Hispanic Vs. Latino Vs. Spanish

what's the difference between the terms? and what are people from south american countries like chile and argentina considered? the reason why i ask is b/c my mother is from argentina and she always says she is spanish, but the other day some lady said to her that only people from spain are spanish. i am so confused!! thanks!

Yeah I have always said that my family is Spanish---my family is from Uruguay (right near Argentina--we have the same accent eat the same food, etc. ). But I have been told by some people that we are hispanics. So in other words, I am confused as well So now I just say, my family is from Uruguay. Makes things much easier

I am Hispanic..
If my history is correct (which I can be wrong)

The term Hispanic means 'Of Spain'
When the Spanish came to the Americas they were still under a caste system. Any child born of the union of Indians and Spainards were considered subclass. With no class already made for them the Spanish made one.. subcatagorized.. 'hispanic'. Some Indian tribes accepted those born of Hispanic hertiage others did not. But obviously enough hispanics came to be.

My father's background is Indian. My mom's family is from Spain directly. Therefore I refer to myself as Hispanic.

Latino is the new norm to try to catagorize all spanish speakers.. I actually dislike it and do not like being refered to as Latina. I have nothing in common with others who have been forced into this so-called group and I dislike the stereotype of it.

JMHO

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Posted by swags1016

I was also told that many Hispanics do not like Latino because that is saying someone who speaks a language derived from Latin and that is many different languages.

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This is true - One of my friends is from Spain - and she hates it when people use Latino to refer to a person

I say Hispanic but my mother heritage is from Spain AND Puerto Rico so I guess I can't go wrong

I'm from Texas and many Texans do not like the term 'Latino' . We go by Hispanic. As for being spanish, many mexicans and mexican americans are descendants of spain from when the spaniards migrated to Mexico. As for many Hispanic Texans, they consider themselves as Mexican-American and not Mexican. Not that we are ashamed of our roots, that is just the way it is in Texas. My family does not have any relatives living in Mexico. We have generations and generations who have been living in Texas for many years. Texas at one point was part of Mexico and later it's own Republic and then eventually part of the U.S. So if Texas was it's own Country, I would say that I am from Texas
My families descendants come from Mexico, Spain and France.

My Puerto Rican and Dominican friends either call themselves Hispanic or Latino. They seem to be ok with these.

I always thought people from Spain only were called Spanish. Who knows!

It doesn't matter to me really. My parents are Puertorican, with Taino Indian and Spanish(Spain) heritage, so I call myself either Spanish, Hispanic, Latino and Puertorican it's all realtive to me. Most of my friends feel the same as me though.