Angolan Portuguese
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Angolan Portuguese is a variety of the Portuguese language used mostly in Angola. It is generally used in Angola by 60% of the inhabitants, with around 7.5 million first language speakers.[citation needed]
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[edit] History
Portuguese was inherited from Portuguese colonization of Africa. The Portuguese language, although spoken earlier, has largely entered Angola during the 19th century, after the division of Africa between the former colonial powers (Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, and Great Britian). For the Africans to be considered Portuguese, they had to be Catholics and speak Portuguese. These conditions made a rush between Africans to speak proper Portuguese, thus a local language variant did not arise, and a competition between the various rival tribes had arisen to provide their children the best education along with speaking the best Portuguese, which is still common today. The local languages became known as inferior by both colonizers and locals, similar to other colonies in general worldwide. In late 20th century, the language became an instrument for independence, as it was perfectly spoken by the African native and political elite, becoming a symbol of national identity unifying the various rival tribes for the same goal--independence. The language is still seen as something that unifies Angola. The Angolan government relies on it because it is a widely spoken, unifying element, as well as being a widely spoken international language. Although Angolans hear a dialect somewhat similar to their own when watching Brazilian soap operas, the population still prefers to learn European Portuguese.
[edit] Phonology
In many ways, compared to Brazilian Portuguese, Angolan Portuguese is very similar. For example, in the word corresponding to "boy", the word in European Portuguese is "menino". However, in Brazil and Angola, it is pronounced [mininu] or [meninu], while in European Portuguese it is known as [mɨninu] (the former pronunciation can be heard in some areas of Portugal). Due to the fact that European Portuguese is the preferred pronunciation, it has become a transitional dialect somewhat midway between the European and the Brazilian varieties, and it is very common to hear [mɨninu] today. In its phonology, Angolan Portuguese is not influenced very much by the local languages. The standard phonology in Angola is the European/African standard, like in Portugal and the rest of Africa.
It is also commonly seen as "The African accent of Portuguese", and when dubbing an African character in cartoons, Portuguese usually mimic an Angolan accent.
[edit] Angolan Lexicon
Although most of the vocabulary is the same as in Portugal or Brazil, there are some differences. This is due to the influence of several African languages spoken in Angola. Each area has different lexicon, originated from the distinctive languages. In the capital city of Luanda a very standard Portuguese is spoken, and tribal culture and languages are practically non-existent. Still, there are several Kimbundu influences. This lexicon is not used in documents or in business, for example, as it is mostly seen as slang, but there are exceptions such has muceque. Most of this lexicon is mostly used by younger Angolans and younger Portuguese, similarly to younger Afro-Americans in the USA.
| Angola | Portugal | Brazil | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| anhara, chana | savana | savana | savanna |
| bazar | ir embora | ir embora our vazar(Slang) | to go away/home |
| cacimba | poço | cacimba ou poço | well |
| chuinga | pastilha elástica, chiclete | chiclete | gum |
| farra | festa | festa our farra | party |
| garina | rapariga, moça | garota | girl |
| jinguba | amendoím | amendoim | peanut |
| bunda | cu | anûs our cú (Slang) | ass ("buttocks") |
| machimbombo | autocarro | ônibus | bus |
| muceque | bairro de lata | favela | slum quarter |
Younger Luandese, whose practically only native language is Portuguese, have even a wider variety of lexicon. It does not correspond to a dialect, but a socialect. Because it is so odd and because of immigration, there is a tendency also to use be in Portugal by the younger generations. Angolans in Lisbon also have a tendency to create new words for use socially and as group expressions--such that even newcomers from Angola will not understand. The newcomers are known as "exportados" ("the exported ones").
The following list has Luandese followed by Standard Portuguese:
- está anduta - está fácil (it is easy)
- apanhar uma tona - apanhar uma bebedeira (to get drunk)
- kota - velho (older person): it is originally a respectful word and still so between Angolans, but younger Portuguese use it as a slang for older people, sometimes kindly, but often offensively (for example the word old geezer
- iofé - feio (ugly) (may be a Portuguese inversed sland, see verlan)
- nboa - mulher (women)
- piô, candengue - criança
- pitéu - comida (food) Between Portuguese it means tasteful food
- latona - mulata (mulatto women)
- mboio - comboio (an abbreviation for train)
- tape - televisão (television)
- bila, bilau - camisa (shirt)
- bóter - carro (car)
[edit] Loan words
Many words of Angolan origin have reached other countries or regions where the Portuguese language is used. Some of these words include: bunda (ass), farra (wild party), fubá (sort of maize flour), moleque (kid), samba (from kibundu ku semba, to dance -belly and hips-), and several others. But regardless of the loanwords from Bantu languages in the lexicon, it must not be considered a Portuguese Creole, because both grammar and lexicon are truly Portuguese-based. An Angolan and a Brazilian understand each other in terms of loanwords, because Brazilian Portuguese has some Bantu words, since many African slaves to Brazil were brought from Angola. Angolan Portuguese has had a large influence on the vernacular of the younger population in Portugal, contributing significant amounts of lexicon. Such lexicon includes: bazar (to go away/home), garina (girl), bumbar (locally changed to bombar; "working"), farra (party in Angola; wild party in Portugal), bué (many, a lot), iá (commonly written as ya for Yes) and numerous other examples. This lexicon reached Portugal in the decolonisation period, 1970s, when Portugal became influenced by returning Portuguese Angolans (Portugueses de Angola in Portuguese) and by some African-Angolans [(Africanos de Angola in Portuguese) who were loyal to Portuguese], that brought their distinctive life style and culture from Africa.
[edit] Dialects
Angolans have retained features of old and popular Portuguese and become influenced by African languages. Luanda has the most variety known of Portuguese in Angola: phonetically, vowels tend to be open: dedo (finger) is pronounced [dɛdu] while it is [dedu] in standard Portuguese. This always occurs with the popular parlance and occasionally in cultivated Luandese Portuguese. Another feature is the excessive use of lhe substituting other forms, example: "O frango, comeram-lhe" (The Chicken, they ate) instead of "Eles comeram o frango" (they ate the chicken) or even "A Maria, lhe bateram" (Mary, they beat her) instead of "Bateram na Maria" (They beat Maria) or "A Maria, Bateram-na"(Mary, they beat her).
With origin in Kimbundu, a second language for several people, there is an exotic popular grammar use, and unlike the first it doesn't occur anywhere else: "A Maria é mais nova da Inês" (Mary is younger of Agnes) instead of "A Maria é mais nova que a Inês" (Mary is younger than Agnes).
Another local use is the use given to the word "só" (only) to emphasize the verb: Anda só! (come on!) instead of just "Anda!".
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Kimbundu derived words in Luanda Portuguese (in Portuguese)
| Dialects of Portuguese | |
|---|---|
| Africa | Angolan · Cape-Verdean · Guinean · Mozambican · São Tomean |
| Europe | European · Barranquenho · Portuñol |
| Americas | Brazilian · Caipira · Mineiro · Manezês |
