What is the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino

The two terms Hispanic and Latino are commonly used in the United States for classification. However, there is a distinct difference between Hispanic and Latino. Some people can be both Hispanic and Latino, like Mexicans, while others may be one but not the other.

What is the difference between Hispanic and Latino? Hispanic focuses on language and describes people from countries where Spanish is the primary language. Latino, on the other hand, focuses on geography and describes people from Latin America (Central America, South America, and the Caribbean).

Key Areas Covered

1. What Does Hispanic Mean
     – Definition, Features
2. What Does Latino Mean
     – Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Hispanic and Latino
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Hispanic and Latino
     – Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Hispanic and Latino
     – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Key Terms

Hispanic, Latino

What Does Hispanic Mean

Hispanic refers to people who have ancestry from a country where Spanish is the main language. This term focuses more on language and culture than race or location. Some Hispanic people speak Spanish fluently, but others may not; however, they still have roots in Spanish-speaking countries.

The word “Hispanic” comes from the Latin term Hispanicus, which originally referred to the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal). Over time, it became a way to describe people from Spanish-speaking backgrounds.

Since Spanish is spoken in many different countries, Hispanic people come from different places, including Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and many more. They can have different racial backgrounds, traditions, and customs. However, one common factor is the influence of the Spanish language and history.

What Does Latino Mean

Latino refers to people from Latin America, which includes countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Unlike “Hispanic,” which is based on language, “Latino” is based on geography. People who are Latino can be of any race—White, Black, Indigenous, Asian, or a mix.

However, not everyone from Latin America identifies as Latino. Some people prefer to identify by their specific nationality, such as Mexican, Colombian, or Chilean, rather than using a general label.

Similarities Between Hispanic and Latino

1. The two terms Hispanic and Latino are commonly used in the United States for classification.
2. Hispanic and Latino people can be White, Black, Indigenous, Asian, or mixed.
3. Many people are both Hispanic and Latino, such as someone from Mexico, Colombia, or Argentina.

Difference Between Hispanic and Latino

Definition

• Hispanic refers to people who have ancestry from a country where Spanish is the main language, whereas Latino refers to people from Latin America, which includes countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Focus

• Hispanic focuses on language but Latino focuses on geography.

Identity

• The term Hispanic is used more to describe cultural and linguistic identity, but the term Latino is used more to describe regional identity.

FAQ: Hispanic and Latino

1. Who counts as Hispanic or Latino?

A Hispanic person is someone from a Spanish-speaking country or with Spanish-speaking ancestry, such as Mexico, Spain, or Colombia. A Latino person is someone from Latin America, which includes Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, like Brazil, Mexico, or Argentina.

2. Are Filipinos considered Latinos?

No, Filipinos are not considered Latino because the Philippines is in Southeast Asia, not Latin America. Although Spain colonized the Philippines and Spanish influence is present, Filipinos are generally not classified as Latino since Latino refers to people from Latin America.

3. Who is not Hispanic or Latino?

People who are not from a Spanish-speaking country or Latin America are not Hispanic or Latino. For example, Chinese, Nigerians, Germans, and Russians are neither Hispanic nor Latino. Also, some countries in Latin America, like Brazil, are Latino but not Hispanic, and Spain is Hispanic but not Latino.

4. Are Italians Latin people?

In historical and linguistic terms, we can consider Italians as Latin because their language comes from Latin, like Spanish, French, and Portuguese. However, they are not Latino in the way the term is used today, which refers to people from Latin America.

Reference:

1. “Hispanic.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

2. “Ask the OEDI: Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Latinx – Which is Best?” Duke University of Medicine.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Hispanic and Latino Americans by state” By Abbasi786786 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

2. “Women in Traditional Yucatecan Dress at Cultural Festival” (CC0) via Pexels.com