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A '''latino''' or '''latina''' is a person considered part of an ethnic background that is traditionally Spanish-speaking, especially a citizen of, or an immigrant from, a Spanish-speaking country. The term ''latino'' is used to refer to males whereas the term ''latina'' is used to refer to females. These terms are sometimes used to refer to anyone originating from [[Latin America]], though this is less common.
A '''latino''' or '''latina''' is a person considered part of an ethnic background that is traditionally Spanish-speaking, especially a citizen of, or an immigrant from, a Spanish-speaking country. The term ''latino'' is used to refer to males only or a combination of males and females in a group, whereas the term ''latina'' is used to refer to females only.


In the [[United States]], the term is in [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|official use]] in the [[ethnonym]] ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]'', defined as "a person of [[Cuba]]n, [[Mexico|Mexican]], [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]], [[South America|South]] or [[Central America]]n, or other [[Spanish culture]] or origin regardless of [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]]."<ref name="omb">{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/1997standards.html|title=Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. Federal Register Notice October 30, 1997|accessdate = 2008-01-11|author=Office of Management and Budget}}</ref><ref name="overview"/> The term is also used in Spain as a term of self-identification for immigrants from Hispanoamerica.
In the [[United States]], the term is in [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|official use]] in the [[ethnonym]] ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]'', defined as "a person of [[Cuba]]n, [[Mexico|Mexican]], [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]], [[South America|South]] or [[Central America]]n, or other [[Spanish culture]] or origin regardless of [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]]."<ref name="omb">{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/1997standards.html|title=Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. Federal Register Notice October 30, 1997|accessdate = 2008-01-11|author=Office of Management and Budget}}</ref><ref name="overview"/> The term is also used in Spain as a term of self-identification for immigrants from Hispanoamerica.

Revision as of 04:32, 25 January 2012

"Latina" redirects here. For other uses, see Latina (disambiguation).

A latino or latina is a person considered part of an ethnic background that is traditionally Spanish-speaking, especially a citizen of, or an immigrant from, a Spanish-speaking country. The term latino is used to refer to males only or a combination of males and females in a group, whereas the term latina is used to refer to females only.

In the United States, the term is in official use in the ethnonym Hispanic or Latino, defined as "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race."[1][2] The term is also used in Spain as a term of self-identification for immigrants from Hispanoamerica.

Etymology

The terms latino and latina originate from American Spanish, and ultimately from the Latin terms latinus and latina, which literally mean Latin. The terms may be an abbreviated form of the Spanish word latinoamericano (Latin American).[3][4] This use of the expression Latin derives from the traditional split in Europe between the Protestant and the Roman Catholic (i.e. Latin) kingdoms. In the Americas the competition from these colonial powers and their descendants was seen as dividing the Western Hemisphere between Protestants and Latins in much the same way Western Europe was divided. The use of the Spanish word for Latin in English gradually has become an ethnic identifier, independent of religion.

Use in the United States

Main article: Hispanic and Latino Americans
Part of a series on
Hispanic and
Latino Americans
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History
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The term "Latino" was officially adopted in 1997 by the United States Government in the ethnonym "Hispanic or Latino", which replaced the single term "Hispanic": "Because regional usage of the terms differs – Hispanic is commonly used in the eastern portion of the United States, whereas Latino is commonly used in the western portion."[5]

U.S. official use of the term "Hispanic" has its origins in the 1970 census. The Census Bureau attempted to identify all Hispanics by use of the following criteria in sampled sets:[6]

  • Spanish speakers and persons belonging to a household where Spanish was spoken
  • Persons with Spanish heritage by birth location
  • Persons who self-identify with Spanish ancestry or descent

Neither "Hispanic" nor "Latino" refers to a race, as a person of Latino/Hispanic ethnicity can be of any race.[2][7] Like non-Latinos, a Latino can be of any race or combination of races: White/Caucasian, Black/African American, Asian, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander American, or two or more races.

