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A country in which one logically might expect the official language to be Spanish is Brazil. For Brazil is South America's largest country. Yet it's one of four South American countries in which Spanish isn't the official language. There are three important reasons for the unexpected status of Portuguese as the official language of Brazil. One is its accidental discovery by a Portuguese expedition that strayed off course while following a newly identified sea route to India by way of rounding the southernmost tip of Africa. For Pedro Alvares Cabral [1467/1468/1469? - c. 1520] was charged by King Manuel I [May 31, 1469-December 13, 1521]of Portugal with leading an expedition around southern Africa, and on through the Indian ocean to India. One of his fleet captains, Bartolomeu Dias [c. 1450-May 29, 1500], had discovered the route just two years earlier, on the expedition of 1487-1488. Cabral's expedition swerved southwestwards into the Pacific, to avoid the calms of the coast off the Gulf of Guinea. They ended so far off course that on April 21, 1500, expedition members sighted a mountain, which they named Monte Pascoal, in the subsequent land of Brazil. And so it was that Brazil came to be settled by Portuguese colonizers, in the 16th century, when the rest of South America was settled under the commands and direction of the Spanish monarchy and their Spanish conquerors. And yet that division in settlement, of the Portuguese claiming Brazil, and of the Spanish claiming the rest of South America, was no accident. In fact, it was regulated by treaty. For the Treaty of Tordesillas, of 1494, had divided the non-Christian world into zones of influence for Spain, and zones for Portugal. And the line of division was far enough west of the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Senegal that Portugal had legal claim to what came to be the Brazilian part of South America. And, finally, the Portuguese control over Brazil lasted three centuries. Brazil declared independence on September 7, 1822. And Portugal officially recognized that claim on August 29, 1825. But by that time, the control over the direction of the Brazilian economy, and the spread of Portuguese as the main language of communication, was set.
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What country has Portuguese as an official language instead of Spanish?
Brazil is the country that has Portuguese as an official language instead of Spanish. While Spanish is spoken in many Latin American countries, Brazil is the only country in South America where Portuguese is the official language.
Do brazilians speak spanish as well?
No, the official language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese, not Spanish. However, some Brazilians may also speak Spanish as a second language due to its similarity and proximity to Brazil's neighboring countries like Argentina and Uruguay.
In which South American country is Portuguese spoken and why is it the natural language of that country?
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, which is South America's largest country. Of all the countries of South America, it's most logical that Portuguese should be spoken in Brazil, and that it should have the status of the official language, because Brazil is a former Portuguese colony.So Portuguese is the native language of Brazilians for whom it's the mother tongue. But the language isn't native to Brazil. Instead, it was transplanted by the Portuguese navigators, rulers and settlers. And it was so successful in its naturalization that nowadays it's known, spoken and understood by almost all Brazilians.Portuguese is also spoken in many other South American Countries, becasue of the proximity and importance of Brazil, but it is not the official language of any other South American Country.Portuguese is spoken in Argentina and Uruguay, where the language is a required subject for schoolchildren. But the official language in both countries remains Spanish. Portuguese also is spoken in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, where it's one of the nine recognized regional languages of importance. But the country's official language remains English. And, in far lesser degrees, Portuguese also is spoken in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Venezuela; in French Guiana; and in Venezuela. But the official language of the first three countries remains Spanish; and that in the last two countries, French and Dutch, respectively.
Which South American country is the only one in which Portuguese is the official language?
Portuguese is the official language of the South American country of Brazil. It's one of the nine recognized regional languages in the nearby Co-operative Republic of Guyana, where the official langauge is English.
What African country has Portuguese as its official language?
The discovery of Brazil by Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral, on April 22, 1500, resulted in the country's three century status as a colony of Portugal. Brazil declared independence from the mother country on September 9, 1822. And Portugal finally recognized that claim to independence on August 29, 1825. The national identity of Brazilians has been created from the melting pot of influences from pre-Portuguese cultures; and by immigrants from Africa, Latin and North America, Asia, and Europe. But the historically predominant force always has traced back to Portugal. Perhaps one of the clearest, most telling evidences of that influence is just the very fact of the official language status that Portuguese holds in the country.
