Research Paper on Latin America: A Look at 21 Countries

Introduction

The words "Latin America" are majorly used in describing the group of the twenty-one countries across the American continent where the Latin languages are majorly spoken. Some of the countries which make up Latin America include; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, and Peru. All these countries are located at the Southern part of the US-Mexico border with Mexico starting in North America and extending across Central America and some other parts in South America Tierra del Fuego region and the Caribbean parts (Weber, & Rausch, 1997). The countries making Latin America are lovely and diverse, with a growing economic and political force. Latin America has some common specific elements which identify it as a region. The first features which define Latin America as a region are language, culture /people, the historical experience as well as the geography and climate, as discussed below.

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Language

The dominant language used by Latin America is the Latin language, specifically Spanish, French, and Portuguese, which is part of the continent colonization by the European powers since the start of the 16th century. Although there are also some other indigenous languages which individuals in Latin America still speak like the various European languages like Dutch and English which are majorly spoken by the smaller Caribbean islands countries and Guyana and Belize who speak English since Britain colonized them, the Spanish language seems to be the most predominant. This is simply because the Spanish colonized the more significant part of the region. (Fischman, Alperin, & Willinsky, 2010). Many individuals who are not familiar with the Hispanic cultures may find it difficult to differentiate the significant differences characterizing each of the Latin American countries, especially those mapped at the South of the American continent. Most of the time, especially in the United States, the Hispanic characteristics tend to be presumed automatically when one encounters a person who belongs to this specific cultural group, and this contributes to stereotyping in most of the times(Weber, & Rausch, 1997). In such situations, it is essential to note that specific stereotyping characteristics are the major defining elements of Latin America as a region and majorly as Hispanic individuals. For instance, when we look at the predominant language used at the South America continent, like the Spanish which seems to be the significant idiom in the region, Fischman, Alperin, & Willinsky, 2010 argue that the Spanish language used in Latin which can be noticed in the spoken form and also the colloquial expressions. The significant difference these dialects is the word "you"- Usted, Vosotros, Tu, and Ustedes. In the Latin American region, they do not use the Vosotros form while Ustede is used in the "you" plural, and often, Vos is majorly used as compared to Tu.

Additionally, most Latin Americans sound song like and very soft when they speak as compared to the other Argentines and Europeans; in particular, they have a distinct accent. One can also notice that Latin Americans tend to drop specific sounds in both the end and the middle words. Even though most of the Latin America dialect is different compared the Castilian European language, a more in-depth research shows Portugal which appears to be an official language to only one specific country also seems to have some more speakers in the continent entirely, and this makes it be among the dominating words of the Southern America hemisphere a part of Latin America due to the large group of habitants in some countries like Brazil which is termed as the greatest country in South American region (Fischman, Alperin, & Willinsky, 2010). This specific example is among the diverse physiognomies setting every Southern American continent country apart from each other; moreover, it is the most crucial since communication has a vital role in individual's lives.

One of the significant differences that most people from Latin America notice every time they meet new individuals or travel to other distinct continents is their dialect. For instance, diverse Spanish speaking nations usually use some words differently or have the same Spanish spoken words which have different meanings. A good example is the word "Torta"; for the English speaking individuals, a direct translation of this word means cake, however, in Mexico, the term "Torta" means sandwich and not cake while in Argentina, this word refers to punching an individual in their face(Fischman, Alperin, & Willinsky, 2010). Another name that can be used as an example is the word "bicho" whose direct English translation refers to an insect. Still, as for the Latin American region, it is used to refer to the male reproductive organ "the penis." Even though the "Bicho" example seems inappropriate, it gives a perfect description of how Latin America can well be defined with the use of its language.

Culture and People

The individuals, as well as the cultures in Latin America, are various and very detailed. However, there are specific elements or features that are majorly used across Latin America and defines the region by distinguishing it from the English speaking America. At the time when the European settlers, mainly Portuguese and the Spanish, arrived during the sixteenth century, they found various growing indigenous cultures in the Latin American region. Additionally, the hunters and gatherer tribes located at the deep forests also encountered great developed civilizations like the Aztecs, which are now in Mexico and the Incas in southern America. Unlike in the united states, a high number of the indigenous individuals were able to survive the colonization process, and their descendants became a vital part of the Latin Americans population culture today. About 100% of individuals of indigenous descent are mainly in various Latin American countries like Bolivia, which is a prime example(Weber, & Rausch, 1997). Nevertheless, most of the nations in Latin America have a large number of the population of individuals referred to as "mestizos," which means individuals of mixed European and indigenous descent. While most of the pure indigenous tend to hold on to their traditional cultures like their dressing code and language, the mestizos have a tendency of speaking the Latin language with their dressing code been that of the western uniforms, which is usually baseball caps and blue jeans.

