Why do Hispanics refer to themselves as Spanish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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...

This is a misrepresentation that drives the Spanish crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend 's family is from Cuba and they say they are Spanish because their ancestors were from Spain.

Spain conquered the S.Am. Countries so most of their ancestors are from Spain.

Why do the jersey shore kids say they are Italian when they are clearly American?

Why do red heads say they are Irish.

it's their ancestors,why would you want to erase their family history?

Huh. I have plenty of red heads in my family and none would ever say they are Irish. They have no connection ever to Ireland.

[Anonymous]

It is simply a distinction based on language that simplifies how they view themselves. They are not white, nor black, nor do do they all come from the same country or look alike. The one thing that unites them is the language spoken at home.
It is also what differentiates them from other "categories".
As a Colombian, proud of my country and my nationality, I dislike being bundled up as "latina" or "hispanic". I might look like a Venezuelan, but I look very different from a Bolivian or a Uruguayan or a Dominican. The one thing that ties us together is a continent and a language. Yet to others we are all one and the same.
I honestly don't think Spain as a country or as a historic colonizing empire factors in at all. It is simply language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is simply a distinction based on language that simplifies how they view themselves. They are not white, nor black, nor do do they all come from the same country or look alike. The one thing that unites them is the language spoken at home.
It is also what differentiates them from other "categories".
As a Colombian, proud of my country and my nationality, I dislike being bundled up as "latina" or "hispanic". I might look like a Venezuelan, but I look very different from a Bolivian or a Uruguayan or a Dominican. The one thing that ties us together is a continent and a language. Yet to others we are all one and the same.
I honestly don't think Spain as a country or as a historic colonizing empire factors in at all. It is simply language.

Yes. This person has it right.

[Anonymous]

Spanish speaking is like Spanish. Hi-SPAN-ic. They don't speak Latin so I never really understand why they call themselves Latino.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend 's family is from Cuba and they say they are Spanish because their ancestors were from Spain.

Spain conquered the S.Am. Countries so most of their ancestors are from Spain.

Why do the jersey shore kids say they are Italian when they are clearly American?

Why do red heads say they are Irish.

it's their ancestors,why would you want to erase their family history?

Huh. I have plenty of red heads in my family and none would ever say they are Irish. They have no connection ever to Ireland.

Same here. My red headed family is Italian.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you sensor AA and tell them they are only American? Are do you only safely feel you can be prejudiced against immigrants?

[Anonymous]

OP the irony of your post is hilarious. You complain that South American kids are calling for themselves Spanish instead of Hispanic yet they refer to the same thing. You can only be Hispanic if you are from Spain or Portugal. Lol.

[Anonymous]

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.

Well, she's just a sub so I don't expect much comprehension of social studies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a troll post.

Most people from Spanish speaking countries refer to themselves as Mexican, Honduran, Salvadoran, Peruvian, etc. They'll tell you that white/Asian/black/whatever Americans are the ones who lump them together as latinos or hispanics. It's our label, not their label.

I assure you this is not a troll post. Go sub at some schools along Route 1 and you will hear kids of Central American descent calling themselves Spanish. Are you trying to claim that they don't? I realize that Hispanics/Latinas don't refer to themselves as Hispanic/Latina (indeed that is what this post is about). I would not find it odd at all if they did refer to themselves as Mexican, Honduran, Salvadoran, etc., But they don't. They call themselves Spanish instead. I find that weird.

To put it another way, I find it strange that someone from Guatemala would call themselves Spanish instead of Hispanic, Latino or Guatemalan. Most people describe themselves by either their nationality or race. A person from Guatemala has Guatemalan nationality and would be considered Hispanic/Latino racially. Spanish is not a race and it is not the appropriate nationality for someone from Guatemala.

I'm in my 40s, majored in Spanish, work in a public interest field with Spanish-speaking clients, and I've never heard anyone in the DC metro area refer to themselves as Spanish unless they are from Spain...and Spaniards always clarify by saying, "I'm from Spain." Literally everyone I encounter identifies themselves by their ancestral country ("I'm Nicaraguan/Honduran/Dominican/Salvadoran, etc.").

If you are working with young kids being raised by non-citizen parents, they probably haven't heard the term Latino or Hispanic before...because as I said earlier, that's an American label we put on them. People in El Salvador don't call themselves Latinos or Hispanics. They call themselves salvadorans. I imagine when Spanish speaking kids from a variety of countries are thrown together in a US public school, they quickly realize who speaks English and who speaks Spanish. They're self-sorting and identifying themselves that way...rather than using a label they've never heard (Latino or Hispanic). They're simply noting that a fellow classmate speaks the same language. Makes perfect sense to me.

[Anonymous]

They are not saying they are from Spain, they are saying that they speak Spanish like their family.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you OP. I hate it when I hear people complaining about all the "Spanish people" around here. Really? I haven't met ANY Spanish people here--tons of Salvadorans, yes...but no one from Spain.

[Anonymous]

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.

Well, she's just a sub so I don't expect much comprehension of social studies.

I'm the sub, my undergraduate degree is in history thank you very much, and where did I ever state that I thought these Salvadoran/Guatemalan kids should call themselves Mexican?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are not saying they are from Spain, they are saying that they speak Spanish like their family.

No they are calling themselves Spanish instead of White, language is not even part of the discussion.

[Anonymous]

They are just saying they all speak Spanish. It's just that simple. They all understand what it means, and so do you. The actual Spanish -people from Spain- are racist enough against Central and South Americans; we do t have to pile on. Just let them use a term they all understand. They are not misrepresenting themselves; they could give a shit about Spain. They live in DC and they speak Spanish at home. Not complicated.