[kranfid]

Mulatto doesn't really sound English, sounds like some weird ass Spanish term.

It's actually a Spanish loanword, just like Negro.

[nd90t3sf]

Perhaps it's only offensive because of what I've heard; that it meant "mule." I think that's where I get the "dehumanizing" part from. Is this true, that it derives from the word "mule?"

Honestly, I think I overthink when it comes to that term, because in ways (technically) that is what I am, though strongly more African, and that is what I'm most attracted to. But still, I've never heard the word in real life.

It's probable because in Spanish a Mula is a Mule. I've heard other etymologies though.
It was first used to describe the offspring of a Moor and a Spaniard.

[unatkot]

Hey Salvatrucho, would you say the Chileans I posted are mestizso too: https://www.forumbiodiversity.com/sh...light=Chileans

Not all, but simon, la mayorÃ*a se ven mestizos. Los tipos se ven todos mediterraneos menos el de verde y el alemán, las mujeres se ven todas mestizas (o más bien castizas para ser mas preciso )

[hubua990]

You know it is offensive to me that mixed people use the term Creole. What the heck does a language have to do with mixed people? I know it is one of the definitions now of Creole but it is due to corruption of the language. Americans seem to fuck up English quite a bit with their neurotic PC changes. I for one do not want to acknowledge that any American is anything but American. That is why I think it queer that the Utah Mormons are used as a reference for Europeans. Weird. Use real Europeans not knock offs. Same with the term African American. Come on, get real, you are not Africans. By using African American you are saying you are just no bodies, knockoffs, not the real thing, a substitute African, like KFC to real chicken. Well you are not Kunta Kinte but some terp called Jefferson Johnston Washington.

In a society that identifies people by their "race" and the color of their skin, why wouldn't a term like "African American" be used? Personally, I embrace that term, as there is obvious dichotomy between blacks and whites in the U.S. I have a multi-ethnic group of friends, but in highschool there was quite a big gap in social groups relative to race, unfortunately imo. I use this as a term to describe my ethnic group, routed in race, which I identify with. There is a strong cultural distinction between us and other foreign blacks, yet there is also a distinction between us and American whites (though maybe not as strong). I use this term to identify myself. "black" in all honesty is an unspecific term, which is based on skin color; a skin color that, in fact, does not describe all of those of African descent, and can even describes many of heavily pigmented, non-african descent.

The whole point with me is the corruption of language to suit some neurotic people.

I know nothing of "creoles." Regardless, "corruption" of languages often lead to new languages, do they not?

In Australia, mulatto is never used, and I doubt most Australians would know what it meant. Colored is used by the old people to prefer to mixed people, otherwise people are referred to by the non European ancestry as people here see the non European looks of mixed people not the European looks. I think that would be natural. I am sure a half Chinese half European person would be seen as European in China. I can tell you Australian Aborigines do not see half breeds as Aborigines, and derisively call them Yellows, neither Black or White but some disgusting color, which is what a lot of you seem to be. Not people of worth but some disgusting color.

Yeah, and fuck you too. What a dumb-assed opinion. Long live the sexy mixed women! This includes mulattas and mestizas, both more sexy than most "pure breeds" imo.

[Intory]

Not all, but simon, la mayorÃ*a se ven mestizos. Los tipos se ven todos mediterraneos menos el de verde y el alemán, las mujeres se ven todas mestizas (o más bien castizas para ser mas preciso )

hmm... ok. "el aleman" se llama Alberto Jose Carranza Martinez

[nerkvcbtre]

It depends from region. Mexicans don't mind getting called Mestizos. But call a Chilean (who are mestizos too) a mestizo and you won't get a friendly reaction.

sorry, I should have been clearer.
I was just referring to the antiquated terms used for non-whites within the US (here, American = estadounidenses, and anti-American sentiment and ugly American stereotypes we receive from across the Atlantic are focused solely on us US-ians. I tend to unthinkingly fall back into that.)

not surprising that it varies across regions and populations
interesting though, the differences and their reasons

[johnstylet]

"Mulatto" is not generally accepted in the United States. It is generally accepted in Europe and preferred in Latin America as it originated during the Spanish and Portuguese colonial period of slavery.

[oneliRafmeene]

Mulatto has been used in historical times in the U.S. to describe... Mestizos! In the U.S. they also have used Zambo (Afro-Indigenous) ... to describe Bozales (Pure uncivilized Africans just brought out of the boat)....

Yes. The U.S. has never used the historical Spanish racial descriptions in the correct way.

