Language and Culture

Language and Culture
It is amazing how a language defines a society. I have been practicing Portuguese in preparation for the SECOVI conference in Brazil next month. I can taste the Feijawada when I say the words. In other languages it is just black beans and rice with a little pork. In Brazil it is a holy ritual. The “j”’s and “d”’s have extra “seasoning”. The intonation and accents are like the Brazilian music. It is all like the Brazilian people.
One can make a few mistakes speaking Portuguese and not go to hell for it. This is like the Brazilian people too. They are the most diverse people in the world and they accept each other and live together. They are not defined by their race or religion or job. They are “Brazilian” and damned proud of it. The worst mistake you can make with language is to speak Spanish. The Brazilian language and culture are different and distinct from the rest of South America and the rest of the world. Brazil should be treated as the unique culture that it is.
Another prime example of language defining a culture is British English and American English. H.L. Mencken wrote essays comparing the two. When one reads his essays, the differences are “literal”.


David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com