About 10% of the Latin American population countries view themselves as full European descents. At that specific time, most Latin American countries have a significant number of Afro-Latin populations and majorly Ecuador, Cuba, and Haiti. The black Latin American individuals are the notable descendants of the enslaved Africans who were transported to that particular region as workers in the sugar populations. However, the southern European colonizer's arrival brought a specific unifying element in the area, which the catholic church(Weber, & Rausch, 1997). The vast majority of the Latin American individuals are of the roman catholic church, which is a fact distinguishing them from the English speaking Americans. Thanks to the Spanish inquisition brutality, the arrival of the Christian religion in Latin America is almost total, and the native superstitions have been incorporated and subsumed with the vast majority of the population been the church-going catholicism. The evangelical missionaries by other Christian dominations have established some inroads and especially in Central America, in the present times with the Mormon church inclusive.

The fusion of the European, African, and indigenous traditions contributed significantly to lending a significant richness to the Latin American culture. There are two distinct fields of cultural endeavors where this particular vision has made the Latin Americans have an excellent worldwide reputation in music and literature. The Latin American literature is known for its high quality which gives it a magical realism with the whole host of inspiring and great authors like Isabel Allende, Carlos Fuentes and Ruben Dario incorporating their supernatural beliefs prevalent in the regions local cultures into the various stories told with literary and lyrical language (Willems,1975). The combined works of the Latin American authors have significantly changed the region's face and influenced the minds of various individuals in their countries and beyond, which helps in defining it as a region. The region's Literature is very fortunate to have enjoyed and faced the support of the public and critics on the national as well as the international scales.

Most of the authors from Latin America are not only famous for their literary innovations, which has won them prestigious prizes in the entire world but also most of their novels feature on the best selling lists in various countries. For most of the individuals, this is a vital element of getting to understand both poetry and the novel also and adequately the factual works which might have been produced in Spanish culture and language(Weber, & Rausch, 1997). Some of the literature works by the Latin authors include the various autobiographical elements which tend to explain the times lived since, in most cases, and their life experiences have significantly shaped the time's novels.

On the other hand, Latin American music is another cultural element that is as diverse as its people and helps define Latin America as a region. The Andes is the home to the pan-pipes, and Cuban music is an excellent fusion of the Hispanic and the African elements. Nicaragua has a beautiful tradition of ballads that are politically committed with Argentina, giving the world the largest and most famous Tango dance. The Latin American individuals have more of what is referred to as " joie de vivre" by the French(Willems,1975). Even the most impoverished indigenous individuals seem to have always had time for jokes as well as smiles with their friends. While most of the individuals tend to work harder to survive, most are not that motivated to work and become wealthy because, according to them, time spent with their families is critical to them than any other thing. All of them appear to be musical since almost every individual in Latin America can dance like a professionalist, and this defines the continent as a region.

Historical Experience

The history of Latin America, which one of the significant elements helping in defining it as a region, can be traced back to thousands of years ago. The initial settlers of the American continent were believed to be of Asian origin as they navigated the Bering Strait to the mainland. Latin America is the world's newest central civilization and has developed various vital features. The region's economy was, in several respects, dependent on the western European economy through Portugal and France intermediaries. Specifically by the 18th century, when vital local manufacturing and other major economic activities started developing ( Burkholder & Johnson, 2010).

Often referred to as the new world by most of the individuals, the Latin American region, as well as its individuals, arose from the conquest process as well as the colonization by the European powers and mainly the Portuguese and Spanish. The Latin word in Latin America is majorly derived from the vision of its creation out of the European conquest( Burkholder & Johnson, 2010). The processes of colonization and the conquests and the complicated struggles between the colonized and the conqueror are the major essences that define Latin America as a region. According to research by Burkholder & Johnson, 2010, Latin American history starts from the collision o individuals...