People tend to wear the mask that shows them off in the best possible light – humble, confident, diligent. They say the right things, smile, and seem interested in our ideas. They learn to conceal their insecurities and envy. If we take this appearance for reality, we never really know their true feelings, and on […]
“Origin of Cross Cultural Habits”. “Why the world only has two words for tea: Tea if by sea, cha if by land.”
With a few minor exceptions, there are really only two ways to say “tea” in the world. One is like the English term—té in Spanish and tee in Afrikaans are two examples. The other is some variation of cha, like chay in Hindi. Both versions come from China. How they spread around the world offers a clear picture of how globalization […]
“To UPDATE the Portuguese-speaking communities on how to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.”
COVID-19 – Para ACTUALIZAÇÃO das comunidades de expressão Portuguesa sobre a forma de gerir a pandemia da COVID-19. As recomendações da COVID-19 estão sujeitas a rápidas alterações. Orientação para Profissionais de Saúde (enfermeiros, médicos) em Unidades de Cuidados de Saúde Primários. Recursos para a Gestão da Primeira Linha de COVID-19 para (Cabo Ocidental, África do […]
“Social changes and linguistic change: the language of Covid-19.”
Lexicographers observe an exponential rise in usage of a single word in a very short period of time, and for that word to come overwhelmingly to dominate global discourse, even to the exclusion of most other topics. Covid-19 short for corona virus 2019, has done just that. As the spread of the disease has altered the […]
Languages aren’t Born, they are Transformed…
but they can still die. Why languages are the way they are? Why are there so many in some places and so few in others? How did languages develop so many different ways of fulfilling the same kinds of communicative tasks? What is uniquely human about language, and how do the human mind and language shape […]
“25 words of the Portuguese language spread around the world.”
(Albatroz) – The word “albatross” comes from the Portuguese “albatroz“, which in turn has its origin in the Latin word “albus”, which means “white”. (Baroque) – The origin of this word that designates an artistic style is really the Portuguese term “baroque“. In French, this expression has also served to designate a pearl of irregular […]