Why do Hispanics refer to themselves as Spanish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard my Mexican friends say they are "Spanish" (I went to school that was like 50% Hispanic). My DH from South America is Latino but largely Italian and never says he is Spanish.

Perhaps they claim Spanish because they are trying to sound European, which is more acceptable to bigots, who are super vocal with the hate.

OP here. That's interesting. These kids were all from Central American backgrounds. Maybe Referring to oneself as Spanish is more a Central American phenomena instead of Mexican?

Hey OP- I'll give you a helpful response instead of the usual DCUM bs you're currently having lobbed at you.

I grew up in the DC area and we called all the kids who spoke Spanish, or were from South America "Spanish." Since then I've lived in Texas and the west coast. In Texas, I found white people (the ones I knew) tended to refer to all south americans as "mexicans" and the south americans themselves often called themselves "latins" (which seems like the most fitting/correct name). On the west coast I felt like Hispanics called themselves "latinos".

I feel like it's kind of regional thing that varies on how people want to identify themselves and the concentration in each area. For example in Texas the vast, vast majority of Hispanics you meet are Mexican, hence many others being labelled as such if they speak Spanish, and the Hispanics there not really minding being lumped in with Mexicans. They would probably be offended in LA where each different country tends to hold onto their group/core identity more.

My anecdotal experiences, but it is interesting, isn't it?

OP here. Yes it is interesting and thank you for your response. I find it interesting that the term Hispanic has never really been adapted by the people it's supposed to describe. Maybe it's time to drop it altogether and perhaps use Latino instead since more Central/South Americans seem to use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard my Mexican friends say they are "Spanish" (I went to school that was like 50% Hispanic). My DH from South America is Latino but largely Italian and never says he is Spanish.

Perhaps they claim Spanish because they are trying to sound European, which is more acceptable to bigots, who are super vocal with the hate.

Perhaps they claim to be Spanish because they are more ignorant than the better educated Latinos from South America?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I guess what I really want to know is it this is just a kid thing or if adults from Mexico and Central America refer to themselves as Spanish as well.

Most refer to themselves as Latino/a.

I doubt this teacher has a relationship with S.Am falsies outside of her job.

Also,if you are in the DMV very few Hispanickids are from Mexico. DO NOT call them Mexican.

Do they? I would have assumed so, but I often teach in schools that are at least 80% Hispanic and I've never heard these kids use the term Hispanic or Latino. They use the word Spanish like it's a racial designation.

When I hear that is more slang for "do you speak Spanish".

I have a few Hispanic friend and when we order food, they deal with the pause, and the person will assume they speak Spanish, then... Oh I'm not Spanish.

But when actually asked say, my family is from Cuba, peru, etc.

Hispanics is too long ... Spanish is short. Latino is also quick.

Spoken language is not exact,we shorten everything.

Ok, but Americans who live abroad don't refer to themselves as English.

So what. Most say their from Canada since people hate Americans.

People from Bethesda say DC when they are on the West coast since most people don't know where MD is.

People use the easiest description ... Not the most exact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I guess what I really want to know is it this is just a kid thing or if adults from Mexico and Central America refer to themselves as Spanish as well.

Most refer to themselves as Latino/a.

I doubt this teacher has a relationship with S.Am falsies outside of her job.

Also,if you are in the DMV very few Hispanickids are from Mexico. DO NOT call them Mexican.

Do they? I would have assumed so, but I often teach in schools that are at least 80% Hispanic and I've never heard these kids use the term Hispanic or Latino. They use the word Spanish like it's a racial designation.

When I hear that is more slang for "do you speak Spanish".

I have a few Hispanic friend and when we order food, they deal with the pause, and the person will assume they speak Spanish, then... Oh I'm not Spanish.

But when actually asked say, my family is from Cuba, peru, etc.

Hispanics is too long ... Spanish is short. Latino is also quick.

Spoken language is not exact,we shorten everything.

Ok, but Americans who live abroad don't refer to themselves as English.

So what. Most say their from Canada since people hate Americans.

People from Bethesda say DC when they are on the West coast since most people don't know where MD is.

People use the easiest description ... Not the most exact.

False. Also you need to learn basic spelling.

[Anonymous]

I think it makes perfect sense. They're not going to say they're Guatemalan or Salvadoran just because their parents are from there. My parents were born and raised in Texas but zero part of me is Texan. Maybe they refer to themselves as Spanish because it's the one distinguishing factor they see between them and other kids. They're Americans who speak Spanish.

