What is the difference between hispanic and Latino?

Answer 1

Latino and Hispaniccategorical definitions are CULTURAL distinctions NOT RACIAL categories. Boricuadirectly refers to Puerto Rican Native Indians. They were Spain-dominated and assimilated by Spain (but not given Spanish citizenship). They were an indigenous Puerto Rican people. It is a RACIAL category. Latino- This is an individual whose cultural heritage is of Latin descent (Roman-conquered). France, Brazil and Portugal born individuals are Latino but not Hispanic, (They were conquered by Rome, not Spain). The term "Latino" is often used by individuals as a distinction to "Hispanic" by those NOT Native born in a country which is of Spanish-speaking culture (France, Brazil, Portugal, United States, Europe, etc...). Many Spanish surnamed United States citizens commonly fall into this category; (though they often refer to themselves as "Puerto Rican-American," "Mexican-American," "Cuban-American," etc…). Some Latinos are Hispanics, many Hispanics are not Latino. Hispanic- This is an individual whom is Native born to a Spain-conquered country and therefore derive from a Spanish-speaking culture. Some of these individuals call themselves "Latino" rather than Hispanic; though incorrect, they typically argue they are of "Latino" heritage because their heritage arises from Spain whom was a Roman-conquered country. Some Hispanics are Latino, but not all Latinos are Hispanic. Anglo of Latino or Hispanic descent- Is an individual whom has a Spanish Surname but was not born in a Spain or Roman-conquered country. They have adopted Anglo (or non Spanish- oriented) ways and are only of Spanish-oriented or partial Spanish-oriented heritage but commonly do not speak the Spanish language and do not significantly follow the customs of the culture. Many Anglos are of Latino or Hispanic descent, some Anglos and some Anglos of Latino or Hispanic descent can become an accepted Hispanic or Latino by adopting the culture, becoming functional in the language and overall functioning in the culture. No Anglo (by very definition) can become a Boricua. *BORICUA* - THIS IS A RACIAL CATEGORY, IT REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL OF PUERTO RICAN-NATIVE INDIAN DESCENT; an individual that is of Taino descent. A Taino is an Indian tribe which was native to Puerto-Rico; the Taino tribe island residents were referred to as "Boricuas." Concomitantly, the island of the Borinquen, now known as "Puerto Rico" was renamed by the Spanish conquistadors Spanish conquistadors after being "discovered" by Spain, (specifically by Cristoba Colon **Interesting note-Christopher Columbus was of Italian heritage, yet he renounced his non-Spanish heritage and became a Spanish citizen. He spoke Spanish, adopted the Spanish culture, lived and died as a Spaniard. He was the first governor of Puerto Rico and is buried in Spain. His paramour was Spanish and his children were all citizens of Spain. They were all servants of Spain; one son specifically was the first governor of Hispaniola (now the Dominican Republic). Thus, it is often a significant area of contention to an individual of Spanish descent when Italian flags are waved on "Columbus day." William Eduardo Beltran, Ph.D

Answer 2

In current usage in the English language as spoken in the US, there is little if any real difference between the terms "hispanic" and "latino." "Hispanic" is an adjective referring to any person or thing deriving from the Hispanic Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal). Most Hispanic people or issues encountered in the US actually relate to or derive from South or Central America, but with few exceptions these areas derive much of their cultures from the Hispanic Peninsula. "Latino" is an adjective referring to any person or thing deriving from the places where languages descended from Latin are spoken. Spanish and Portuguese are the languages most commonly referenced in English as being "Latin languages" in part because of the phrase "Latin America" referring to the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations of South and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico. The fact is that French, Italian, Romanian and several other languages are also derived from Latin, but this is rarely a factor in connection with the English use of the term "latino."

Hispanics are people whose ancestry or culture derived from the Hispanic Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal). Latinos are people whose native language is one that derived primarily from Latin. In addition to Hispanics, Latinos include speakers of Italian, French, Romanian and a number of other modern languages. Because the largest distinctively separate Latino ethnic groups in the US at present are Hispanic, the two terms are sometime used (incorrectly) as synonyms.

Answer 3

There is no substantial difference between "Latino" and "Hispanic."