Although as officially defined in the United States, "Latino" does not include Brazilian Americans,[1][2] and specifically refers to "Spanish culture or origin",[1][2] some of the dictionary definitions may include Brazilian Americans and/or Brazilian people in general. Also, since Hispanic or Latino origin is, like race, a matter of self-identification, any Brazilian American wishing to do can presumably report as being Hispanic or Latino. However, the Brazilian American group is not included with Hispanics and Latinos in the government's population reports.[2][8]

Listed below are the 28 categories tabulated in the 2000 United States Census: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican Republic; Central American: Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Salvadoran, Other Central American; South American: Argentinian, Bolivian, Chilean, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Uruguayan, Venezuelan, Other South American; Other Hispanic or Latino: Spaniard, Spanish, Spanish American, All other Hispanic or Latino.[9]

Latin Europeans Latin Americans
The countries of
Latin Europe and Latin America

Sometimes "Latino" is used interchangeably with "Latin", as Latino is also defined as a "Latin inhabitant of the United States";[10] and sometimes it is used interchangeably with "Latin American".[11] As a demonym, though, "Latin" can have other meanings:[12][13]

  • "a native or inhabitant of Latium; an ancient Roman."
  • "a member of any of the Latin peoples, or those speaking chiefly Romance languages, esp. a native of or émigré from Latin America."
  • "a member of the Latin Church; a Roman Catholic, as distinguished from a member of the Greek Church."
  • "A Latino or Latina."

"Latin American" may also not mean the same as "Latino," depending on which definition of the latter is used. The term "Latino", as an English word, was implemented in the US to refer to what is a group of people composed of US citizens and residents, not to residents of Latin America.[14][15][16] Also, a Spaniard, for example, though a "Latino" by some definitions, is not a Latin American. The term "Latin American", in turn, though normally applied to inhabitants of Latin America, is nevertheless preferred by some individuals and organizations in the United States.[17][18][19] "Latin American" is defined as:

  • "A native or inhabitant of Latin America."[20]
  • "A person of Latin-American descent."[20]

Criticism

Further information: [[:Hispanic/Latino naming dispute]]

The term Latino, despite its increasing popularity, is still highly debated among those who are called by the name.[21][22] Since the adoption of the term by the US Census Bureau[23] and its subsequent widespread use, there have been several controversies and disagreements, specially in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. Regarding it as an arbitrary generic term, many Latin American scholars, journalists and indigenous rights organisations have objected against the mass media use of the word "Latino", pointing out that such ethnonyms are optional and should be used only to describe people involved in the practices, ideologies and identity politics of their supporters.[24][25][26][27] Journalist Rodolfo Acuña writes:

"When and why the Latino identity came about is a more involved story. Essentially, politicians, the media, and marketers find it convenient to deal with the different U.S. Spanish-speaking people under one umbrella. However, many people with Spanish surnames contest the term Latino. They claim it is misleading because no Latino or Hispanic nationality exists since no Latino state exists, so generalizing the term Latino slights the various national identities included under the umbrella.[28]

Popular personalities like Andy García have also expressed concern. He has stated that, in spite of his love of his native Cuba, he dislikes being labeled as a 'Latino actor', preferring instead to be addressed as an actor without a tag attached to him.[29]

Definitions in other languages

Further information: [[:Latins]]

