6 Intriguing Facts about Portuguese Language- Everything Language Enthusiasts Should Know

Learning a foreign language is a wonderful investment with fabulous returns in this era of globalization and if it is Portuguese then it can prove to be extremely valuable in terms of higher education and jobs. It will open up a whole new world in front of a learner. The Portuguese language is one of most prominently spoken global languages. Not only is it the sixth widely spoken language in the world, but it has speakers in all continents. Let's explore 6 intriguing facts about the language which many of us don't know. 1. Just about 5% speakers of the language live in Portugal Contrary to what people might think majority of the Portuguese speakers are not found in Portugal but in other countries like Brazil and Mozambique where the language is declared official. To know more on this elaborately, opt for a Portuguese language course in Kolkata. 2. Arabic has a major impact on it The influence of Arabic language is huge on language of the Iberian Peninsula and it is owing to the fact that the Islamic Moors hailing from North Africa and the Middle East conquered Portugal and Spain in the eighth century. There are several Portuguese words that have been sourced from Arabic language and it includes almofada (cushion), azeitona (olive), and garrafa (bottle). 3. European & Brazilian Portuguese vary from each other Despite being same, there are striking differences in spellings betwee American and British English. Similarly, European Portuguese language and Portuguese in Brazil are substantially different from each other in terms of syntax, accent, and vocabulary. The primary dissimilarity comes in the application of the second-person pronoun. In European Portugal, tu and vos are widely used, while their use is prohibited or rarely seen in Portuguese Brazil, which advocates the use of the pronouns such as voce and voces. 4. There are 29 alphabets in the longest word The longest word in English vocabulary is "antidisestablishmentarianism" which comprises 28 letters, It has been overtaken by the word anticonstitucionalissimamente, that is Portuguese in origin. The word consists of a total of 29 alphabets and means "in a very unconstitutional way." It has been declared as the longest non-technical word in the dictionary. To know more about various Portuguese words and expressions in the vocabulary, a Portuguese Language Course in Kolkata would be the best option. 5. Previously Portuguese vocabulary had only 23 letters Alphabets such as"K," "W," and "Y" were excluded from the Portuguese language previously. Instead of K," Portuguese used "qu in words like quilogram,", whereas "W" and "Y" letters were also found missing even from the foreign or borrowed words. However, the whole story changed after 2009, as the "Orthographic Agreement," was signed by the Portuguese language speaking nations all over the world. The agreement introduced those letters or alphabets in the spelling and vocabulary of the language. 6. It ranks only second to English as the fastest growing language in Europe Due to the increase in the populace of Portuguese speakers in Brazil and Africa, the popularity of the language has grown at a tremendous pace and is considered second fastest growing language in Europe coming only after English. As per the reports published by UNESCO, the language has the potential to become an "international communication language in Southern Africa and South America." Want to acquire fluency in Portuguese within a few months? Join IITT Language Academy for pursuing basic, diploma, and advanced diploma Portuguese language course in Kolkata for travel purposes, relocating overseas for higher studies and jobs. Avail comprehensive practical classes, professional tips, expert guidance, quality study materials & protocols for honing your linguistic competencies in speaking, writing and other core linguistic areas and gear up for a bright future. You can also opt for the flexible online version of the course. IITT Language Academy also presents courses in Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Swedish, Arabic, French, Dutch and others.