Why Latin America? when there are several countries in South America where they don't speak Spanish or ...

Question

Portuguese

Answer 1

Latin America refers to Central and South America.

Almost all of central and south america speaks Spanish, Portugese (Brasil) and French Guiana (French) which are Romance languages that originate from Vulgar Latin.

In Guyana, they speak English, which also has many latin words within it; 6 of 10 words in English are of Latin origin. It should however be noted that it is of the Germanic origin, like Dutch that is spoken in Suriname.

Answer 2

The Latin in Latin America was actually the name given by the French, funnily enough. They really have the least to do with the continent, but they were just passing and realized that the Portuguese and Spanish were both Latin. It is sometimes called Iberoamerica and also obviously South America.

There has been much debate, seeing as 11000 years ago the first archaic man came here and they didn't have a clue who the Spanish or Portuguese were, some of the indigenous are still around, especially the Aymara's, who keep themselves to themselves and walk the Altiplano's of the Andes with their herds, but they don't really care, they have passports for all the countries they visit and just view the governments/countries just as a nuisance.
Well., a bit of a ramble, but that's what I know about "why Latin America", oh, most of the countries and most of the people do speak Spanish/Portuguese, so I guess majority rules.

Answer 3

Countries that speak English or Dutch like Suriname and Jamaica are not Latin America. Latin America does not means "Southern than USA"

Answer 4

Because it was originally colonized by the Latin or Catholic european powers (Spain and Portugal), as opposed to the protestant ones (England, etc.).

"Originally Colonized" here meaning of course long-standing colonizations by the european powers in the last 500 years or so. The original colonists were the "native" people who were here before them, and there is some reasonable proof that the vikings colonized northeastern Amaerica for a short time in about 1000 years ago but were unable to keep the colony running.

Answer 5

Well Latin america acatuly is not just south america...Latin america refers to countires with latin based lanagues..so this would cover brazil.

Answer 6

Por que fueron colonizados por españoles y portuguese, en mexico se hablan aun varios dialectos como el maya en Yucatan.

Los que no hablan español o portugues, fueron colonias inglesas como Belice.

Answer 7

there are not too many countries with different laguges, look this map, and why america is referred to usa?

Answer 8

I know in Mexico.. people still talk in dialects that they have kept through-out time ... i'm almost sure other countries have dialects too

Answer 9

only stupid chauvinists would feel proud of something they had no choice in and had not done any effort for