Deseret News | Term 'Latino' misused

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Readers' forum: Term 'Latino' misused

SH | 12:11 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

How about "Hispanic"? They are all from Spain aren't they? Even the folks who speak Portuguese.

Well, Scott . . . | 12:22 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Maybe as soon as the actual people from south of the border stop calling THEMSELVES "Latin", and there are no more "Latin" Grammy awards, and "latino" radio and TV stations, magazines and newspapers, websites, political action commitees, film festivals and college funds, and music and dance; maybe we will stop too!

Rouquin | 2:24 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Like all words used in a derogatory way, "Latino" lacks precision. Literally, it should apply to all those who speak a Romance (or Latin) language. As far as inhabitants of the Americas are concerned, it includes basically everybody from South America (except English speaking Guyana and Dutch speaking Suriname), Central America and Mexico, but also the French speaking populations of North America. Technically, a Cajun and a Quebecer should be considered as Latinos!

Comments continue below

Phred | 5:31 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese languages all derive from Latin and share a common cultural heritage with the Catholic Church. In an effort to promote solidarity between these nations, Napoleon III coined the phrase Latin Europe to distinguish that group of nations from Teutonic Europe and Slavic Europe. He referred to any countries that spoke any of those Latin derived languages in the western hemisphere as Latin America to promote a sense of kinship with Latin Europe. Even Creole languages of the Caribbean have roots in French and thus can be included. Even though Quebec has French origins, culturally and governmentally they are more similar to the English colonies and thus are not usually included in the common usage of the Spanish term Latino. Note that although common usage includes anyone from south of the U. S. as Latino, there are some small countries that speak English and probably should not be included in the Latin America group.

Really? | 5:57 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Is it that big of a deal?

Juanita | 6:19 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I guess Latino sounds better than Hispanic of which they are more likely to be

to : r scott | 6:24 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Great. Then every time you speak of a non latino, please refer to them as English, Irish, German, Italian, Austrian, Australian etc. etc. etc. I hope you get the point. If they are an American, how about taking the novel approach and call them Americans?

dj | 7:14 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I prefer to call them by their given names...

wallofvoodoo | 7:16 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Last time I checked Spanish & Portugese is a Romantic language, which means it is a Latin based language. Lets get upset about nothing.

Paul | 7:38 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I suppose it is probably more exact to just say 'illegal'. That is probably the most correct 'catch-all' term for the group.

@ Phred | 7:40 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Thank you for saving my fingers the work of typing that response. I am heartened by the knowledge that I am not the only one with an understanding of the history of the world.

RedShirt | 8:16 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

So, does that mean that we don't have to refer to white people a caucasian, since there is no country named Caucasia.

Also, if the term "Lanino" is so bad, why is Central America and South America referred to as "Latin America". Better yet, why is there the "Latin Grammy" awards, if "latino" is such a bad term?

Then there's the misuse of | 8:23 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

"native-american", "anglo", "people of color", "asian", etc etc etc.

Isn't multiculturalism fun?

Liberals.

Joe Moe | 8:28 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I understand that in Europe, "Latinos" are those in France, Italy, and the Iberian Peninsula, because they are the Latin-rooted inhabitants, linguistically. The same logic applies in this hemisphere. There's nothing convoluted, derogatory, or mysterious about the term or idea of a "Latino."

Call a Nicaraguan a Nicaraguan, that's great. But he's still a Latino and a Central American, just like Utahans are Anglo-Saxons, or Americans, etc.

Ask Latinos what they think, and most don't care whether they are referred to as Latinos or Hispanics (a few have a preference of one or the other).

What they DON'T want to hear, and hear too frequently around here, is that they are "Spanish."

Anonymous | 8:36 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

To Paul - HA!

And yes, I agree

can't we all | 9:04 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Just get along.....I don't see danes, swedes, norse or others worried about the cultural misunderstandings.....

How about we just create two classes of people:

legal and illegal

English speaking and learning to speak english

Anonymous | 10:00 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

How stupid does it get?

We can choose to call a people 'Latino' for any reason we want (though I'd discourage using words to disparage them). We aren't obligated to back it up our reson for using a name. American Indians have nothing to do with India. African Americans are not from Africa. For that matter, what do North 'Americans' have to do with some ancient explorer named Amerigo, who we know now was not the first person to discover America.)

Kam Fong as Chin Ho | 10:33 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Methinks Mr. Ormond needs to find himself a hobby.

Red | 10:47 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The Latin-Language-Family guys have it right.

To be consistent, English speakers should probably be called "Germanics," since English is in the Germanic language family, along with Dutch, Afrikaans, etc.

ea | 11:32 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

"Call a Nicaraguan a Nicaraguan, that's great. But he's still a Latino and a Central American, just like Utahans are Anglo-Saxons, or Americans, etc."

Um,

"Anglo-Saxon" is not a catch-all term.
(from wikipedia)
In modern usage, Anglo-Saxon can be used in various contexts to mean people predominantly descended from the English ethnic group, in England as well as other Anglophone countries. This usage is restricted to certain contexts in Anglophone cultures, but this term and its direct translations are commonly used in other languages.

Seeing as most Utahans are NOT descended straight out of England or other European English speaking countries, your comment is completely false.

Joe Moe | 12:28 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

@ea 11:32

Thanks for the clarification on the term "Anglo-Saxon."

I don't see how it makes my comment "completely false."

Not sure what I am: | 3:01 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I guess I would call myself an American mutt. Born in American with a mix of all sorts of ethnic backgrounds.

Latin Amer.is correct | 3:39 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The "Latino" population in the USA have the Latin- based Spanish language in common. They
are thus distinguished as a collective group from American English speakers by the term Latin, or Latin American.

re: ea | 5:11 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Which Utah are you living in? Almost all of the white (yikes, i said white... gulp) citizens of Utah are of European descent, so I would say that is a very accurate description. Put wikipedia away before you hurt yourself.

Otherwise, do 99.999% even care what some hyper-sensitive person wants their specific ethnicity to be called? I certainly don't!

Anonymous | 5:35 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Wow this guy gets a lot of letters printed...

Anonymous | 10:34 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

My childhood friends whose ancestry originated south of the border initially referred to themselves as Mexican, then Spanish, then Chicano, then Hispanic, and now Latino. Then and now I'm stilled referred to by them as gringo.

I think it it has also manifested itself in the workplace. We used to refer to them as Janitors, then it was custodians, and now it is maintenance technicians. Barbers and beauticians are now referred to as stylists or practitioners of the tonsorial arts, and attorneys prefer lawyer, etc..

I think it is a case of unfounded inferiority complex that we all suffer from to one degree or another.

American girl | 11:24 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Yeah, I've wondered about that too. Why don't they just call themselves Mexicans or Guatemalans, or whatever. I guess Latino and Latina sounds sexier, but it really isn't an accurate description of where they're from.

l | 10:20 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

"Nobody down there speaks Latin. They speak Spanish and Portuguese."

Except Spanish and Portuguese are based on Latin, so yeah it kind of does make sense.

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