[Randman]

Interesting story out.

ASHINGTON (AP) - Hispanics accounted for half the 2.9 million U.S. population growth from 2003 to 2004 and now constitute one-seventh of all people in the United States.
A Census Bureau report issued Thursday said that trend probably will continue because of immigration and a Hispanic birth rate outstripping non-Hispanic blacks and whites.

Though it would be interesting to see who's what around here.

I'm American, Hispanic.

[AKcrab]

American, Scottish/Hungarian/Italian/British. WASP?
Last name Bruce, as in "Robert the"...
Grandma's maiden name is Cody, as in "Buffalo Bill"...

I'm a mutt.

[MallyMal]

I'm curious, from my post what would the folks on MacNN think I am?

[Randman]

Originally Posted by AKcrab

I'm a mutt.

I think that's true, one way or another for many people, especially those in North America. I mean I consider myself Hispanic because both sides of my family came from Spain hundreds of years ago. But my great grandmothers on my dad's side weren't. One was Native American and one was a blonde, blue-eyed French-Canadian woman.

[RAILhead]

I'm about 75% Irish and 25% Italian as far as ancestry goes.

[Cipher13]

Australian, white. Anglo-Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, whatever you wanna call it.

[d.fine]

European Whity I'm belgian with some Portugese roots... just a little bit.

[chabig]

I'm curious as to why it matters.

[d.fine]

It doesn't, but what else to do in the Lounge...

[AKcrab]

Originally Posted by chabig

I'm curious as to why it matters.

What? You don't have a race/heritage? Lighten up man.

[RAILhead]

Originally Posted by chabig

I'm curious as to why it matters.

Race = Ancestry. Ancestry = Family History.

Some of us enjoy our family's history and knowing where we came from and the histories/stories therein.

Take a chill pill, man.

Maury

[Randman]

Originally Posted by chabig

I'm curious as to why it matters.

It doesn't matter. And you're not forced to vote nor post a comment in this thread. I just thought the story was interesting and decided to take an unscientific poll of who's what.

Besides, I'm no one cares if you were hatched from an egg and just don't want to admit to it.

[Luca Rescigno]

White, American. Father was born in Italy... mother is basically a mutt with origins in Eastern Europe (if you go back several generations). The borders have changed several times since her ancestors left, but they were from an area that is now in the Ukraine.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Randman

I'm American, Hispanic.

Out of curiosity, what exactly is "hispanic"? In Europe that word doesn't exist as far as I can tell.

I'm of south-slavic origin by the way.

[MacNStein]

50% Hispanic (my mother was Cuban)/ 50% just about everything else under the sun. I simply consider myself Hispanic, makes the paperwork easier.

[MacNStein]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Out of curiosity, what exactly is "hispanic"? In Europe that word doesn't exist as far as I can tell.

I'm of south-slavic origin by the way.

It's a person of Latin American descent.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by MallyMal

I'm curious, from my post what would the folks on MacNN think I am?

Elusive.

[RAILhead]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Out of curiosity, what exactly is "hispanic"? In Europe that word doesn't exist as far as I can tell.

I'm of south-slavic origin by the way.

Technically, a "spanish" person is considered someone that's of Latin American descent or from a Spanish-speaking country. In America, it's often used synonymously with Mexican, since some people are so dense as to think that "Mexican" is derogatory term.

A lot of people call Latin American people by their country of origin though, and use Spanish for people from Spain. For example, people from Mexico are Mexican, people from Chili are Chilean, etc.

Maury

[Randman]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Out of curiosity, what exactly is "hispanic"?

You could also say Latino. I prefer Hispanic since my ancestors hailed from Spain rather than Latin America.
For races, among others, it would include, Spanish, Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, etc.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by MacNStein

It's a person of Latin American descent.

So a Spaniard immigrating into the USA is not hispanic?

Tiger's Dictionary defines it as "Spanish-speaking person in the USA". I find it hard to see this as "race".

[Luca Rescigno]

Although they are slightly different things... I mean, calling someone "Mexican" or "Chilean" or "Guatemalan" is fine, but that only tells you their country of origin. I'm sure there are plenty of Caucasians who were born and raised in Latin American countries, and I'm sure they would consider themselves natives of that country. But I don't think they'd be considered Hispanic.

It's kind of tough because of the amount of mixing between the native Latin American tribes and the Spaniards. There's the distinction between race and nationality I just pointed out, as well as several different names for people of Latin American origin... Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, and of course the name of their home country. I'm sure there are differences between those terms but I don't know what they are.

EDIT: According to dictionary.com

Usage Note: Though often used interchangeably in American English, Hispanic and Latino are not identical terms, and in certain contexts the choice between them can be significant.

