How many Americans actually know Brasilians speak Portuguese?

1. Calexico77

 

interesting! most americans believe spanish is the spoken language in brasil. the comparism between ronaldo and derek jetter is only more on their similar racial make up plus both are the backbones on their teams without jeter the yankees aint all that same with ronaldo and the selecao to a lesser extent!

 

trust me, I work at an interpretation company, and I get calls from atourneys
asking me either for brazilian, or they say "I don't know, they are from Brazil".
same thing with doctors, etc.

 

NY Post...why do you bother reading that trash when you have the entire Internet available

Im actually surprised at how many actually DO KNOW Brazilians speak Portuguese. Alot people I encounter seem to know, but I wouldnt be surprised if the vast majority dont know.

Comparing soccer stars to Baseball stars make me feel ill...

 

you don't...

 

The same thing here in Canada. When I went to Brazil in 2003 & 2005, people always asked me here: "How's your Spanish?" And even when I tell them, no it's not Spanish there, it's Portugese, they always say: "So what's the difference, the same thing?"

I find it extremely tiring to repeatedly have to correct peoples' misconceptions of Brazil as a nation.

Can you believe there are actually people here that have sworn off ever visiting there solely on the basis of watching Cidade de Deus?

 

Imagine not coming to America because of say watching Godfather or Sopranos or some other wacked out movie...

 

hey guys i find this topic funny,,,this has annoyed me my whole life im 37 born in the usa/portuguese parents,,all of my life id say 95% of the people i run in to 1)Either had no idea where portugal was or when id say portugal they would ask me is that near puerto rico or in south america,,,,lol 2) then id say i speak portuguese,,then they would start trying to talk to me in spaninish, which granted id tell thjem that they are similiar but at the same time different,,,,geez i cant even walk in the mall any more without people asking me for help in spanish lol,,,anyhow my point is tthat in general people are dumb,,,but when news reporters dont realize there is a difference from portuguese to spanish then there is a problem in this country

 

Portuguese is spoken in Brasil?

 

whats weird is that America is the most International of all countries, meaning its mix of people...you would think it would be the savvyest also...and even with this huge mix of foreigners soccer is still not generally loved. weird.

 

But it is loved by the immigrants... second and third generation Americans tend to prefer to watch gridiron or one of the other "mainstream" sports... partly to fit in.

It may be changing somewhat now.

 

Actually several Americans know they speak Portuguese in Brazil.A person believing that they speak Spanish in Brazil is almost always corrected in the U.S.

 

i knew. i have known since i was probably 10. and i can point to brasil on a map. see, not all americans are dumb

 

Actually, we Americans are that stupid in terms of world geography etc. If you doubt me, come to the tourist port in Salvador when there is an American boat.

The most typical quote is, "Man, Spanish is impossible to understand."

My favorite, however, is the following, "Honey, do you think they accept 'real money' here." Real money wasn´t the real, of course, but dollars. Because as we all know if it isn´t a dollar it is play money!

There are many more quotes, but I think these two personify the typical American.

 

Xenophobia, fear, and ignorance of outsiders is a common trait in just about all human societies.

However, I do find it amusing sometimes.

I have one friend, a high school graduate no less, who didn't know where Canada was. He didn't even know it was in North America.

My mother-in-law: "So.... they say Puerto Rico is an island...."

And I always love how Sweden and Australia are in the Alps. (Confused with Switzerland and Austria for those who still think so.)

 

Eu no se que idioma falan en Brasil.
Pero Brasil tem unas garotas deliciosas como Venezuela

 

I have come across a good amount of Central Americans that truly believe that Spanish is spoken in Brasil. I remember one girl actually attempting to get into an argument with me over it.

 

and those who believe Brazil is an island... hehhehe

 

At least you exist. Before the World Cup there were some co-worker who didn't even know Portugal was a country, and then guesed that it was in the Carribean....

 

It's even worse when you tell people your from the Azorian Islands.... Just about everyone I know has no idea where or even know what the azorian islands are! Let alone know where to find them on the globe.

 

Ah...The life of being a Portuguese - Speaker.

 

There is a social phenomenon known as "functional illiteracy", which I have observed widely in the US; also, there is what is known as "professional blindness" where university educated professionals know little outside their field of expertise, which may be the opposite of the so-called "Reinassance Man".