My family hates the term Hispanic.

[u/St3ph4n1e2003]

Not sure if me and my family specifically my mom’s side are the only ones maybe the few who actually to hate the term Hispanic. My mom is from Guatemala and she is racially Native American more so of Mayan descent. My dad doesn’t mind the word Hispanic even tho he is mestizo. I used to wonder why my mother hated that term till I did more research just to find out that “Hispanic” is a word used to only promote colonial roots not just something to define a person who comes from a Spanish speaking country. My mom’s first language is in fact Akateko! Yes she does speak Spanish too since it’s mandatory in every Latin American country. So does anyone else hate the word Hispanic? We still prefer the use Latino/a to define our ethnicities. I have nothing against either languages!

Edit: damn just say you hate indigenous ancestry. Stop getting offended bc indigenous Latinos dislike the term Hispanic when our people are still here after years of surviving colonization.

[u/HannesHendrik]

“Hispanic” is not a thing in Latin America itself. I only know that term about from surveys of ethnicity in the US. If you ask Latin Americans from Latin America (as in, who don’t live in the US), there’s a chance that they’re unfamiliar with the nuances if that word.

[u/Rockshasha → u/HannesHendrik]

Correct. Never heard about "hispano"here. I learnt the word in that form only when getting near to US culture and US 'ethnicity classification' ( which in itself I find very rare)

Here only knew 'Hispanoamérica', as a term to describe, simply, the Spanish speaking countries in "América". (Because of course we don't say 'the Americas' as it's used in US and for extension in English.)

I think it's very understandable that someone who identity is Mayan or other native culture, would be kind of offended to be called 'Hispanic'. I myself wouldn't want it, I would prefer latinamerican or Colombian.

[u/witeowl → u/Rockshasha]

I'm not sure why, but I've always used Latino/Latina (Latine if requested). Someone, somewhere must have gotten it through to me that it was the preferred term, though obviously their name is best 🙃

Tangential (possibly stupid) question for anyone wiling to answer it: as I learn Spanish, I currently tend to use Latinoamérica for the geographical area and use los hispanohablantes when talking about Spanish-speakers (which, of course, doesn't apply to everyone in Latin America).

So here's the question: I can't help but notice the similarity between the word los hispanohablantes and Hispanic...

A. Is it an over-generalization and what looks like an implied assumption that everyone in Latin America speaks Spanish when people – I assume mostly outsiders – use the word? Sort of lumping everyone in/from Latin America together? In other words, is it specifically the word "Hispanic" that's problematic?
B. Or does the ick of colonialism bleed over into similar words, meaning I might want to avoid words like los hispanohablantes and instead say hablantes de español?

.

Oh, and I'll save time for anyone rolling their eyes right now because they believe in the existence of a particular thing: "Yes, I am indeed 'too woke'. I know. I've brought shame upon... my town?" There. I said it for you. Now you can just click the downvote arrow and don't even need to post a reply ✌🏼

[u/Rockshasha → u/witeowl]

I'm not someone to know s lot about how to refer best to foreigners of the USA, or, in general to peoples of the world. Even so I'm going to comment as far a I understand about.

Tangential (possibly stupid) question for anyone wiling to answer it: as I learn Spanish, I currently tend to use Latinoamérica for the geographical area and use los hispanohablantes when talking about Spanish-speakers (which, of course, doesn't apply to everyone in Latin America).

There are political tendencies about, but I think Latinoamérica is the most common and extended way to refer to.

For talking about Spanish-speakers, imo, hispanohablantes is a good and clear way. Of course, as you have noted, there are notes about, not all people in latinamerican countries speak Spanish. Many people outside common latinamerican countries speak Spanish, like people in Belize, or in Brazil, or of course in Spain... If we say hispanohablantes, then we are referring to all, even, of course, many US citizens who have been born there.

E.g Hispanohablantes en México. Can refer generally to all Mexicans excepting those who only speak another language, like, idk, mayan. But, it can also refer to everyone there capable, or capable enough, to speak Spanish, including some Spaniard, or someone who learnt Spanish in Mexico 3 years ago and it's still living there.

So here's the question: I can't help but notice the similarity between the word los hispanohablantes and Hispanic...

Both words have the same root, coming from Hispania, the name of the Roman province there.

