Why do Hispanics refer to themselves as Spanish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are an ignoramus, too. This is the definition of Hispanic: 1. relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America. 2.
a Spanish-speaking person living in the US, especially one of Latin American descent.

Did you know the Portuguese do not speak Spanish? Therefore, they cannot be Hispanic.

nope. You're 100% wrong. Hispanic refers ONLY to people or things from the Iberian peninsula. In case you don't have an atlas, that's Spain and Portugal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are an ignoramus, too. This is the definition of Hispanic: 1. relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America. 2.
a Spanish-speaking person living in the US, especially one of Latin American descent.

Did you know the Portuguese do not speak Spanish? Therefore, they cannot be Hispanic.

nope. You're 100% wrong. Hispanic refers ONLY to people or things from the Iberian peninsula. In case you don't have an atlas, that's Spain and Portugal.

I'm the OP and I'm not the one who said Portuguese aren't Hispanic. However, I am still confused as to whether you are trying to claim that I don't believe South/Central Americans are Hispanic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are an ignoramus, too. This is the definition of Hispanic: 1. relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America. 2.
a Spanish-speaking person living in the US, especially one of Latin American descent.

Did you know the Portuguese do not speak Spanish? Therefore, they cannot be Hispanic.

nope. You're 100% wrong. Hispanic refers ONLY to people or things from the Iberian peninsula. In case you don't have an atlas, that's Spain and Portugal.

In case you don't have a dictionary, this is from Merriam Webster: Definition of Hispanic. 1: of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain or of Spain and Portugal; 2: of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent living in the U.S.; especially : one of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. This was not related to just one discussion. I hear Central American kids refer to themselves as Spanish quite a bit. Another example that pops into my head was during a conversation about soccer, a Hispanic kid said, "Spanish people are good at soccer". And no, he was not talking about people from Spain, it was apparent from the conversation that he was talking about people like him.

The kid meant people who speak Spanish are good at soccer. I understand what he means, and I find it quite befuddling that you can't grasp this rather simple concept.

Clearly you have some sort of agenda to foist your American labels of Latino and Hispanic on these kids. I find that quite befuddling as well.

Quick show of hands: who else thinks this woman has no business working with kids?

But this has long been an issue with white chicks teaching black kids too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least the kids do, I'm not sure about the adults. I am a substitute teacher -primarily middle and high school, and I've noticed that kids from Mexico and South America call themselves Spanish. Yesterday while subbing I overheard a discussion where kids (all Hispanic) were shocked to find out that one of their classmates was half "Spanish". The girl actually said that her mom was white and her dad was from Guatemala, but to them that counts as Spanish. Don't these kids know that Spain is in Europe? Why don't they just refer to themselves as Hispanic, Latino, or their individual nationality? White Americans don't go around calling themselves English.

Why do People from the USA refer to themselves as Americans? They're from the US, not the whole continent. Do they not understand geography?

Why do people of color refer to themselves as African-Americans. Most have never been there. I have a friend who is white and was born in Kenya. He refers himself as AA.

[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 am from Spain and I agree. I have gotten this comment quite often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are in the DMV, most Hispanic in this area are from Central America -- Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador. There are a few Bolivians and Peruvians from South America. Although non Hispanic people may refer to them as Hispanic, they generally say they are Spanish. It is less to do with their country of origin and mire to the language they speak.

This just seems curious to me, especially because they distinguish between "white" people and "Spanish". The kids use the word Spanish, to identify their race. It seems odd to me.

I work with a large number of Hispanic contractors and they refer to themselves as Spanish. We joke all the time about one painter who is Peruvian. He goes out of his way to say he is not "Spanish" but Peruvian. He implies that the "Spanish" are lower class people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least the kids do, I'm not sure about the adults. I am a substitute teacher -primarily middle and high school, and I've noticed that kids from Mexico and South America call themselves Spanish. Yesterday while subbing I overheard a discussion where kids (all Hispanic) were shocked to find out that one of their classmates was half "Spanish". The girl actually said that her mom was white and her dad was from Guatemala, but to them that counts as Spanish. Don't these kids know that Spain is in Europe? Why don't they just refer to themselves as Hispanic, Latino, or their individual nationality? White Americans don't go around calling themselves English.

Why do People from the USA refer to themselves as Americans? They're from the US, not the whole continent. Do they not understand geography?

Because it's the United States of America?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You are an ignoramus, too. This is the definition of Hispanic: 1. relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America. 2.
a Spanish-speaking person living in the US, especially one of Latin American descent.

Did you know the Portuguese do not speak Spanish? Therefore, they cannot be Hispanic.

nope. You're 100% wrong. Hispanic refers ONLY to people or things from the Iberian peninsula. In case you don't have an atlas, that's Spain and Portugal.

In case you don't have a dictionary, this is from Merriam Webster: Definition of Hispanic. 1: of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain or of Spain and Portugal; 2: of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent living in the U.S.; especially : one of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin.

Interesting, I did not know that. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Most would rather claim colonial Spanish blood than Latino.

But the truth lies in what Spanish they speak.... And it's usually not the King's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes they do. It's the language they speak so they see that as their identity.

Also they are kids, chill out.

But White kids don't call themselves English, even though it's the language they speak. Do Hispanic adults do this as well.

good point! the others are defending the status quo because this is DC and that is what they do here. I honestly don't think the kids know geography and that Spain is a different country from their origin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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...

Most Mexicans are both Spanish and Native American.

Same with Central Americans...

The weird part is the person up above making a big deal about how "Spanish" isn't a race. But "Hispanic" isn't a race either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

What is the obsession with making sure they understand racial vs lingual terminology. Surely you understand why they are making this category. Why do you need them to use the word you deem correct?

I don't. It's not like I corrected them. I didn't say a thing about it. I posted this to DCUM because I find it curious and I wanted others' take on it. Something that people do on DCUM in case you haven't noticed.

You seem nice, OP. Some of the other posters act like they just cannot understand why these children do not have the exact term down. It's probably because its's a shorthand for saying my parents speak Spanish at home. They are not trying to seem like they are from Spain or to upset anyone's precious notions of race. If they use the word among themselves and not with white people, that says something, too. It's a term they all understand, and that's ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most would rather claim colonial Spanish blood than Latino.

But the truth lies in what Spanish they speak.... And it's usually not the King's.

This.

Spaniards are white Europeans. They can have blond hair and blue eyes, or any other hair/eye color combo possible, and have fair to slightly olive skin.

"Spanish" (their term) are a mix of various mestizo and mesoamerican bloodlines from Aztec, Mayan and Inca origins. They are not Europeans, and almost universally have dark skin, black hair and brown eyes. There is almost no variation from this.

South Americans are a broader mix of European and Incan and other aboriginal bloodlines. Chileans, Argentines, Cubans and Columbians often look very much like Spaniards, especially in higher socioeconomic strata.

[Anonymous]

Spanish is the Caucasian side. Perceived as more desireable.