It reminds me of when I was studying abroad in Europe. People would ask us (mostly white kids) where we were "from." We'd say Maryland or Virginia or whatever, and they'd say "no really, where were your people from? England? Germany?" Kids don't think in terms of heritage generations back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it makes perfect sense. They're not going to say they're Guatemalan or Salvadoran just because their parents are from there. My parents were born and raised in Texas but zero part of me is Texan. Maybe they refer to themselves as Spanish because it's the one distinguishing factor they see between them and other kids. They're Americans who speak Spanish.

It reminds me of when I was studying abroad in Europe. People would ask us (mostly white kids) where we were "from." We'd say Maryland or Virginia or whatever, and they'd say "no really, where were your people from? England? Germany?" Kids don't think in terms of heritage generations back.

Hmmmm... that's not been my experience. Most Europeans seem baffled by Americans' tendencies to say "I'm Irish!" and what they mean is- my grandparents are from there. Never heard of the reverse...

[Anonymous]

Been round Hispanics my whole life and most I know identify with their country of origin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it makes perfect sense. They're not going to say they're Guatemalan or Salvadoran just because their parents are from there. My parents were born and raised in Texas but zero part of me is Texan. Maybe they refer to themselves as Spanish because it's the one distinguishing factor they see between them and other kids. They're Americans who speak Spanish.

It reminds me of when I was studying abroad in Europe. People would ask us (mostly white kids) where we were "from." We'd say Maryland or Virginia or whatever, and they'd say "no really, where were your people from? England? Germany?" Kids don't think in terms of heritage generations back.

But Spanish is the language they speak, not their race or nationality. They actually say they are Spanish as opposed to White or Black. How did Spanish come to be regarded as a racial group? I can't imagine someone from Spain would consider a Salvadoran to be Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it makes perfect sense. They're not going to say they're Guatemalan or Salvadoran just because their parents are from there. My parents were born and raised in Texas but zero part of me is Texan. Maybe they refer to themselves as Spanish because it's the one distinguishing factor they see between them and other kids. They're Americans who speak Spanish.

It reminds me of when I was studying abroad in Europe. People would ask us (mostly white kids) where we were "from." We'd say Maryland or Virginia or whatever, and they'd say "no really, where were your people from? England? Germany?" Kids don't think in terms of heritage generations back.

But Spanish is the language they speak, not their race or nationality. They actually say they are Spanish as opposed to White or Black. How did Spanish come to be regarded as a racial group? I can't imagine someone from Spain would consider a Salvadoran to be Spanish.

But the origin of their ancestors is Spain.

[Anonymous]

I know a woman from Spain who says that she has met many Americans who actually were surprised how light she is. They thought Spaniards were dark like Mexicans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it makes perfect sense. They're not going to say they're Guatemalan or Salvadoran just because their parents are from there. My parents were born and raised in Texas but zero part of me is Texan. Maybe they refer to themselves as Spanish because it's the one distinguishing factor they see between them and other kids. They're Americans who speak Spanish.

It reminds me of when I was studying abroad in Europe. People would ask us (mostly white kids) where we were "from." We'd say Maryland or Virginia or whatever, and they'd say "no really, where were your people from? England? Germany?" Kids don't think in terms of heritage generations back.

But Spanish is the language they speak, not their race or nationality. They actually say they are Spanish as opposed to White or Black. How did Spanish come to be regarded as a racial group? I can't imagine someone from Spain would consider a Salvadoran to be Spanish.

But the origin of their ancestors is Spain.

The origins of most White American's ancestors are English, but we don't claim to be English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a woman from Spain who says that she has met many Americans who actually were surprised how light she is. They thought Spaniards were dark like Mexicans.

I was shocked when I went to Spain because I thought they were too...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard my Mexican friends say they are "Spanish" (I went to school that was like 50% Hispanic). My DH from South America is Latino but largely Italian and never says he is Spanish.

Perhaps they claim Spanish because they are trying to sound European, which is more acceptable to bigots, who are super vocal with the hate.

Perhaps they claim to be Spanish because they are more ignorant than the better educated Latinos from South America?

Did you really just say that???

They're calling themselves Spanish for the benefit of the gringos/yanquis otherwise y'all will call them all Mexican or the super PC Latinx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard my Mexican friends say they are "Spanish" (I went to school that was like 50% Hispanic). My DH from South America is Latino but largely Italian and never says he is Spanish.

Perhaps they claim Spanish because they are trying to sound European, which is more acceptable to bigots, who are super vocal with the hate.

Perhaps they claim to be Spanish because they are more ignorant than the better educated Latinos from South America?

Did you really just say that???

They're calling themselves Spanish for the benefit of the gringos/yanquis otherwise y'all will call them all Mexican or the super PC Latinx

No we call them all Hispanic.

[Anonymous]

What about Black Hispanics? Do they call themselves Spanish, Black, Hispanic, Latino, or country of origin?