Know your heritage! ๐
The word "LATINA" is a Spanish word that has entered the English language. In Spanish, it means a woman belonging to the people of ancient Latium, in Italy, whose language was Latin; so the Romans of course were latina. Another and related meaning of latina in Spanish refers to a woman who belongs to the cultures of the Romance Languages, that is, those peoples whose language, and to a varying extent, whose culture, too, derive from the language and civilization of Rome, which was latin. Among these Romance languages are Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. Therefore, all Italians, French, Spaniards, Romanians, and Portuguese, as well as all those Latin American women (whose language is Spanish or Portuguese) are latinas.
-Dr. Fernando-Morera
Author & Educator
Doctorate from Harvard University