Portuguese
A language of Portugal
| Population | 10,000,000 in Portugal. Population total all countries: 177,981,570. |
| Region | Iberia, Azores, Madeira. Also in Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde Islands, China, Congo, East Timor, France, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara), Jamaica, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mozambique, Netherlands Antilles, Oman, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé e Príncipe, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia. |
| Language map |
Portugal and Spain |
| Alternate names | Português |
| Dialects | Beiran (Beirão), Alentejan (Alentejano), Algarvian (Algarvio), Minhotan (Minhoto), Transmontan (Transmontano), Madeirese (Madeirense), Azorean (Açoriano), Estremenho, Brazilian Portuguese. Standard Portuguese of Portugal is based on Estremenho dialect (Lisbon and Coimbra). |
| Classification | Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician |
| Language use | Official language. 15,000,000 L2 speakers. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L2: 83%–84%. Fully developed. Bible: 1751–1995. |
| Writing system | Latin script. |
| Comments | SVO. Christian. |
Also spoken in:
Angola
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 57,600 in Angola (1993). |
| Language use | Official language. |
Brazil
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 163,000,000 in Brazil (1998). |
| Region | Widespread. |
| Language use | Official language. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L1: 71%. |
| Comments | Christian, traditional religion. |
Cape Verde Islands
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 14,800 in Cape Verde Islands (2004). |
| Language use | Portuguese used primarily on TV and radio, in Congress, classrooms, churches, and with foreigners. Portuguese is the primary language of instruction in 12 grades. |
East Timor
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Alternate names | Português |
| Language use | Official language. Probably 2% of the population from East Timor worldwide can function in it, including about 9,000 people living overseas. |
| Comments | Christian. |
France
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 750,000 in France (1989). |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L2: Relatively low. |
Guinea-Bissau
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 198,000 in Guinea-Bissau (2005). |
| Language use | Official language. |
India
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 250,000 in India. |
| Region | Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli. |
| Language use | Official language. |
| Comments | Official language of Goa (but not recognized as an official language by the national constitution). |
Indonesia (Nusa Tenggara)
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Region | Flores Island, Sikka area. |
Mozambique
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 35,000 in Mozambique (2006). |
| Language use | Official language. 27% speak it as L2. |
São Tomé e Príncipe
| Language name | Portuguese |
| Population | 2,580 in Sao Tome e Principe (1993). |
| Language use | Official language. Used by many people as their L1 until their late 20s, when they become more active in São Tomense society, and relearn Sãotomense [cri], the language of social networks above age 30. Used as L2 by some. |
Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:
Academic Publications
Erickson, Timothy and Catherine Erickson, compilers. 1993. Vocabulario jupda-español-português.
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Everett, Daniel L. 1988. "Anaphoric indices and inalienable possession in Brazilian Portuguese."
Vinton, Jim and Virginia Vinton. 2001. "A linguistic survey of the Chuwabu language cluster."
Walters, Susan G. 1994. "Primary stress assignment in Brazilian Portuguese."
Weiss, Helga E. 1980. Fonética articulatória; guia e exercícios, 2a edição (revista e ampliada).
Vernacular Publications
A história de Joana: livro do aluno. 2006.

