Why do people from other south american countries get so offended if you think they are mexican?

Question

I have personally seen this many times. People really get upset if they are from say, Brazil, and are mistaken for a mexican. Is there some sort of elitism amongst south american countries that they feel they are better than mexicans. I have also heard plenty of people from Spain that think this way too. One person claimed that the "butchered" version of Spanish that Mexicans speak is basically slang. Anyway I think that explains what I'm trying to find out.

I wouldn't bother or offend me at all to be mistaken for a canadian.

Answer 1

I think they are tired of people who think that someone speaking Spanish has to be from Mexico.

Spanish spoken in Mexico is not slang. There are different ways to speak Spanish like different ways to speak English, more than ways I mean accents.

Answer 2

People often have a lot of pride in thier country, and being taken for a citizen of a rival country could be annoying. Canadians don't much like being taken for Americans, for instance.

Personally, I get mistaken for Mexican, and I don't get all offended (But then, I've also been mistaken for Persian, Arab, Jewish, Brazilian, and a host of other things - even Native American as a kid - so it's just kinda funny at this point).

Brazilians don't even speak the same language - and Spanish and Portugese sound pretty different, it's not a mistake a lot of people should be making.

Mexican Spanish is different from that of Spain, just like American English is different from that of England. It's kinda snobbish to make a big deal out of it, though.

Answer 3

Same reason a Ukrainian person gets offended if you say Russian. Same reason a Canadian gets offended if you say American. Every country likes to have their own specific culture that makes them unique. When we describe ourselves personally, we tend to describe what is unique about us (colour hair, eyes, etc) that isn't the same with everyone else. I spend a lot of time in South America and can tell you that a Central American, a Mexican, a Spanish, and a South American accent all sound extremely different even though I don't speak spanish.

Answer 4

A person tends to be proud of their nationality and doesn't want it to be mistaken. And if you do happen to mistake a Brazilian for a Mexican, I would understand their anger since they speak Pourtogese, not Spanish in the first place. And like everyone else has said so far, Americans are proud to be Americans and so on, you wouldn't wanted to be mistaken for something else would you? I couldn't immagine what would happen if you mistaked a Sunni Muslim for a Shiite Muslim.

Answer 5

I'm from Argentina and it sort of does bother me being called Mexican. I like Mexicans but, I find that many Americans don't know there are other people who happen to speak Spanish from other countries. So they think we are all Mexican.

Answer 6

Well, Brazilians don't even speak Spanish and it is in an entirely different geographic region from Mexico and very different culturally.

Wouldn't you get offended if someone just referred to as another culture over and over again? There are many many countries in Latin America besides Mexico.

Mexicans are at the bottom of the food chain. Much of the slang there is strange. However, each country has a weird reputation. Cuba butchers it too.

Answer 7

No south human beings are actually not basically spanish human beings. maximum southamericans are actually not white! there are a number of WHITE MEXICANS too. Castillian spanish is merely spoken in Castilla y leon. why they communicate is Spanish. maximum folk of Spaniards immigrated to cuba argentina and mexico P.S there have been not unlawful immigrants on the time youre mom and dad arrived in the americas. that BS unlawful immigration from mexico didnt start up till the 70s. AND NO. i'm Spaniard. and there is not any huge distinction between Castillian Spanish and Latin american Spanish. Thats stupid for all people to declare in view that all of us comprehend eachother completely

Answer 8

I'm Spanish and Cherokee and it makes me mad when people think I'm Mexican! I don't have anything against Mexicans . The language of Mexico is alto different from that of Spain . I correct people when they call me a Mexican.

Answer 9

First off the type of Indian is different and many times the European origin is different. However, this is true in different parts of Mexico as well.
No one is offended that you confuse them with where they are from they are offended that you were too ignorant to bother to ask instead of making assumptions. Columbians and Mexicans do not look alike and Hondurans and Mexicans do not look alike. In fact Hondurans range in color from very white to very coal black and Black Hondurans get just as ticked about being called African American since they are Garifuna Black and not from the US.

Answer 10

I am from spain and I don't get offended if I am confused from time to time for a hispanic person its actually nice sometimes but I guess bc it has happened to me a couple of times where I have mistaken cuban and belize people for african american and when you hear them talk in spanish its amazing but I guess everyone just feels pride from where they come from don't tell me you wouldn' t hang your country flag next to the american flag?