[Pyuvjzwf]

In a society that identifies people by their "race" and the color of their skin, why wouldn't a term like "African American" be used? Personally, I embrace that term, as there is obvious dichotomy between blacks and whites in the U.S. I have a multi-ethnic group of friends, but in highschool there was quite a big gap in social groups relative to race, unfortunately imo. I use this as a term to describe my ethnic group, routed in race, which I identify with. There is a strong cultural distinction between us and other foreign blacks, yet there is also a distinction between us and American whites (though maybe not as strong). I use this term to identify myself. "black" in all honesty is an unspecific term, which is based on skin color; a skin color that, in fact, does not describe all of those of African descent, and can even describes many of heavily pigmented, non-african descent.



I know nothing of "creoles." Regardless, "corruption" of languages often lead to new languages, do they not?




Yeah, and fuck you too. What a dumb-assed opinion. Long live the sexy mixed women! This includes mulattas and mestizas, both more sexy than most "pure breeds" imo.

Creole used to me a mixed language...like a French Creole.

In Lousiana, originally, French settlers who were born in the U.S. were called "Creoles".

Eventually though, it became a term associated with mixed black/white Lousianans that had a colonial French culture (and often language). Thing is Creole French in Lousiana (which is almost dead) is not the same as Cajuan French. Cajun French is much more like Quebecois, whereas Creole has many more African and Native American words (Spanish as well). It was mostly the langauges slaves spoke. When those slaves became free they kept speaking it and called it "Creole", however it was not originally called "Creole". Yes, that is complicated, but it is a corruption in the language, he was right about that (even a clock is right 2X a day).

However, in Lousiana, people often say Southern Louisiana has a Creole culture, but rarely do people say that the French white speakers are "Creoles" they are usually Cajun (which comes from Arcadia, which is where they were removed from when the Brits took over Canada). Those people mixed with existing French and Spanish settlers in Louisiana and formed the modern Cajun culture. There were also French refugees from Haiti. My family believes that we had relatives that came to Louisiana from Haiti (likely brought by French masters, they were not freemen at that time, but became free about 20 years later).

[mobbemeatiedy]

Mulatto has been used in historical times in the U.S. to describe... Mestizos! In the U.S. they also have used Zambo (Afro-Indigenous) ... to describe Bozales (Pure uncivilized Africans just brought out of the boat)....

Yes. The U.S. has never used the historical Spanish racial descriptions in the correct way.

The U.S. has predominantly English colonial roots. Spain isn't relevant in racial descriptions. The question is whether "mulatto" is a racist word in the U.S. today. The answer is while it is not as racist as other words it has a racial connotation and is without a doubt NOT ACCEPTABLE in public in the U.S. today.

In other words, the advice would be, if a foreign visitor comes to U.S. and would like a pleasant trip they should avoid using "mulatto" in the presence of Americans of any race.

[29clepayJainync]

The U.S. has predominantly English colonial roots. Spain isn't relevant in racial descriptions. The question is whether "mulatto" is a racist word in the U.S. today. The answer is while it is not as racist as other words it has a racial connotation and is without a doubt NOT ACCEPTABLE in public in the U.S. today.
.

Predominantly English? Yes, but NOT ONLY English. Spain influenced the colonies in several ways, and also trought Mexico (think Rodeo, for instance). The influence from Florida and Cuba is also important. Even more, the first dollar coins that circulated in the U.S. were Spanish silver doblons..
Words like "Negro", "Mulatto", "Sambo", etc, all come from Spanish, and there are hundred of Spanish words that entered the U.S. even before the Mexican invasion of recent times.

[minowz]

Creole used to me a mixed language...like a French Creole.

In Lousiana, originally, French settlers who were born in the U.S. were called "Creoles".

Eventually though, it became a term associated with mixed black/white Lousianans that had a colonial French culture (and often language). Thing is Creole French in Lousiana (which is almost dead) is not the same as Cajuan French. Cajun French is much more like Quebecois, whereas Creole has many more African and Native American words (Spanish as well). It was mostly the langauges slaves spoke. When those slaves became free they kept speaking it and called it "Creole", however it was not originally called "Creole". Yes, that is complicated, but it is a corruption in the language, he was right about that (even a clock is right 2X a day).

However, in Lousiana, people often say Southern Louisiana has a Creole culture, but rarely do people say that the French white speakers are "Creoles" they are usually Cajun (which comes from Arcadia, which is where they were removed from when the Brits took over Canada). Those people mixed with existing French and Spanish settlers in Louisiana and formed the modern Cajun culture. There were also French refugees from Haiti. My family believes that we had relatives that came to Louisiana from Haiti (likely brought by French masters, they were not freemen at that time, but became free about 20 years later).

