Adonis FloresSeptember 11, 2007

Wayne State University

Spanish is actually Castilian, the language spoken in the Spanish region of Castile.

It derived from Latin, the language of the Romans.

It spread to the Americas and other parts of the world during the Spanish Conquest.

Spanish is the official language in 25 countries.Over 500 million people speak Spanish.It is the most spoken language in world trade

only after English.Several other languages are spoken in Spain.All Spaniards and Spanish-speakers share Roman

influence.

The Greeks called the region south of the Pyrenees Mountains “Iberia” (Nowadays the Iberian Peninsula).

The Romans called it “Hispania” and its people “Hispanus.”

In Spanish the term evolved to “Hispano.”In the 80’s the United States adopted the

term “Hispanic” to distinguish the Spanish-speaking population.

Due to Roman influence the Spanish word “Latinos,” which derives from the root word “Latin”, also refers to “Hispanos.”

“Latino” refers to the Romans and all their descendants (any individual who speaks a romance language as their first language, and its descendants).

Example: Romanians, Italians, French, Portuguese, Spaniards, Latin Americans, Quebecois, etc.

“Latin” refers to the Romans and all their descendants (any individual who speaks a romance language as their first language, and its descendants).

Example: Romanians, Italians, French, Portuguese, Spaniards, Latin Americans, Quebecois, etc.

In English

“Latino” is sometimes used as an abbreviation of “Latin American.” These include people who speak any romance language in the Americas, but not in Europe or Africa.

Example: Brazilians, Haitians, Mexicans, Costa Ricans, Venezuelans, the people of French Guinea, etc., but not Spaniards.

“Latino” is very commonly used as an abbreviation of “Latin American.” These include people who speak any romance language in the Americas, but not in Europe or Africa.

Example: Brazilians, Haitians, Mexicans, Costa Ricans, Venezuelans, the people of French Guinea, etc., but not Spaniards.

In English

During the Roman empire and after the end of the Arab conquest, “Hispania” referred to nowadays Spain and Portugal altogether.

During the 17th century Portugal separated itself from the Habsburg King who at the time ruled the rest of the Iberian Peninsula.

As a result, “Hispania” became a synonym for the Kingdom of Spain (Similar to how “Britain” became a synonym of England).

Therefore, The Portuguese adopted “Lusitania” as a synonim for the Kingdom of Portugal.

“Hispano” refers to Spanish-speakers anywhere in the globe.

Example: Spaniards, Mexicans, Argentineans, Guatemalans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, The people of Equatorial Guinea, Mexican-Americans, etc.

The people that speaks other romance language do not fit the definition.

Example: Portuguese, Italian, French, Romanian, Brazilian, Quebecois, etc.

“Hispanic” refers to Spanish-speakers anywhere in the globe.

Example: Spaniards, Mexicans, Argentineans, Guatemalans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, The people of Equatorial Guinea, Mexican-Americans, etc.

The people that speaks other romance language do not fit the definition.

Example: Portuguese, Italian, French, Romanian, Brazilian, Quebecois, etc.

In English