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The <i> Hispanic/Latino </i> Debate: The Language Is Still Searching for a Term That Satisfies Everyone

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Latino definitely does not “affirm our Indian-ness.” The term derives from Latin, as in Roman Empire.

Nahuatl is not a Romance language. Its variant Ladino is used in Central America by persons who speak Spanish and who identify themselves with Ibero-American culture and society, not Indian culture and society.

Campesino affirms Indian-ness, while simultaneously doing away with it because campesino means peasant, and one need not be Indian to be a peasant.

Bernal, however, does underscore the problem of the variety of nationalities and cultures that Ibero-Americans bring to the United States and the need (?) for a term common to all.

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T.D. PROFFITT

History Department

San Diego City College

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