mexicans could be called Latinos, but are also descended from both Spanish and Mexican Indians (Nahuatl, Mayan groups, etc), and therefore Hispanic, but also Mestizo, and also Indios.

On a slightly different topic, I find that many Mexicans just describe themselves as Mexican, not as Latino or Hispanic. It's interesting as well that racially, and for the purpose of the census, "Hispanic" people are considered "white," although most Mexicans, especially the more indigenous (and often poorer and darker) ones that end up in the U.S., are probably closer to Native Americans/Indians than Euro-descended "white" people.

What do you guys think?

[Dorothea]

Well, my husband agrees with your husband! He knows nothing about his heritage, sadly, but hasn't a whisp of hair on him-lol! (Well, he has a few whiskers. He likes to shave his chin and then the next day talk about how fast the hair is growing back. He has about 10 total! LOL!)

My experience with Mexicans is that they always refer to Mexicans as Mexicans, too.

When people have asked me the difference between Hispanic and Latino I've included "white" or "fairer" as a part of my definition.... I guess maybe I shouldn't do that.

Side story: When I first met my husband he joked and told me he was "Chicano", which is apparently a Latino born in the United States(right?).

[Coventrated]

Hispania is the term for both Spain and Portugal. Used in Roman times, the Iberian Peninsula.

Never heard the word Hispanic before moving to the US, presume it is an American made up word. Not used to my knowledge in Spain or Portugal.

There are many nationals of the Americas who have no bloodline to either Spain or Portugal, or none worth considering.

But then I have heard the term Anglo, presumably a shortened version of Anglo Saxon, used generally to include many people who are not.

[Laura]

Side story: When I first met my husband he joked and told me he was "Chicano", which is apparently a Latino born in the United States(right?).

Yes, Chicanos are children of Mexicans (I think it only applies to Mexicans, not any Latino person, but I will ask Fermin) born in the U.S. -- Kind of like Mexican American, but that's what Mexican-born people call their U.S.-born counterparts. I'm not sure if the term Chicano only refers to the first generation born here, or if all Mexican-Americans can be called Chicanos....

[Laura]

what wikipedia says:

Chicano (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicano)

Hispanic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic)

Latino (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latino)


:erm:

[USnoiva]

My husband is in the other room watching TV so I will make this quick....
If he is asked about "ethnicity" or "race", he will not mark Hispanic.
I don't know why, but it is something he avoids.
He does not consider himself Hispanic nor does he want to be.

Actually, he wants to be American and White.

Now, let me add to that.
I lost my husband while walking around at a Fair, and I asked a police officer if he had seen him (and I described him as big muscles wearing a muscle shirt) and the officer asked me if he was Hispanic, because he saw a Hispanic guy walking by with big muscles in a gym shirt.
HA!
I don't think I was raised to really differenciate between races/color so there are labels that mean nothing to me as an American.

So the terms here seem beyond my understanding as a Yankee.
However, to my Brasilian husband, they are everything.

[Pinkpig]

My husband is in the other room watching TV so I will make this quick....
If he is asked about "ethnicity" or "race", he will not mark Hispanic.
I don't know why, but it is something he avoids.
He does not consider himself Hispanic nor does he want to be.

Actually, he wants to be American and White.

Now, let me add to that.
I lost my husband while walking around at a Fair, and I asked a police officer if he had seen him (and I described him as big muscles wearing a muscle shirt) and the officer asked me if he was Hispanic, because he saw a Hispanic guy walking by with big muscles in a gym shirt.
HA!
I don't think I was raised to really differenciate between races/color so there are labels that mean nothing to me as an American.

So the terms here seem beyond my understanding as a Yankee.
However, to my Brasilian husband, they are everything.


I dont understand all those terms and tend to stay away from labels when ever possible....

Our DIL is Brazilian, her native language is Portuguese, her father's ancestry is European and her mother's ancestry is native tribesman whose family was brought to Brazil on a slave ship from Angola.

Her skin is a most beautiful shade of caramel, lighter than my husband who is olive colored, and I adore her. :thumbup:

Oh and by the way she has the most toned body as well. She is so health conscious and is currently working for Bally Total Fitness as a personal trainer. She loves to compete in body building competitions and has several trophies

[Dorothea]

USNoiva, my husband wishes he looked like your husband, assuming that is him in the picture!!!
And Pinkpig, I wish I was in as good of shape as your DIL! Lol.

When my husband called himself Chicano he was sort of implying that he wished he were American, white (read as "fit in"). It made me really sad, that he didn't want to celebrate his heritage...
He is proud to be Mexican, but only when he's in Mexico. Here he always felt like all eyes were on him, noticing him as brown, different, making assumptions that he was here illegally.
I thought he was crazy when we first started to date, until we started going out places, grocery store, etc.
My husband is very dark skinned (and actually looks very Native American). When we were visiting the Grand Canyon last year on our way to Mexico we stopped in a tourist shop run by (yikes, not 100% sure) Navajo Indians. The man behind the counter automatically started to speak Navajo to my husband!! For me, that was an eye-opener!

In Mexico one day we took a very poorly mantained dirt road and we passed people who Elias called indigenous (I can't remember the exact word he used en Espanol), and I just turned to him and sort of laughed as said "They look just like you." He never thinks of himself as dark as he is...
Also, my SIL just had her first baby, and his response was that the baby was kind of funny looking because he is so dark skinned. Lol.

Boy, I talk a lot!