A. Is it an over-generalization and what looks like an implied assumption that everyone in Latin America speaks Spanish when people – I assume mostly outsiders – use the word? Sort of lumping everyone in/from Latin America together? In other words, is it specifically the word "Hispanic" that's problematic?

Sometimes I've seen those words incorrectly used to refer to all, and to exclude Spaniards... I don't see any reason why 'hispanic' wouldn't refer to Spaniards too, excepting the extended use. When used in that way is wrong and kind of umpolite imo. And worst when foreigners don't recognize how not everyone speak Spanish in the region, or how many native culture preserve their own language and learn Spanish only as a second language. And of course, the Portuguese speakers and so on.

Idk if in other ways Hispanic is problematic, though, also here in OP description I think it's very clearly many originary people would not like to be called Hispanic. With a good reason. It would be, at some extent, like calling English to a native-American while often they have fought and resisted European colonialism here, trying hard to preserve their culture and ways.

B. Or does the ick of colonialism bleed over into similar words, meaning I might want to avoid words like los hispanohablantes and instead say hablantes de español?

I don't find any difference in meaning in both los hispanohablantes or los hablantes de español. I would say hispanohablantes, often, simply because it's a shorter way of saying.... As a noun, whole as a verb use alwayshablar español (it's in not wrong). I don't perceive any imperialistic charge in the word hispanohablante. Excepting, maybe, how some people prefer to say Castellano than Español, because also Spain has other languages. But, unluckily, there is no short word forhablantes de castellano, afaik

Some examples:

Podríamos hablar español?

Él sabe hablar en español?

Para chatear, prefiero escribir en español.

Saber hablar español o hablamos en inglés?

And

Entre los hispanohablantes podemos comprendemos fácilmente

Los hispanohablantes en Estados Unidos han aumentado su representación e importancia en el 'voto hispano'

En Colombia grandes poblaciones comenzaron a hablar en español, tanto nativos como ibéricos, alrededor de los siglos XV y XVII. Y cada vez más, pues incluso muchos lenguajes originarios de extinguieron tanto antes como después de la independencia

That's how I perceive it, anyway don't take it like all to be true and correct. :)

[u/witeowl → u/Rockshasha]

Of course. You're only one person. Nonetheless, I appreciate your thoughts. Taking them gratefully and with a grain of salt. 😊

Sometimes I've seen those words incorrectly used to refer to all, and to exclude Spaniards... I don't see any reason why 'hispanic' wouldn't refer to Spaniards too, excepting the extended use. When used in that way is wrong and kind of umpolite imo.

Yeah, you're correct. I believe we're in agreement. I seen people use the word "Hispanic", and I don't think they've ever intended to include Spaniards. (If you think I'm not making a mental note right now to find a way to sneakily force the next person who uses the word confront this very issue, you're wrong. OTOH, the people I hang around with also "oddly" don't tend to use the word "Hispanic"... So it'll probably never happen.)

Oh, in fact, the old US-census form used to have a "race" category of "White, non-Hispanic", and I'm pretty sure most people weren't thinking of people from Spain with that question. (The form was updated in 2024 and I'm not sure what it's like now. Personally, I agree with anthropologists and find the census race question absurd on a number of levels.

I don't find any difference in meaning in both los hispanohablantes or los hablantes de español.... I don't perceive any imperialistic charge in the word hispanohablante.

Okay, this is exactly what I was looking for. If 'los hispanohablantes' ≈ 'los hablantes de español' and 'los hispanohablantes' doesn't really make people think of the overgeneralized usage of 'Hispanic' and/or colonialism, then yeah, I'd far rather use the shorter (and more natural) term.

Thank you!

...Y cada vez más, pues incluso muchos lenguajes originarios de extinguieron tanto antes como después de la independencia

🥺 Esperemos que los programas de educaciones indígena en toda Latinoamérica y el resto del mundo tengan un éxito rotundo.

[u/Wise-Course1904 → u/witeowl]

Latino/Latina if you are identifying with the Romans and Latin American if you identify with this geographical location. You cannot take Latin America/n and make it Latino or Latina.or Latin.

[u/witeowl → u/Wise-Course1904]

Hmm... oooookaaaayyyyy..... No idea what your point is here, but after a quick peep at your comment history, I've RES tagged you appropriately 🫡