Who discovered Australia instead of England?
The Chinese, the Indonesians, the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Dutch.
What languages are spoken in Lisbon Portugual?
The official language spoken in Lisbon, Portugal is Portuguese. However, due to its popularity as a tourist destination, English is also commonly understood and spoken, especially in tourist areas and among younger generations. Additionally, there are communities of immigrants from various countries who speak different languages.
Which are the two main languages spoken in south America and why?
The two main languages spoken in South America are Spanish and Portuguese. Spanish is the dominant language in most countries due to historical colonial influence, while Portuguese is primarily spoken in Brazil because it was a colony of Portugal. These languages have remained prevalent due to their continued use in education, media, and trade across the region.
In the English language why isn't Espana used instead of Spain?
In the Spanish language why isn't 'English' used instead of 'inglés'?
Why do middle schools only have spanish classes?
so they can help you speak a diffrent language, instead of one language.
What are the top Portuguese speaking countries in the world?
Portuguese is the 1 and only official language of Portugal, spoken by virtually everyone.Mirandese is a government-recognized language with an estimated 5,000 primary speakers, and a total 12,000 bilingual speakers, in northeastern Portugal.Answer:The southern and central dialects are spoken in Alentejo, Algarve, Alto-Alentejo, the Azores, Baixo-Beirao, Coimbra, Lisbon, and Madeira. Northern dialects are spoken in Braga, Porto, and Tras-os-Montes. And Barraquinho is spoken in Barrancos, on the border with Spain.An array of African languages may be known by former residents, or the descendants of residents, of the former Portuguese colonies of Angola, Cape Verde Islands, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Sao Tome and Principe. Chinese may be known by former residents, or the descendants of residents, of the former Portuguese colony of Macau, in China. An array of Indonesianlanguages, Dutch, and Tetum may be known by former residents, or descendants of residents, of the former Portuguese colony of East Timor.An estimated one-fourth of the population knows English. And the same percentage is estimated as knowing French. About one-tenth of the population knows Spanish.Portuguese Sign Language is used by 6,000-638,070 residents of Portugal, according to 1998 estimates.Different dialects of Romany are used by the gypsy population. Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin may be used in the respective places of worship for followers of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.Mirandese.These are Portuguese and Mirandese(both official)Answer #1 Portugese and Mirandese are official languages, however Spanish and English speakers are abundant. Answer #2The main foreign languages that are spoken are English, with 26% of the foreign language speakers; French, with 24%; and Spanish, with 9%. Just over 4% of the foreign-language speaking population includes immigrants from Brazil, the former colonies of Angola and Cape Verde, and the Ukraine. Other languages such as Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, and Punjabi may be spoken by communities of the Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Christian Orthodox faiths. In addition, there are those who communicate by way of the Portuguese Sign Language. Portuguese is widely spoken, but varies by region. For example, Southern and Central dialects include Acoriano of the Azores; Alentejano in the Alentejo region; Algarvio in the Algarve region of the extreme south; Baixo-Beirao and Alto-Alentejano, and Beirao in the country's center; Estremenho in Coimbra and in Lisbon; and Madeirense on the island of Madeira. The Northern dialectsinclude Alto-Minhoto in the interior north of the city of Porto; Nortenho in Braga and in Porto; and Transmontano in Tras-os-Montes. And the Barraquenho dialect is spoken in the town of Barrancos, on the Portugal-Spain border. Mirandese is spoken in the northeast, in Miranda do Douro. A 2008 estimate of the total population of Portugal hovers around 10,676,910. Of that number, about 5,000 are estimated to be speakers of Mirandese. That number increases to 15,000 if bilingual speakers of Mirandese and Portuguese are included. The number of Mirandese speakers is expected to rise, what with sharing official language status of the country with Portuguese.The major, spoken languages in Portugal are the following: Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish. Portuguese is the country's official language. It's the only one of the four major, spoken languages that's the language native to Portugal. For the language is an offshoot of the long-ago interaction between the Latin language of the ancient Roman conquerors and the ancient languages of the Iberian Peninsula. English and French are the two most popular