What Are The Language Differences Between English and Portuguese? |
Posted: August 28, 2017 |
There may be some similarities in different languages, but no two languages in the world are same. Even a single language spoken in two distinct parts of the world contain significant differences. The same goes true for Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. In this write-up, we will discuss the language difference between English and Portuguese. Both the languages belong to the same language family, i.e., Indo-European. There are indeed a lot of similarities between Portuguese and English, but interestingly, both the languages are closer to Spanish rather than each other. Let us get to know the dissimilarities between the two which make it difficult for Portuguese translation services to work. Alphabets Let us start with the letters. English contains 26 letters, while Portuguese only 23. It means it lacks three letters which are – K, W, and Y. Moreover, there are 11 letters in the alphabets alien to English alphabets. When it comes to pronunciation, both the languages are quite corresponding. As a result, the writing system of the English language doesn’t pose much challenge to someone who is acquainted with Portuguese. Grammar comparison If we talk about verbs and tenses, much of English verb system is quite familiar to Portuguese learners as they carry same verbal and tense features in their own language. However, there are also great differences. For example, interrogatives in Portuguese are typically conveyed by intonation; however, this is not the case with English as it contains clear rules for posting an interrogative. Plus, the presence of double negative in Portuguese creates confusing statements. Phonology Contrary to English, Brazilian Portuguese is a syllable-timed language. It results in learners facing serious difficulty generating the appropriate intonation patterns of spoken language. Portuguese contains 9 vowel + 6 diphthongs + 19 consonant sounds. It is much less than English; in addition, Portuguese has fewer consonant clusters. These differences result in many pronunciation issues. Grammar The word order of Portuguese is more flexible than that of English, and there are differences between the two languages regarding the placement of adjectives, pronouns, and syntax of sentences containing indirect speech. However, as a relief, the basic structure of English and Portuguese is similar. Learning a different language may come with many sweet surprises. Sometimes you may find similarities and sometimes stark differences. But, in both cases, it is fun to learn a new language, and the same goes true for either English or Portuguese.
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