The term latino (feminine latina) in the Romance languages, such as Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, literally translates as "Latin". The cognate French term is Latin, not Latino. Portuguese dictionaries define the demonym latino to refer to natives of Romance-speaking nations influenced by Roman civilization, and to the natives or inhabitants of ancient Latium (modern Lazio).[30][31] Italian dictionaries define the demonym latino as: the ancient Latins and Romans, and their language, Latin, as well as the neo-Latin nations.[32][33] The dictionary of the Real Academia Española defines ten meanings for latino, including the ancient peoples of Latium and the modern Romance-speaking European and American nations.[34] In these languages, latino, just like any other demonym, is by convention not capitalized.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Office of Management and Budget. "Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. Federal Register Notice October 30, 1997". Retrieved 2008-01-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e United States Census Bureau (March 2001). "Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2007-07-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. ^ "Define Latino at Dictionary.com".
  4. ^ "Latino - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary".
  5. ^ Office of Management and Budget. "Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. Federal Register Notice October 30, 1997". Retrieved 2008-01-11. Terminology for Hispanics.--OMB does not accept the recommendation to retain the single term "Hispanic." Instead, OMB has decided that the term should be "Hispanic or Latino." Because regional usage of the terms differs – Hispanic is commonly used in the eastern portion of the United States, whereas Latino is commonly used in the western portion – this change may contribute to improved response rates. (Boldface in the original.)
  6. ^ Gibson, Campbell (2002). "Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States". Working Paper Series No. 56. Retrieved 2006-12-07. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  7. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. "U.S. Census Bureau Guidance on the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic Origin Data". Retrieved 2007-03-18. Race and Hispanic origin are two separate concepts in the federal statistical system. People who are Hispanic may be of any race. People in each race group may be either Hispanic or Not Hispanic. Each person has two attributes, their race (or races) and whether or not they are Hispanic. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |quote= at position 86 (help)
  8. ^ "B03001. Hispanic or Latino Origin by Spedific Origin". 2006 American Community Survey. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  9. ^ "American FactFinder Help; Spanish/Hispanic/Latino". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  10. ^ Douglas Harper. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  11. ^ Oboler, Suzanne. Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives: Identity and the Politics of (Re) Presentation. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  12. ^ "Latin – Definitions from Dictionary.com". Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  13. ^ "Latin – Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary; Latin[2,noun]". Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  14. ^ The concept of “Latino” is an American concept.
  15. ^ Being Latino is an American identity.
  16. ^ The very term Latino has meaning only in reference to the U.S. experience. Outside the United States, we don't speak of Latinos; we speak of Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and so forth. Latinos are made in the USA. Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, Mariela Páez, Latinos: Remaking America (University of California Press, 2008) ISBN 0-520-25827-4, p. 4.
  17. ^ "LULAC-League of United Latin American Citizens". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  18. ^ "Latin American Association". Retrieved 2008-03-05. [dead link]
  19. ^ "Latin American Youth Center". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  20. ^ a b "Latin American – Definitions from Dictionary.com". Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Retrieved 2008-03-03.. Definition source: Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
  21. ^ The Term 'Latino' Describes No One
  22. ^ Latino or Hispanic Panic: Which Term Should We Use?
  23. ^ Fisher, Celia B. and Lerner, Richard M. Encyclopedia of Applied Developmental Science SAGE, 2004, ISBN 0-7619-2820-0 Page 634
  24. ^ Latino & Hispanic? It’s Time to Rethink these Terms!
  25. ^ The New York Times – Latino? Hispanic? Quechua? No, American Take Your Pick
  26. ^ Los Angeles Times – Look beyond the 'Latino' label
  27. ^ Hispanic magazine, December 2000
  28. ^ Acuña, Rodolfo, U.S. Latino issues, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003 ISBN 0-313-32211-2
  29. ^ USA Today http://content.usatoday.com/topics/article/Andy+Garcia/01Ik9wTfuwbBs/7. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  30. ^ "Dicionário de Língua Portuguesa da Porto Editora". Porto Editora. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  31. ^ "UOL – Michaelis – Moderno Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa". Editora Melhoramentos Ltda. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  32. ^ "De Mauro – latino". PARAVIA. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  33. ^ "Sapere.it – Dizionari". De Agostini Scuola. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  34. ^ "Real Academia Española. Diccionario Usual". Real Academia Española. Retrieved 2008-05-01.

Further reading

  • The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States, 4 vls, Oxford University Press 2006, ISBN 0-19-515600-5
  • Miguel A. De La Torre, "Encyclopedia on Hispanic American Religious Culture," Volume 1 & 2, ABC-CLIO Publishers, 2009.
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