"Hispanic" refers to persons from Spain, Portugal or Iberian nations that speak Spanish. ("Hispanola" = "Spain" in Spanish).

"Latino" refers to persons from the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic), South America (Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, etc.) and Central America (Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, etc.) (All Latin America) - which were colonized by Spain and hence, speak Spanish.

In the US, Latino may be less formal and Hispanic more formal reference to the same group of people - those from countries where one of the languages of the Hispanic peninsula are spoken

Please do not refer to Spanish as an ethnicity for ALL Spanish speakers. It is identified as a language, not an ethnicity - unless, of course, you are from Spain. "Spanish" is the official language, not "Do you speak Mexican or Do you speak Cuban?". Spanish is the spoken language for ALL Latinos and Hispanics with the exception of Brazil, who speak Portuguese. (Brazil was colonized by Portugal.)

And if we all speak Spanish why does it sound differently in different areas? There are actually three official formats or Spanish. They are Castillian (Spanish from Spain), Latin American and Caribbean Spanish. Inflections, dialects and some vocabulary can mean different things depending on where you are, but a person who can speak Spanish will do well with any format and can understand enough to get by. Nonetheless, they are ALL "Spanish".

Answer 4

Latino and Hispaniccategorical definitions are CULTURAL distinctions NOT RACIAL categories. Boricuadirectly refers to Puerto Rican Native Indians. They were Spain-dominated and assimilated by Spain (but not given Spanish citizenship). They were an indigenous Puerto Rican people. It is a RACIAL category. Latino- This is an individual whose cultural heritage is of Latin descent (Roman-conquered). France, Brazil and Portugal born individuals are Latino but not Hispanic, (They were conquered by Rome, not Spain). The term "Latino" is often used by individuals as a distinction to "Hispanic" by those NOT Native born in a country which is of Spanish-speaking culture (France, Brazil, Portugal, United States, Europe, etc...). Many Spanish surnamed United States citizens commonly fall into this category; (though they often refer to themselves as "Puerto Rican-American," "Mexican-American," "Cuban-American," etc…). Some Latinos are Hispanics, many Hispanics are not Latino. Hispanic- This is an individual whom is Native born to a Spain-conquered country and therefore derive from a Spanish-speaking culture. Some of these individuals call themselves "Latino" rather than Hispanic; though incorrect, they typically argue they are of "Latino" heritage because their heritage arises from Spain whom was a Roman-conquered country. Some Hispanics are Latino, but not all Latinos are Hispanic. Anglo of Latino or Hispanic descent- Is an individual whom has a Spanish Surname but was not born in a Spain or Roman-conquered country. They have adopted Anglo (or non Spanish- oriented) ways and are only of Spanish-oriented or partial Spanish-oriented heritage but commonly do not speak the Spanish language and do not significantly follow the customs of the culture. Many Anglos are of Latino or Hispanic descent, some Anglos and some Anglos of Latino or Hispanic descent can become an accepted Hispanic or Latino by adopting the culture, becoming functional in the language and overall functioning in the culture. No Anglo (by very definition) can become a Boricua. *BORICUA* - THIS IS A RACIAL CATEGORY, IT REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL OF PUERTO RICAN-NATIVE INDIAN DESCENT; an individual that is of Taino descent. A Taino is an Indian tribe which was native to Puerto-Rico; the Taino tribe island residents were referred to as "Boricuas." Concomitantly, the island of the Borinquen, now known as "Puerto Rico" was renamed by the Spanish conquistadors Spanish conquistadors after being "discovered" by Spain, (specifically by Cristoba Colon **Interesting note-Christopher Columbus was of Italian heritage, yet he renounced his non-Spanish heritage and became a Spanish citizen. He spoke Spanish, adopted the Spanish culture, lived and died as a Spaniard. He was the first governor of Puerto Rico and is buried in Spain. His paramour was Spanish and his children were all citizens of Spain. They were all servants of Spain; one son specifically was the first governor of Hispaniola (now the Dominican Republic). Thus, it is often a significant area of contention to an individual of Spanish descent when Italian flags are waved on "Columbus day." William Eduardo Beltran, Ph.D