choices for second language learning, in the schools. English is spoken by anywhere from just over one-fourth, to just under one-third, of the total population. French is spoken by just under one-fourth. And Spanish is spoken by just under one-tenth.Of the four main languages that are spoken in Portugal, only one is native to the country. For the Portuguese language originated in the long-ago interactions between the Latin language of the ancient Roman conquerors and the ancient languages of the Iberian Peninsula. And ancient Iberia was the geographic space in which the modern nations of Portugal and Spain evolved. The people of Portugal are used to tourists, and indeed people worldwide, not knowing that there even is such a thing as the Portuguese language. And so a number of Portugal's people know, speak, and understand another language. In fact, the other three main spoken languages are official languages of other countries, but not of Portugal. For anywhere from just over one-fourth, to just under one-third, of the population speaks English. Just under one-fourth speaks French. And just under one-tenth speaks Spanish. There's another, native language to which the Portuguese gives special recognition. The recognition isn't as official language. Instead, the recognition is for regional importance. The language is Mirandese. An estimated 5,000 inhabitants of northern Portugal speak Mirandese. The total increases to 12,000 when census takers include those who are bilingual speakers of Mirandese and another language. But the speakers of Mirandese don't account for even 1% of the total population of Portugal. And so it's a native language that may have regional importance. But it's nowhere close to being one of the main spoken languages.'Extended languages' are those that are most widespread in their use by an area's speakers. In the case of Portugal, the most extended language is Portuguese. For Portuguese is the official language, and the country's most widely known, spoken and understood language. The most extended of Portugal's regional dialects and languages is Mirandese, which is located in the north. For it's granted special status by the government, as the only regional language officially recognized for its national importance to Portugal. In terms of foreign language use in the Republic, the most extended languages are English, French, and Spanish. For anywhere from just over one-fourth to just under one-third of the Republic's total population speaks English. Just under one-fourth speaks French. And just under one-tenth speaks Spanish. In terms of the Republic's special needs population, the most extended language is the Portuguese Sign Language. For the hearing disabled number about 150,000 out of a population total of over 10 million. Signers use either the Lisbon dialect, or the Oporto, depending upon adherence to the teachings of one or the other of two schools in the Republic. And the language isn't based on Portuguese, but on the Swedish Sign Language.PortugueseThe Portuguese speak the standard peninsular Portuguese of Portugal. For European Portuguese is the official language of the Republic. And it's the country's most widely known, spoken and understood language. But the Republic's regions differ just as much linguistically as they do in cuisine. For the regions have distinct ways of expressing themselves. These regional expressions are called dialects. Among the most distinct regional expressions are Barranquinhos and Mirandese. Barranquinhos shows the influence of Portuguese, and Andalusian and Extremaduran Spanish. And Mirandese is the only native language other than Portuguese that's given special government recognition. For it's recognized as a regional language of national importance to the Republic. The Portuguese are used to some tourists, and indeed some people worldwide, not knowing that there even is such a thing as the Portuguese language. They're just as used to other tourists, and indeed other people throughout the world, thinking that Portuguese follows the rules of Spanish. And so, for their survival, the Portuguese tend to know another language. The three most popular choices for language learning, and the three most commonly spoken in the Republic, are English, French, and Spanish. Out of a total population of over 10 million, the Republic is estimated to have a hearing disabled population of 150,000. For the hearing disabled who are considered deaf, the main language is the Portuguese Sign Language. There are two dialects within the language. One is Lisbon, for being based on the Lisbon school. The other is the Oporto dialect. Neither one is based on the Portuguese language. Instead, the Portuguese Sign Language is based on the Swedish Sign Language, and has been in use in the country since 1823.Portuguese. Portuguese, obviouslyThey also speak Portuguese in Portugal, but it's a little different (and some people say more difficult) than the Portuguese in Brazil.PortuguesePortuguese.A Romance kind of language is spoken in Portugal. Romance