SPANISH: ROMANTIC AND GLOBAL
Learn a few subtleties, cultural and historic aspects of the language that should be considered when hiring translations for Spanish, or still a translation from Portuguese into Spanish.
All Tasks, a translation company specialized in large-scale technical translations, technical standards, technical manuals and technical documentations, maintains a skilled and qualified staff to meet major demands for this language, important because spoken in so many countries, and even spurring geopolitical discussions.
By Juliana Tavares
Considered the official language of more than 20 countries in the world and the most popular foreign language in the United States and Canada—which represents a universe of more than 400 million native speakers and 100 million who have it as a second language—Spanish gained a prominent role in the global scenario.
After English, the language is the second most used in global trade, and the third international language in politics, diplomacy, economy and culture, trailing English and French.
It also ranks third among the most spoken languages in the world, after English and Mandarin.
Ever heard of “Portunhol"?
As Portuguese, Spanish stems from vulgar Latin—the reason why it became a convention to present them as sister tongues.
That familiarity is a great benefit in the Spanish learning process by Brazilians—and also represents much danger in the translation works involving that pair of languages.
Just remember the popular “Portunhol".
Firstly on account of the false cognates: the same words in writing or in pronunciation, but which have different meanings in each of the tongues.
Examples abound and help to explain the reason why, in terms of translating into Spanish in Brazil, the genuine green and yellow (Brazil's predominant flag colors) mixture of Portuguese and Spanish, the Portunhol, still prevails in society.
There are many examples of false cognates:
Spanish | Portuguese |
Berro | Agrião |
Estofado | Ensopado, Cozido |
Pelado | Careca, Calvo |
Saco | Paletó |
Exquisita | Deliciosa, Gostosa |
Embarazada | Grávida |