why do people call mexicans hispanic?

Question

hispanic people are from hispaniola.. this makes no sense to me

lol they're DEFINATELY not spanish. spanish people are from spain. they're not even brown.. I think they'd be insulted if you called a mexican a spanish person

mexicans aren't hispanic
they're mexican

just cuz a dictionary says something doesnt mean ****, sorry

Answer 1

That's simple: ignorance. Keep on telling everybody and everyone would know not to call Mexicans Hispanic.

Answer 2

I was under the impression that the term "hispanic" can mean "of Spain" which describes the language and part of the culture that Mexicans have... this also goes for many South American countries such as Argentina, Coumbia, Puerto Rico, Cuba... etc.
When you talk about spanish-speaking people, the term usually used is Hispanics.

I do think, however, that it is a little derogatory that if there were a group of Mexians, someone would say "Hispanics" and not "Mexicans" because personally, I would really only say "Hispanic" if there were people of various countries grouped together, and I couldn't rattle off a list. I'd either say, "Hispanics" or "Latinos," although Latinos encompasses Brazilians, too.

Theoretically, many people born, raised, and whose families have a long history in the U.S. could techinically be "hispanic" because the Spaniards settled in all parts of the Americas.

Answer 3

Because people are mostly ignorant ... sadly.

Latinos are from Latin America. Thus Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean included.

Hispanos are NOT from Hispaniola ... Hispaniola is the old name of the island of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Hispano comes from SPAIN ... It includes all the countries that were once Spanish Colonies. So ... only part of South America, some islands in the Caribbean, Mexico, Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, South of California, Central America, and Spain. So if you have spaniard descendence AND are from those countries, you are HISPANO.

So ... yes, Mexicans are hispanic.

Answer 4

Per www.thefreedicitionary.com

His·pan·ic (h-spnk)
adj.
1. Of or relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America.
2. Of or relating to a Spanish-speaking people or culture.
n.
1. A Spanish-speaking person.
2. A U.S. citizen or resident of Latin-American or Spanish descent.

Usage Note: Though often used interchangeably in American English, Hispanic and Latino are not identical terms, and in certain contexts the choice between them can be significant. Hispanic, from the Latin word for "Spain," has the broader reference, potentially encompassing all Spanish-speaking peoples in both hemispheres and emphasizing the common denominator of language among communities that sometimes have little else in common.

Answer 5

Your wrong....According to Webster's dictionary this is the official definition:

: of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent living in the United States; especially : one of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin

Mexicans are from Mexico...Don't confuse the two....Mexicans in Mexico don't call themselves Hispanics....But people with Mexican descent call themselves Hispanics.....What does it matter anyways?

Answer 6

Well, how many Mexicans speak English?

Or had ancestors who were originally from China?

Maybe some, but not the majority.

Hispanic means that they have a Spanish heritage.

Answer 7

hispanic seems like a genre in which you include mexican puerto rican cuban etc....

I dont know if it really is a broad category or not...but that's how I mostly hear it used.

In my area we don't really have a lot of south americans or cubans or anything...its mostly Mexicans, so I don't run into any problems but sometimes when you refer to an ethnicity by the wrong location they get offended. If you call a Cuban "mexican" sometimes they get pissed so hispanic just seems safer.

Answer 8

Makes no sense to me, either. I would think that people from Mexico would be called Mexicans. Just a thought . . .

May God bless and keep you.

Answer 9

Well what would you call them? Yeah, I know it is a Hispanic-native mixture (those Spanish Conquistadors were fun loving guys), but what racial category would you put them under?

-Dio (The I love answering a question with a question)

Answer 10

Hispanic refers to "Spanish" heritage