what is the meaning of "latin" in the word "latin america"? details please.?

Answer 1

Spanish and Portuguese are Latin-derived languages, so countries in America that were dominated by Spain and Portugal in colonial times are today referred to as "Latin America." People often confuse "Latin America" to mean South America, but Mexico on down is Latin America. (Of course, Mexico and Central America are in North America.)

Answer 2

Generally those who speak Spanish or some other Latin-derived language, inhabit the continent of South America, and Central America and Mexico. There are South America, Central America, and North America. So far, at least, North America is English speaking. Latin America is from Mexico to Brazil.

Answer 3

The short version is that Spanish is based on Latin and English is based on Anglo-Saxon, similar to German, so Latin America is the Spanish speaking people in the Americas. The USA does not have a monopoly on calling itself America.

Answer 4

That is very easy. It means that from the rio Grande to the south, that vast part of America was colonized by people whose language comes from the mother tongue Latin. Example: Spaniards and Portuguese. Both speak languages that come from Latin.

Answer 5

Latin is just that, latin. It means that the majority of the population and culture there is spanish speaking or along the lines of that.

Answer 6

"latin" refers to the culture. mainly spotted out from the language. so countries with spanish, portuguese and french (which are all languages derived from latin) as official language are part of latin america. technically also canadian quebec should be part of it, but generally it starts from mexico and includes all central and southern america. but jamaica and suriname arent truly latin america!
other features of latin culture arent really realted to ancient romans but to southwestern european, mediterranean culture. this because they were the countries that colonized latin america.
so catholic religion, working hours and days, holidays, human relations, are very close to those of spain, portugal, italy and france.
and besides the language itself, also the way you speak means a lot, like hand gestures, spatial proximity, etc...
and of course... soccer!!! the most latin sport, even if the brits pretend that they invented it...

Answer 7

It denotes the areas of central and south america that were settled by people of the latin races of europe - that is people mainly from spain and portugal and who still speak their original language

Answer 8

it can also be viewed as a shortend version of the Spanish word latinoamericano...in this sense Latin american has less to do with the geography and more to do with culture and lifestyle...it is important to note that there is much debate on the proper usage and definitions of these words (Latin, latino, Hispanic)...but understanding the etymology is a good start