Our Definition of Mesoamerica
The term “Mesoamerica,” which in Greek translates to “middle America,” was defined by German-Mexican anthropologist Paul Kirchhoff as a region that shared many cultural characteristics throughout most of pre-Columbian history, and included the area of central and southern Mexico and northern Central America. In more recent times, this region has been expanded to include the area from central Mexico to Guatemala and Belize, and along the western portion of Central America from El Salvador and Honduras to northwestern Costa Rica.
In the United States, “Middle America” is a long established colloquial term generally used for the region that comprises the bulk of rural and suburban America, and differs culturally from the mindset of people living along both coasts of the country. At times, however, Middle America also has been used to designate the mid-latitudes of the Americas, sometimes incorporating the Caribbean and northern South America.
In herpetology, “Middle America” has been used to denote the region from the northern border of Mexico to the eastern border of Panama (e.g., Duellman, W. E. 1970. The Hylid Frogs of Middle America; Villa, J., L. D. Wilson, and J. D. Johnson. 1988. Middle American Herpetology). “Mesoamerica,” however, also has been used to denote the same geographic region (e.g., Johnson, J. D., R. G. Webb, and O. A. Flores-Villela. 2000. Mesoamerican Herpetology: Systematics, Zoogeography, and Conservation; Wilson, L. D., J. H. Townsend, and J. D. Johnson. 2010. Conservation of Mesoamerican Amphibians and Reptiles).
In Spanish, the word “middle” translates to medio or centro. With the former word, the translation for Middle America would be “Medio de América” (the middle of America) or “Medio America” (half of America); with the latter word, the translation would be “Centro de América” (the center of America) or “centroamérica or América Central,” meaning Central America. Thus, different boundaries apply to “Middle America” (as used in herpetology) and “Central America” (as in common usage).
With all due respect to traditionalists, especially those in the anthropological community, as a means of convenience and to avoid confusion with Spanish to English translations we adopted the term “Mesoamerica” (“Mesoamérica” in Spanish) to encompass the region extending from the northern border of Mexico to the eastern border of Panama.
In the United States, “Middle America” is a long established colloquial term generally used for the region that comprises the bulk of rural and suburban America, and differs culturally from the mindset of people living along both coasts of the country. At times, however, Middle America also has been used to designate the mid-latitudes of the Americas, sometimes incorporating the Caribbean and northern South America.
In herpetology, “Middle America” has been used to denote the region from the northern border of Mexico to the eastern border of Panama (e.g., Duellman, W. E. 1970. The Hylid Frogs of Middle America; Villa, J., L. D. Wilson, and J. D. Johnson. 1988. Middle American Herpetology). “Mesoamerica,” however, also has been used to denote the same geographic region (e.g., Johnson, J. D., R. G. Webb, and O. A. Flores-Villela. 2000. Mesoamerican Herpetology: Systematics, Zoogeography, and Conservation; Wilson, L. D., J. H. Townsend, and J. D. Johnson. 2010. Conservation of Mesoamerican Amphibians and Reptiles).
In Spanish, the word “middle” translates to medio or centro. With the former word, the translation for Middle America would be “Medio de América” (the middle of America) or “Medio America” (half of America); with the latter word, the translation would be “Centro de América” (the center of America) or “centroamérica or América Central,” meaning Central America. Thus, different boundaries apply to “Middle America” (as used in herpetology) and “Central America” (as in common usage).
With all due respect to traditionalists, especially those in the anthropological community, as a means of convenience and to avoid confusion with Spanish to English translations we adopted the term “Mesoamerica” (“Mesoamérica” in Spanish) to encompass the region extending from the northern border of Mexico to the eastern border of Panama.