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From The Providence Journal
1.28.2001
'Hispanic' or 'Latino'? Opinions vary widely
Today's stories use the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" interchangeably, to denote people of any race who were born in or who trace their roots to Spanish-speaking countries.

Though the U.S. Census Bureau also uses the two terms synonymously, some experts say the words are not identical and those of Spanish-speaking descent have disagreed on which word is preferable.

The federal government adopted the term Hispanic in 1978 as a catchall for people with roots in any Spanish-speaking country, from Argentina and Guatemala to Puerto Rico and Spain. The term Latino has come into widespread use more recently, and some say it refers more narrowly to those from Latin and Central America.

In a poll of Hispanic/Latino registered voters published last month in Hispanic magazine, which itself uses the words interchangeably, two in three people said they preferred "Hispanic" over "Latino." Other polls have found variations in preference between newer and older immigrants and among regions in the United States.

In the Southwest, for instance, some Mexican-Americans prefer the term "Chicano."

Some people reject the term Hispanic as a government-imposed label or as placing too much emphasis on colonial Spain. (The word Hispanic is a derivation of "Hispania," the Latin word for Spain.) "Latino," according to this view, suggests greater ethnic pride, not least because it is more Spanish sounding than "Hispanic."

Others eschew "Latino" because they believe it excludes those from Caribbean countries such as the Dominican Republic or Cuba.

The federal government has taken note of the debate and confusion over the terms and, for the first time last year, expanded the wording on census forms. The 2000 Census asked Americans whether or not they were "Spanish/Hispanic/Latino."

"There were strong political reasons in the old days about the differences," said Marta V. Martinez, the founder of the nonprofit Hispanic Heritage Committee and the chairwoman of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs. "Lately, I've come to the conclusion that people use both interchangeably and accept both."

-- Ariel Sabar

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