Hispanic, from the Latin word for “Spain,” has the broader reference, potentially encompassing all Spanish-speaking peoples in both hemispheres and emphasizing the common denominator of language among communities that sometimes have little else in common. Latino, which in Spanish means "Latin" but which as an English word is probably a shortening of the Spanish word latinoamericano, refers more exclusively to persons or communities of Latin American origin. Of the two, only Hispanic can be used in referring to Spain and its history and culture; a native of Spain residing in the United States is a Hispanic, not a Latino, and one cannot substitute Latino in the phrase, "the Hispanic influence on native Mexican cultures," without garbling the meaning. In practice, however, this distinction is of little significance when referring to residents of the United States, most of whom are of Latin American origin and can theoretically be called by either word.

A more important distinction concerns the sociopolitical rift that has opened between Latino and Hispanic in American usage. For a certain segment of the Spanish-speaking population, Latino is a term of ethnic pride and Hispanic a label that borders on the offensive. According to this view, Hispanic lacks the authenticity and cultural resonance of Latino, with its Spanish sound and its ability to show the feminine form Latina when used of women. Furthermore, Hispanic (the term used by the U.S. Census Bureau and other government agencies) is said to bear the stamp of an Anglo establishment far removed from the concerns of the Spanish-speaking community. While these views are strongly held by some, they are by no means universal, and the division in usage seems as related to geography as it is to politics, with Latino widely preferred in California and Hispanic the more usual term in Florida and Texas. Even in these regions, however, usage is often mixed, and it is not uncommon to find both terms used by the same writer or speaker.

[RAILhead]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

So a Spaniard immigrating into the USA is not hispanic?

Tiger's Dictionary defines it as "Spanish-speaking person in the USA". I find it hard to see this as "race".

You made my point more clearly than I did, TETENAL: "Hispanic" isn't really a race, it's more of an umbrella term.

Maury

[Luca Rescigno]

According to what I posted above, a Spaniard immigrating to the USA would be Hispanic but not a Latino. Again, like I said, there's a lot of mixing between native Latin Americans and Spaniards, so a lot of people could be considered both Hispanic and Latino. Also, since the US Census Bureau uses "Hispanic" as the official racial term, it has taken on that meaning as well.

Oh, also I found this:

Chicano is used only of Mexican Americans, not of Mexicans living in Mexico. It was originally an informal term in English (as in Spanish), and the spelling of the first recorded instance in an American publication followed the Spanish custom of lowercasing nouns of national or ethnic origin. However, the literary and political movements of the 1960s and 1970s among Mexican Americans established Chicano as a term of ethnic pride, and it is properly written today with a capital. While Chicano is a term of pride for many Mexican Americans, it remains a word with strong political associations. Since these politics are not necessarily espoused by all Mexican Americans, and since usage and acceptance of this word can vary from one region to another, an outsider who is unfamiliar with his or her audience may do well to use Mexican American instead.

Good to know. I didn't really know what "Chicano" meant before... I had heard the term, but that was about it.

[budster101]

45% Italian 45% Polish 5% Commanche Indian 5% White

[MallyMal]

Originally Posted by Bluesky

Elusive.

[E's Lil Theorem]

Originally Posted by MallyMal

I'm curious, from my post what would the folks on MacNN think I am?

I've seen your picture in the 'NN picture thread, so I know what you are

Originally Posted by Randman

You could also say Latino. I prefer Hispanic since my ancestors hailed from Spain rather than Latin America.
For races, among others, it would include, Spanish, Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, etc.

I prefer Latino myself. "Hispanic" is the name the Spanish gave Latin American folks back in the day and they didn't mean anything good by it. Basically, it was like the white folks calling African Americans "niggers" during the slavery days. It was a derogatory term.

Anyway, if your ancestors came from Spain/Europe, but born in Latin American, wouldn't that make you a Creole instead?

[MallyMal]

Originally Posted by E's Lil Theorem

I've seen your picture in the 'NN picture thread, so I know what you are

Shhhhh, I took down a while back

[badidea]

Originally Posted by MallyMal

I'm curious, from my post what would the folks on MacNN think I am?

You either forgot to vote or the picture you posted of yourself wasn't you!!!

[- - e r i k - -]

I'm human. You know the human race. Christ, didn't you learn anything in biology?

[Warung]

What is "American (not from the US)" supposed to be, if not hispanic or "native"? Canadian?

Anway, I checked European (though I would have preferred a "Human" option). My cultural roots (which is quite different from "race" (actually doesn't even exist)) are 50% Irish (American) and 50% German.

[kmkkid]

I'm canadian in nationality, but a mutt in race.

I'm German, Ukranian, Polish, English and Scottish. So I guess I'm just plain european in decent


Chris

[invisibleX]

Bit Irish, bit south american, bit ukrainian, and a bit french canadian.

