Portuguese Language Blog

Have you ever heard someone from Minas Gerais speak Portuguese?

The Portuguese spoken in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais is quite distinct from that spoken in other parts of the country. Full of idiosyncrasies, the Mineiran ‘dialect,’ or Mineirês can be hard to understand and even painful to listen to for some Brazilians. Indeed many Brazilians think of this way of speaking as very provincial; Mineiros are stereotypically thought of as caipiras (hayseeds).

The journalist and writer Felipe Peixoto Braga Netto has written a fantastic piece about Mineirês, that is well worth a look. A well-detailed summary (and perhaps apology) for the peculiar speech of the Mineiros, Felipe discusses some of its prominent characteristics. Here are some highlights:

• Mineiros hate to use complete words. ‘Pode parar’ turns into ‘pó parar.’ ‘Onde eu estou?’ becomes ‘ôndôtô?’ Mineiros also don’t say ‘você,’ instead they shorten it to just ‘cê.’
• Mineiros don’t say ‘tudo bem?’ instead they say ‘cê tá boa?’ Felipe thinks this is unnecessary since asking a Mineiran if they are happy is like asking a fish if he knows how to swim… ha!
• Mineiros use the verb ‘mexer‘ to mean a lot of things, one of the most common being ‘to work’ instead of ‘trabalhar.’ ‘Cê mexe com isso?‘ means ‘do you do that for work?’
• Also, Mineiros use some grammatically incorrect constructions; this is perhaps one element that sounds hrash to non-Mineiro native speakers. One example is the insertion of ‘de‘ into phrases like ‘preciso sair.’ A Mineiro would say ‘preciso de sair.’ Also instead of ‘apaixonado por,’ a Mineiran would likely say ‘apaixonado com.’

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In 1947, amidst a devastating drought in the Brazilian Sertão, two men wrote a song that has become a national epic. Many people consider this work, Asa Branca to be much more than a song; it is a poem, an emotion, a history and a destiny.

The cyclical droughts of the Sertão have driven hundreds of thousands from their homes over the decades, most in search of work in the cities. The rapid urbanization of Brazil over the last century is in large part due to such circumstances. These droughts are so severe that farming becomes impossible; families starve and misery dominates the landscape – and the horizon.

It is in exactly this context that Asa Branca describes a young man, preparing to leave the Sertão and telling his beloved wife Rosinha that his heart will stay with her, and that he shall return with the rain, whenever that may be. It is a heart-wrenching image.

Asa Branca refers to a bird, specifically the picazuro pigeon, whose white wings spread during flight, contrasting against the empty, blue sky of the desert. The melody of the song imitates the flying of the bird on its uncertain journey, swooping and lifting, not knowing if it will ever return home. This is real Brazilian saudade at its most intense.

Luiz Gonzaga and Humberto Teixeira penned this classic in the baião style of music, a popular subset of which today is forró. Gonzaga was the master of the accordion in this style of music and a true pioneer. His son, Dominguinhos carries on the tradition; he is a virtuoso accordion player with a huge trademark smile.

Without further ado, here are some engaging videos so you can get to know the song: 1) a video commemorating the history of the song, with original performances by Luiz Gonzaga and in-depth explanations of the song’s concept by co-author Humberto Teixeira. 2) David Byrne and Forro in the Dark made this music video of their interpretation of the song. David Byrne (Talking Heads) is a renowned Brasil-ophile, and loves Brazilian music!

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Located next to the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio, Jardim Botânico is a popular spot to hang out and relax

The park, which is located in the neighborhood of the same name in the Zona Sul, is home to over 6,500 different types of plants (some on the verge of extinction), both planted in the open air and in greenhouses or estufas.

The botanical garden has its roots in the Imperial age, and came into being following a series of events triggered by the Portuguese royal court’s stay in Rio, which began in 1808. Today, the garden is a liason between the bustling metropolitan life of modern Rio and the lush, protected forests that surround the city.

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