❝To have another language is to possess a second soul.❞
‒Charlemagne
I think a lot of language learners are hoping that if they learn a particular language, certain aspects of the culture backing the language will rub off on them:
"If I learn French, I will show the world I am sophisticated."
"If I learn Spanish, I will show the world that I have tremendous passion and energy."
"If I learn Italian, I will be seen as fun loving, with a great shabby chic style all my own (that I could not come up with on my own before, but now that I know Italian I will think like an Italian ...)."
"If I learn German, I'll become more intelligent, efficient, and cool under pressure."
"If I learn Russian, I can stick my thumb in the eye of the whole Western world."
"If I learn Japanese, I will have ninja powers and everyone will think I'm enlightened in a zenny kind of way."
It's not weird that Portuguese is not more popular, it's weird that it's as popular as it is. Because, for a top ten language, it brings nothing to the table in this fantasy-wish fulfillment area.
Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
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Re: Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
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Re: Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
Xmmm wrote:I think a lot of language learners are hoping that if they learn a particular language, certain aspects of the culture backing the language will rub off on them.
Hmmm, oddly this is why I have considered Portuguese. My local university is a hotspot of Brazilian exchange students who come to learn Civil Engineering or Hospitality and I had the good fortune to meet and make friends with a whole group of them while I was living at the dorms. Brazilians are the nicest, funnest people you'll ever meet.
If I learn Portuguese, maybe I could learn to have fun the Brazilian way!
(edit: oops I forgot I found this thread through the search bar; I don't know if we're allowed to bump old threads )
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Re: Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
Djedida wrote:(edit: oops I forgot I found this thread through the search bar; I don't know if we're allowed to bump old threads )
Sure you can. Bump away.
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Re: Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
Xmmm wrote:It's not weird that Portuguese is not more popular, it's weird that it's as popular as it is. Because, for a top ten language, it brings nothing to the table in this fantasy-wish fulfillment area.
Unfortunately it does: sex tourism.
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Re: Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
Djedida wrote:Xmmm wrote:I think a lot of language learners are hoping that if they learn a particular language, certain aspects of the culture backing the language will rub off on them.
If I learn Portuguese, maybe I could learn to have fun the Brazilian way!
I had the same thought!
Logically, I should be studying Portuguese instead of Italian. I hear it more - there are a lot of Brazilian surfers where I live. I used to play capoeira. I have close friends who are Brazilian. My dad was an American who was raised in Brazil (though he was completely forgotten the language).
And yet, I flirted briefly with Portuguese, and that was that. I went to Rio, had a great time, but never made it back.
I flirted briefly with Italian, and never stopped. I went to Rome, had a great time, and have been back to Italy four times since, and am planning for another long trip this summer.
I don't have a satisfactory reason "why." Sometimes a language and culture grabs you more than another.
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Re: Why is Italian more popular than Portuguese?
reineke wrote:I once witnessed a Brazilian asking around, quite optimistically, if anyone spoke Portuguese. You missed that opportunity but there may be others. I cannot imagine an Italian acting in similar fashion while in the US.
Indeed. An Italian would just speak Italian and make dozens of unintelligible gestures without asking if someone speaks Italian.
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