[wdlove]

I'm an American of the caucasian race, mainly English ancestry.

[chris v]

Other: (very) Mixed European & Native American. Serious muttage.

[Sven G]

I'm half Sicilian and half Swede - powerful combination, anyway, IMHO, if properly used (which sometimes might be and other times not, according to circumstances)...

[historylme]

Originally Posted by Luca Rescigno

Although they are slightly different things... I mean, calling someone "Mexican" or "Chilean" or "Guatemalan" is fine, but that only tells you their country of origin. I'm sure there are plenty of Caucasians who were born and raised in Latin American countries, and I'm sure they would consider themselves natives of that country. But I don't think they'd be considered Hispanic.

My brother and sister are both blond hair blue eye "Caucasian" in appearance but identify themselves "Latino" and "Salvadorian." Since our family has been there for over two hundred years.

I consider myself "Latino" but I wouldn't be opposed to the "human" option previously proposed. I have identified and acquired many other national cultures (Hungarian being one that I adore and consider myself acculturated in).

[Zimphire]

Father is mostly German. Mother is mostly Dutch.

[Randman]

This brings up two funny thoughts.

One, I had a friend who was born in South Africa. He's blonde with blue eyes but has a passport that said "African" so he applied for and won a big African-American scholarship. He got to keep the scholarship but said it made quite a fuss when he showed up to accept it.

And ... in my first job after university, I was a reported in Arkansas. It was my first or second week living in the South and I decided to change my drivers' license. I put [X] Other on the form.

The state trooper there was stereotypical cracker, hat on indoors, mirrored sunglasses on indoors and chewing on a toothpick. He looked over the form and said: "Son, what's with this other?"
I said I was Hispanic with my ancestors hailing from Spain.
He looked me over from just over the top of the sunglasses and said: "Son, here in Aw-ken-saw, we gots two types. We got whites. We gots blacks."
He looked me over once again, moved the toothpick to the other side of his mouth and finally said: "Son, you're white."
He then crossed out [X]other and crossed in [X]Caucasian, stamped it approved and said" Y'all have a nice day now."

[Albert Pujols]

Asian is up there twice. I don't know if I am the first Asian or the second Asian.

[sek929]

Half Portuguese
1/4 Irish
1/4 French

Still just a damn whiteboy. Though that half Portuguese really makes me tan well.

[nonhuman]

Me, I'm mostly Russian Jewish (Well it was Russia at the time when the черная сотня ran us out of the country, but the city we're from—Житомир—is in Ukraine now.) on my dad's side. My mom's side is Scottish and Welsh with a little bit of Cherokee thrown in.

So I guess I'm a Celto-slavic Jew. What box do I check for that?

[Eriamjh]

Just what exactly is "white"?

[jcadam]

Mostly British (with about an even mix of scottish, irish, and english (slightly less, the Celtic traits clearly are more dominant)). There are trace amounts of Italian and German in the mix as well.
I'm basically a mutt like any other American.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Just what exactly is "white"?

Bobbie Hill: "You're so lucky, Connie. You're ethnic." "Joseph and I are just, white. . ."
Joseph Gribble: "Yeah."

I guess Randman should have tried Anglo-Saxon or Caucasian instead, although some dictionaries tell me the latter term is depreciated for formal use. On the other hand, since he labeled the poll Census Data, it's safe to assume those are the classifications used by the U.S. census. On second glance, no, I can't believe those are census classifications. How can North American or European be a race? haha

Ashkenazi Jew

[MacMan4000]

I'm Caucasian. This summer I'm taking a vacation to the mother-land of Caucasia. Its gonna be awesome.

[MacMan4000]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Me, I'm mostly Russian Jewish (Well it was Russia at the time when the черная сотня ran us out of the country, but the city we're from—Житомир—is in Ukraine now.) on my dad's side. My mom's side is Scottish and Welsh with a little bit of Cherokee thrown in.

So I guess I'm a Celto-slavic Jew. What box do I check for that?

Just curious, how would those words be pronounced? with the A-Z alphabet, not Russian characters.

[storer]

White Australian, here. I am peeved that New Zealand got teamed with us... bahhhh! JJ

[ambush]

French (75%), Italian (25%)

[MacManMikeOSX]

German/Russian/Spanish/Potugese/Mongolian/English/Irish/North African. My family is crazy we never know what anyone will look like, my brother has black hair and is short where as I'm blonde blue eyed and 6 foot. Though if you're jewish you might understand better if I said im 50/50 sfardi/ashkenazi

[storer]

^^ We're kinda like you. Scottish/Italian/Irish/English... many more too... I'm 6ft2 and my dads heaps shorter and I have black hair and most of the whole family is blonde or brown haired...