Thread: Today on Yahoo News, An Abominable Ad in Spanish....

Originally Posted by sacredrage

googler, I agree that Indians come from India-our Native Americans should not continue to be called what was a geographical error by Christopher Columbus! However, oddly, some Natives call themselves "Indians"-I guess in some cases the name just stuck. But I think many if not most of them prefer the term "Native American." Those in Canada are called "First Nations" instead and those below Mexico are called "Amerindian."

Very interesting. I must admit that I did not know this. So those in South America are also Amerindian? How do they say it in Spanish down there?

googler, I'm not sure what the Spanish word for "Amerindian" is, sorry.

Originally Posted by sacredrage

googler, I'm not sure what the Spanish word for "Amerindian" is, sorry.

I believe during the Spanish Empire era, Conquistadors referred to them as Indios.

Originally Posted by diane85

I believe during the Spanish Empire era, Conquistadors referred to them as Indios.

Yeah, I think that's Spanish for the term "Indian" exactly, but I'm unsure what the translation of "Amerindian" is.

Amerindian

Amerindian [a-me-rín-dian]
adjetivo
1 Amerindio.

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary.

Amerindian [ˌæməˈrɪndɪən]
amerindio
amerindio a amerindia ;a amerindia

Amerindian in Spanish | English to Spanish Translation | Traductor español ingles

Okay so then those in Mexico are simply "indios" since those below Mexico are Amerindio? And Mestizo would mean European and Indio blood? I think I once heard that "Mestizo" is a race, but if it's a mixture of European and Indio how can it?

Originally Posted by googler

Okay so then those in Mexico are simply "indios" since those below Mexico are Amerindio? And Mestizo would mean European and Indio blood? I think I once heard that "Mestizo" is a race, but if it's a mixture of European and Indio how can it?

I know several people who consider mestizo a race and it really could never be considered a race, because the DNA admixtures of mestizos vary. There are some mestizos who have mostly European DNA, while some are about half and half, and there are some that are mostly Indio. There were also periods in which mestizos in different areas intermarried with non-mixed Europeans. One example of that was period in northern New Mexico in which French trappers married mestizo women and today in that region you will find some people with French last names who call themselves Hispanic. In Puerto Rico, there were periods in which Irish and Italian people immigrated to the island and some intermarried with mestizos or mulattos.

Hey, I know one word in English that has unnecessarily been "Latinized" in the U.S.-we need to change "dulce de leche" back to "caramel"!

And I forgot to say that Columbus was looking for the "West Indies" instead of India and that's why he called the indigenous peoples of the Americas "Indians". Apparently islands like Trinadad are considered "West Indies", but one truly confusing thing is that many people on Trinadad are truly Indian (their roots come from east India!). I have a friend from there with that heritage.

Originally Posted by sacredrage

Hey, I know one word in English that has unnecessarily been "Latinized" in the U.S.-we need to change "dulce de leche" back to "caramel"!

Good Ice Cream