Yes. There is a difference between Creoles and Acadiens (Cajuns) when talking about the history of the people but very little when talking about the culture in Louisiana in general. Anybody from a mixed family background in Louisiana is creole although the standards used to be tighter back when race mattered more.

The creole/Cajun culture is pretty much a common culture of all of Louisiana now.

---------- Post added 2010-05-22 at 15:20 ----------

Predominantly English? Yes, but NOT ONLY English. Spain influenced the colonies in several ways, and also trought Mexico (think Rodeo, for instance). The influence from Florida and Cuba is also important. Even more, the first dollar coins that circulated in the U.S. were Spanish silver doblons..
Words like "Negro", "Mulatto", "Sambo", etc, all come from Spanish, and there are hundred of Spanish words that entered the U.S. even before the Mexican invasion of recent times.

Um. Yeah. I'm from Texas. I think I'm well aware of Spanish history here. That was prior to the United States. Cuban influence is only relevant today in Miami and that's limited. Cuban influence is also historically important in Louisiana long ago. That's not the point. All of those terms you're throwing around are antiquated terms that went out of use long ago and even when they were used it wasn't common.

Mexico has the only relevant Latino culture of note here and Mexicans don't use "Mulatto" or "Sambo" and certainly not in the U.S. if they like being safe. As for "negro" Mexicans only use it to describe the color of things not people. Moreno is used to describe people by Mexicans in the U.S.

It's interesting that someone who is from Chile is trying to tell me what I live everyday. Would it make sense for me to describe daily life in Chile for you?

[Txaizdxx]

Yes. There is a difference between Creoles and Acadiens (Cajuns) when talking about the history of the people but very little when talking about the culture in Louisiana in general. Anybody from a mixed family background in Louisiana is creole although the standards used to be tighter back when race mattered more.

The creole/Cajun culture is pretty much a common culture of all of Louisiana now.

---------- Post added 2010-05-22 at 15:20 ----------



Um. Yeah. I'm from Texas. I think I'm well aware of Spanish history here. That was prior to the United States. Cuban influence is only relevant today in Miami and that's limited. Cuban influence is also historically important in Louisiana long ago. That's not the point. All of those terms you're throwing around are antiquated terms that went out of use long ago and even when they were used it wasn't common.

Mexico has the only relevant Latino culture of note here and Mexicans don't use "Mulatto" or "Sambo" and certainly not in the U.S. if they like being safe. As for "negro" Mexicans only use it to describe the color of things not people. Moreno is used to describe people by Mexicans in the U.S.

It's interesting that someone who is from Chile is trying to tell me what I live everyday. Would it make sense for me to describe daily life in Chile for you?

While I'm not sure about what you said, I can definatelly tell you Mexicans use zambo and mulatto here to describe Dominican tourists or Honduran immigrants. Certainly not out of date.

[Stainditnew]

While I'm not sure about what you said, I can definatelly tell you Mexicans use zambo and mulatto here to describe Dominican tourists or Honduran immigrants. Certainly not out of date.

Mexicans certainly don't use it in the United States...at least not publicly. How often does the average Mexican run across a Dominican tourist or a Honduran immigrant in Mexico? Just curious.

[CFstantony]

Mexicans certainly don't use it in the United States...at least not publicly. How often does the average Mexican run across a Dominican tourist or a Honduran immigrant in Mexico? Just curious.

To encounter a Honduran you just have to visit some crack shop at a poor neighrborhood... Dominicans are way harder to encounter. I had a Dominican professor at college, though he looked completely white.

[ResuNezily]

@Alto Impacto:

Interesting, I was under the impression that people in overwhelmingly euro-indigenous countries wouldn't even know what a mulatto is, and just assume africans look like halle berry

[cl004]

It's interesting that someone who is from Chile is trying to tell me what I live everyday. Would it make sense for me to describe daily life in Chile for you?

Sure. I agree you know more on the topic.

[Forex Autopilot]

I actually use mulatto all the time to describe, well, mulattoes. It's probably because I'm so use to hearing it in Spanish. Most of the time people don't know what I mean by mulatto, not even blacks, and I have to explain it to them. Nobody I've used it around has taken offense to it, it's just an antiquated term.

[Buyingtime]

mulatto is a word with a racist origin, meaning a mix between a donkey and a horse, but nowadays mulattos like to be identified by that word as they are familiar with it.

[Nfvzjvcl]

Coming back to this, I didn't hear of the word consistently until I went on the net. I've yet to hear it used in real life. Like hero said, it's pretty foreign. I actually have a hard time using the term seriously; it sounds offensive to me.