languages descend from the ancient interaction between the ancient Latin language of the conquering Romans and the ancient local languages of the native populations.Portuguese is the official language of Portugal. In 1999 Mirandese [lingua mirandesa] was granted co-official recognition as a regional language in local matters. Mirandese is spoken in a small area in northeastern Portugal. Both languages share official language status and membership in the Romance family of languages.in Portugal we speak Portuguese. it is the 5th most spoken language in the world. Portuguese is spoken mainly in Portugal, Brasil, Angola, Moçambique, Macau, Timor, Cape verde islands, Guiné, Açores, Madeira island...It is an old language that derives from latin, similar to Spanish, italian...PortagesPortuguese is Portugal's national language.No !!Portuguese is the official language of Portugal.It has many similarities with Spanish.yesPortuguese is the language that's known, spoken and understood in Portugal. It also is the official language of the Republic. It may be called standard continental, European or peninsular Portuguese, to distinguish it from the Portuguese of the different former colonies. For example, the Portuguese that's spoken in the former South American colony of Brazil is called Brazilian Portuguese. Within Portugal, Portuguese varies by region. In fact, continental Portuguese may be categorized into northern, central and southern dialectical expressions. Among the more distinct are Barranquinhos and Mirandese. For Barranquinhosis spoken along the border with Spain. It therefore shows a mix of influences from Portuguese, and from Andalusian and Extremaduran Spanish. And Mirandese is spoken in northern Portugal. It's spoken as the mother tongue of about 5,000 speakers, and bilingually by another 7,000. In fact, Mirandese and Portuguese are the country's only spoken languages that receive special consideration by the government. For Mirandese is the only regional language that's recognized for its national importance to the Republic. But Portuguese and the regonal dialects have three important characteristics in common. First, they all are native to the Republic. Second, they belong to the Romance family of languages. For they owe their existence to the ancient interactions between the Latin language of the ancient conquering Romans and the ancient languages of the Iberian Peninsula. And third, they belong to the Galician-Portugueselinguistic group within the Romance family of languages. For Galician is spoken just across Portugal's border with northwestern Spain. And there always have been Galician and Portuguese speakers on both sides of the border.No. Portugal's official language is Portuguese.In Portugal people talk Portuguese.PortugueseThe languages that are used in Portugal are mainly in the Romance family of languages. For Portuguese is the official language, and the most widely spoken language in the country. And it traces back to the interactions between the ancient Latin language of the ancient Roman conquerors and the ancient languages of the Iberian Peninsula of southwestern Europe. There are at least three broad regional variations within the Portuguese language. These variations correspond with the geographically distinct regions of northern, central and southern Portugal. But these regional variants, which are called dialects, join Portuguese in their membership in the Romance family of languages. And, even more specifically, they and Portuguese join the Galician language of northwestern Spain in their membership in the Galician-Portuguese subfamily within that family. Other, non-native languages are spoken in the Republic. English is a member of the Germanic family of languages. So it's more closely related to Dutch and German, both of which may be spoken in Portugal, but to a far far lesser degree. Two other non-native languages that are the most spoken after English are Frenchand Spanish. Both are members of the Romance family of languages. And so they're related to Portuguese, and to Italian, which also may be heard in the Republic, but to a far far lesser degree. Other less commonly heard languages include the African and Asian languages of the former colonies; and Arabic, from the Semitic family of languages.At least nine languages are used each day in Portugal. For Portuguese is the Republic's official language. It also is the most widely known, spoken and understood. Additionally, there are three sets of dialects, or regional variants of Portuguese. The most unique of the regional dialects is Mirandese, which is the only one that's recognized as a regional language of national importance to the Republic. Additonally, three non-native languages are among the foreign languages that the Portuguese people choose for study, and fluency. These languages are English, French, and Spanish. And the hearing disabled make up about 150,000 out of the Republic's total population of over 10 million. For the deaf among the disabled, communication is through the Portuguese Sign