Discussão em português

[xSilverPhinx]

Oh, these aren't study notes. I've been translating signs at work and replacing the English versions. I get bored easily.

Works as well I guess! 

Can you give an example? 

[jumbojak]

So far I've done "Bata antes de abrir a porta!" And I'm planning on switching out "Do not enter office unless instructed by a manager!"

I used Google for the first one but haven't gotten my dictionary yet, so...

[xSilverPhinx]

So far I've done "Bata antes de abrir a porta!" And I'm planning on switching out "Do not enter office unless instructed by a manager!"

I used Google for the first one but haven't gotten my dictionary yet, so...

[jumbojak]

Still a bit confused on the gender of obrigado/a. Does the gender depend on who is speaking or who is being addressed?

[xSilverPhinx]

Still a bit confused on the gender of obrigado/a. Does the gender depend on who is speaking or who is being addressed?

On who's speaking. You will say 'obrigado'.

[jumbojak]

Bom. (I may have to resort to brutish and childlike grammar and vocabulary until I get a better handle on things)

[xSilverPhinx]

Portuguese can be a rather sexist language. For instance when referring to a group of women the feminine word for 'they', elas will be used. When referring to a group of men, it's eles. Same for a mixed group. Even if you have 99 women and 1 man, you will say eles and not elas.

I have 2 sisters and 1 brother. I will refer to all my siblings as 'meus irmãos' (my brothers, in English). If only referring to my sisters it's 'minhas irmãs'.

In general, words ending in -a are feminine and those in -o are masculine, but one way people are using to make written speech more gender neutral is to use @ instead of 'a' or 'o'. For instance, the words for 'student' are 'aluno' and aluna'. Want a word to include both genders, use alun@.   

[xSilverPhinx]

Bom. (I may have to resort to brutish and childlike grammar and vocabulary until I get a better handle on things)

Sem problema! 

[jumbojak]

That ampersand ending is just weird!

[xSilverPhinx]

That ampersand ending is just weird!

You get used to it! 

(Of course, best left out of formal conversations )

[jumbojak]

Does gender associated with nouns ever get used in insults? Like, one football team uses elas instead of eles to denigrate the other? I know it's a very sexist example, but the thought has been rolling around all week.

[xSilverPhinx]

Does gender associated with nouns ever get used in insults? Like, one football team uses elas instead of eles to denigrate the other? I know it's a very sexist example, but the thought has been rolling around all week.

Honestly, I can't recall ever hearing such an example. Though as is in English there are gender-specific insults like 'cachorra' (bitch), 'puta' (whore) etc. Though 'cachorro', besides meaning 'dog' is also the male equivalent of the insult. 'Puto' is more commonly used to mean 'enraged' and not used very often for male prostitutes.

I guess in terms of outright sexism Portuguese is just like any other language, but it's more structurally sexist than English, going way back to its origins. Like it isn't outright trying to be but is.    

[xSilverPhinx]

But as a language it has its perks. I like the English language and all but I think Portuguese is more beautiful. It sounds better too (Brazilian versions).

For instance, you were just talking about signs. I once saw a sign on an office door with a few verses of one of Camões' (author of the Lusiads) most famous sonnets, which stuck with me to this day.

Amor é um fogo que arde sem se ver

Amor é um fogo que arde sem se ver;
É ferida que dói, e não se sente;
É um contentamento descontente;
É dor que desatina sem doer.

É um não querer mais que bem querer;
É um andar solitário entre a gente;
É nunca contentar-se e contente;
É um cuidar que ganha em se perder;

É querer estar preso por vontade;
É servir a quem vence, o vencedor;
É ter com quem nos mata, lealdade.

Mas como causar pode seu favor
Nos corações humanos amizade,
Se tão contrário a si é o mesmo Amor?

It's better when recited though:

(Camões is the Shakespeare of the Portuguese language.)

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

[jumbojak]

That really is lovely. And true. Almost disturbingly true.

[xSilverPhinx]

That really is lovely. And true. Almost disturbingly true.