why are american spanish known as hispanics?

Question

why not american spanish?

Answer 1

The roman term for the iberic peninsula (Spain & Portugal) was "Hispania". The term "hispanic" then refers to things related to the iberic peninsula, and the current meaning refers to Spanish or Portuguese speaking people and countries but is also used to denote their descendants. The term hispanic is often used to refer to a race, but hispanics can be white, black, indian and everything in between.

Answer 2

Hey sunset gazer,


This is an interesting issue.

First off, Spanish, the language, is not only spoken by Spaniards or Spanish people. Therefore, Spanish American is not appropriate enough, right? Additionally, some Louisiana Creole and Cajun people have Spanish ancestry, and Spanish family names, yet they may identify more with the Francophone cultures of the region.

Now, the term Hispanic was first adopted in the U.S. by the Nixon administration in the 1970's. Why?

Well, some scholars, W. Brown for instance, argue that term Hispanic was the result of efforts of a U.S. senator, Joseph Montoya, who wanted a label that could be used to quantify the Spanish-speaking population for the U.S. Census.

According to Brown, Hispanic was chosen in part because in New Mexico (the state in the U.S.), affluent people of Spanish descent such as Montoya referred to themselves as Hispanos, and the transliteration of Hispano is Hispanic.

The problem with choosing that term is that large number of Latin Americans use it only when referring to the culture of people from Spain.

The Pew Research Center recently published a study stating that 50% of people of Latin American descent use the term 'Hispanic' and that the other half favors 'Latino.'

http://pewhispanic.org/

Answer 3

Good question. I am convinced, they won't use this word when referred to a Spaniard.
Conclusion: Hispanic in American language, means a person of Spanish root mixed with indio.

Answer 4

Over the pond in Spain, they call themselves Espanoles, thus the hacked version of the word is espanics or hispanics. If some term was to be used it would be Spanish American, like Afro American and Anglo American and Asian American and Latin American,etc....

Answer 5

His·pan·ic [ hi spánnik ]


adjective
Definition:

1. of people of Spanish descent: relating to people descended from Spanish or Latin American people or their culture

2. of Spanish-speaking people: relating to Spanish-speaking people or their culture

3. of Iberian Peninsula: relating to Spain, or its language, people, or culture

for a more detailed explanation go to:

http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861727807/Hispanic.html

Answer 6

because they speak spanish.

hispanic is anyone that has spanish as mother tongue, not just the americans.

Answer 7

because not all of them are . they are proud of being Hispanics. or else they would learn ENGLISH,and try to assimilate into our society.