Hispanic
We were mocked and harrassed for using the words, Hispanic and Spain, in the same breath in the September 2, 2009, entry entitled, "Makes Me Wonder What Else They're Not Telling Me?" although, it looks now like the author of that critique has deleted his comment.
The scolder wrote that: Hispanic has nothing to do with Spain!
{ We're curious. We're wondering: "What's up with all the anger and hate and hostility!?" }
Usage Note from Dictionary.com:
Though often used interchangeably in American English, Hispanic and Latino are not identical terms, and in certain contexts the choice between them can be significant.
Hispanic, from the Latin word for "Spain," has the broader reference, potentially encompassing all Spanish-speaking peoples in both hemispheres and emphasizing the common denominator of language among communities that sometimes have little else in common.
Latino — which in Spanish means "Latin" but which as an English word is probably a shortening of the Spanish word latinoamericano — refers more exclusively to persons or communities of Latin American origin.
Of the two, only Hispanic can be used in referring to Spain and its history and culture; a native of Spain residing in the United States is a Hispanic, not a Latino, and one cannot substitute Latino in the phrase the Hispanic influence on native Mexican cultures without garbling the meaning.
In practice, however, this distinction is of little significance when referring to residents of the United States, most of whom are of Latin American origin and can theoretically be called by either word.
A more important distinction concerns the sociopolitical rift that has opened between Latino and Hispanic in American usage:
~ Chicano is probably influenced by the Spanish word, "chico," meaning "boy," also used as a nickname. The adjective is first attested in 1967.
It is used only of Mexican Americans, not of Mexicans living in Mexico. It was originally an informal term in English (as in Spanish), and the spelling of the first recorded instance in an American publication followed the Spanish custom of lowercasing nouns of national or ethnic origin.
However, the literary and political movements of the 1960s and 1970s among Mexican Americans established Chicano as a term of ethnic pride, and it is properly written today with a capital.
While Chicano is a term of pride for many Mexican Americans, it remains a word with strong political associations. Since these politics are not necessarily espoused by all Mexican Americans, and since usage and acceptance of this word can vary from one region to another, an outsider who is unfamiliar with his or her audience may do well to use Mexican American instead.
The scolder wrote that: Hispanic has nothing to do with Spain!
{ We're curious. We're wondering: "What's up with all the anger and hate and hostility!?" }
Usage Note from Dictionary.com:
Though often used interchangeably in American English, Hispanic and Latino are not identical terms, and in certain contexts the choice between them can be significant.
Hispanic, from the Latin word for "Spain," has the broader reference, potentially encompassing all Spanish-speaking peoples in both hemispheres and emphasizing the common denominator of language among communities that sometimes have little else in common.
Latino — which in Spanish means "Latin" but which as an English word is probably a shortening of the Spanish word latinoamericano — refers more exclusively to persons or communities of Latin American origin.
Of the two, only Hispanic can be used in referring to Spain and its history and culture; a native of Spain residing in the United States is a Hispanic, not a Latino, and one cannot substitute Latino in the phrase the Hispanic influence on native Mexican cultures without garbling the meaning.
In practice, however, this distinction is of little significance when referring to residents of the United States, most of whom are of Latin American origin and can theoretically be called by either word.
A more important distinction concerns the sociopolitical rift that has opened between Latino and Hispanic in American usage:
- For a certain segment of the Spanish-speaking population, Latino is a term of ethnic pride and Hispanic a label that borders on the offensive. According to this view, Hispanic lacks the authenticity and cultural resonance of Latino, with its Spanish sound and its ability to show the feminine form Latina when used of women.
- Furthermore, Hispanic — the term used by the U.S. Census Bureau and other government agencies — is said to bear the stamp of an Anglo establishment far removed from the concerns of the Spanish-speaking community.
~ Chicano is probably influenced by the Spanish word, "chico," meaning "boy," also used as a nickname. The adjective is first attested in 1967.
It is used only of Mexican Americans, not of Mexicans living in Mexico. It was originally an informal term in English (as in Spanish), and the spelling of the first recorded instance in an American publication followed the Spanish custom of lowercasing nouns of national or ethnic origin.
However, the literary and political movements of the 1960s and 1970s among Mexican Americans established Chicano as a term of ethnic pride, and it is properly written today with a capital.
While Chicano is a term of pride for many Mexican Americans, it remains a word with strong political associations. Since these politics are not necessarily espoused by all Mexican Americans, and since usage and acceptance of this word can vary from one region to another, an outsider who is unfamiliar with his or her audience may do well to use Mexican American instead.
Posted by Caleigh Brooks at 3/23/2010 2:54 PM 
Categories: Politics
Tags: spain spanish mexican chicano english latinoamericano latino latina mexico hispanic dictionary.com
Categories: Politics
Tags: spain spanish mexican chicano english latinoamericano latino latina mexico hispanic dictionary.com
your article is so informative and interesting. nice shared.
Reply to this
I have never had a great love of the music business, I never have.
Reply to this
Wow nice information you have shared here. Actually Google made searching of information easy on any topic. Well keep it up and post more interesting blogs
Reply to this
Have you ever thought of adding video to your posts to keep the readers more entertained?
Reply to this
This rss feed does not show in my browser safari how can I fix it.
Reply to this
Very convenient to include a link letting me share this story on Facebook
Reply to this