Language.There are 12 languages that are spoken daily in Portugal. Portuguese is the official language that's used throughout the Republic. It also has regional forms, which are called dialects. There are at least three broad groups into which the dialects can be categorized: northern, central and southern. Particularly distinct among the dialects are Mirandese, which is uniquely recognized as a regional language of national importance to the Republic; the island dialects of the Azores and of Madeira; and Barranquinhos, which results from the interaction between Portuguese, and Andalusian and Extremaduran Spanish. The main non-native languages that are spoken daily in Portugal include English, French, and Spanish. And Portuguese Sign Language may be said to be non-native. For it's based on the Swedish Sign Language, not on Portuguese. And it's used by the deaf among Portugal's 150,000 hearing disabled. Other non-native languages are spoken to an even lesser degree. Examples include the African and Asianlanguages of the former colonies; Arabic; Brazilian Portuguese; Greek; and the languages of the European Union countries, such as Dutch, German, and Italian.There are 12 languages that are spoken daily in Portugal. Portuguese is the official language that's used throughout the Republic. It also has regional forms, which are called dialects. There are at least three broad groups into which the dialects can be categorized: northern, central and southern. Particularly distinct among the dialects are Mirandese, which is uniquely recognized as a regional language of national importance to the Republic; the island dialects of the Azores and of Madeira; and Barranquinhos, which results from the interaction between Portuguese, and Andalusian and Extremaduran Spanish. The main non-native languages that are spoken daily in Portugal include English, French, and Spanish. And Portuguese Sign Language may be said to be non-native. For it's based on the Swedish Sign Language, not on Portuguese. And it's used by the deaf among Portugal's 150,000 hearing disabled. Other non-native languages are spoken to an even lesser degree. Examples include the African and Asianlanguages of the former colonies; Arabic; Brazilian Portuguese; Greek; and the languages of the European Union countries, such as Dutch, German, and Italian.There just is one official language in Portugal. That role is filled by Portuguese, which is the country's most known, spoken and understood language. Mirandese, in northern Portugal, is recognized as an important regional language of national importance to the Republic. But such recognition isn't the same as the status of official language.Portugues (same as Brazil)PortugueseWithout any shadow of doubt, the portuguese language, unless you are referring to the tourists in Portugal.Portuguese is the official language of Portugal, but English, French, German are also spoken there.
What sort of populations speaks Portuguese?
In Portugal, Portuguese is the most widely known, spoken and understood language in the Republic. So it's spoken by the full range of socio-economic populations. What differentiates the status of speakers in the Republic therefore isn't the use of Portuguese. For Portuguese is the country's official, and native, language. Instead, what signals higher status isn't just knowledge, but fluency, in a non-native language, such as English.The same may be said of Angola, Brazil, and of Sao Tome and Principe. For Portuguese is the official, and the most widely spoken, language in these former Portuguese colonies. In fact, it's a transplanted language whose naturalization is a success story. Like Portugal, therefore, it's spoken by the full range of socio-economic populations. Thus, something other than Portuguese, such as fluency in one of the world's major languages, signals higher status.But the situation is different in other former Portuguese colonies in Africa, and in Asia. For Portuguese still is the official language in Cape Verde Islands, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique. It still is the official language in the Asian countries of Macau and East Timor. But it shares that status with Chinese in the case of the former, and with Tetum in the case of the latter. Regardless, speaking Portuguese in these former colonies tends to overlap with being more Europeanized, and holding higher socio-economic status.Elsewhere, Portuguese speaking communities tend to be smaller, and more scattered, in Australia, Europe, and North America. In these cases, the communities tend to be less diverse in socio-economic status. For they're located abroad, because of underemployment or unemployment at home; or because of study; prestigious job offers in diplomacy; education; international business; research; or science. For example, a Portuguese speaking community in Massachusetts may be made up only of former Portuguese fishers or workers. And a Portuguese speaking community in northern Virginia may be made up only of Brazilian and Portuguese Embassy staff members in D.C.
