How Do You Spell PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE?

Pronunciation: [pˌɔːt͡ʃəɡˈiːz lˈaŋɡwɪd͡ʒ] (IPA)

The spelling of "Portuguese language" can be a bit tricky for non-native speakers. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is pronounced as [pɔrtjuˈɡiːz ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ]. The first sound [p] is followed by [ɔ] as in "tortoise" and [tʃ] as in "church." The third sound is [j] as in "yellow," followed by [iː] as in "feet." The last sound is [dʒ] as in "jungle" and [ʒ] as in "vision." Putting it all together, "Portuguese language" is pronounced "por-chu-geez lang-gwij."

Meaning and Definition
Etymology
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PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE Meaning and Definition

  1. The Portuguese language, also known as Português, is a Romance language belonging to the Ibero-Romance branch. It primarily originated and is predominantly spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and other former Portuguese colonies. With approximately 230 million native speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.

    The Portuguese language traces its roots back to the Latin spoken by the Romans during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. Over time, it evolved through various influences, such as Arab, Germanic, and African languages.

    It is characterized by its melodic rhythm, nasal sounds, and complex verb conjugations. Portuguese uses the Latin alphabet with a few additional diacritic marks on certain vowels and consonants. It is considered mutually intelligible to some extent with other Romance languages like Spanish, Italian, and French.

    The language has two major variants: Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese. While they share the same basic grammar and vocabulary, they differ in pronunciation, accentuation, and some regional vocabulary. Brazilian Portuguese is known for its softer intonation and simplified verb conjugations, while European Portuguese tends to have a more nasal sound and more complex verb forms.

    Due to the historical colonization and influence of Portugal and the spread of Brazilian cultural exports, Portuguese has become an official language in several African countries, including Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, as well as in East Timor and Macau. It is also widely spoken by immigrant communities around the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Luxembourg.

Etymology of PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE

The word "Portuguese" originated from Old Portuguese "portugueis" or "portugueise" which referred to a person from Portugal. It ultimately comes from the Medieval Latin word "portugalensis", which means "a person from Portugal". This Latin term was derived from "portus", meaning "port" or "harbor", and "Cale", referring to the ancient Roman city of Portus Cale, which is present-day Porto, Portugal. The Portuguese language, therefore, relates to the language spoken by the people of Portugal and has a similar etymology.