Difference between Hispanic and Latino
What is a Hispanic?
En United States, the term "Hispanic" is used to refer to people of Hispanic American origin. This means that your ancestors come from the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, including but not limited to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru, among others.
And a Latino?
On the other hand, the term "Latino" refers to people of Latin American origin, including those whose ancestors come from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, such as Brazil.
Cultural distinctions
Beyond the linguistic distinction of these two terms, there are also cultural differences that can influence how people identify themselves. For example, Puerto Ricans and Cubans may consider themselves Hispanic, but not necessarily Latino, due to the different cultural influences they have received from indigenous and African cultures. Similarly, Brazilians may identify as Latino due to their Latin American origin, but not necessarily as Hispanic due to their official language being Portuguese.
List of Hispanic and Latin American countries
- Mexico
- Puerto Rico
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Colombia
- Peru
- Spain
- And other Spanish speaking countries
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Puerto Rico
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Colombia
- Peru
- Chile
- Argentina
- Uruguay
- Paraguay
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Guatemala
- Panama
- Venezuela
- Nicaragua
- Ecuador
- Bolivia
Hispanic countries
Latin American countries
In short, the difference between Hispanics and Latinos is more linguistic than cultural. The terms refer to people of Hispanic American and Latin American origin, respectively, but how people identify themselves can depend on a variety of factors.
It is important to understand these distinctions, especially in places where these communities have a large presence, to respect people's cultural and linguistic identities.