Archive by Author
Brazilian Profile: Dercy Gonçalves, in memoriam Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 20, 2008
Dercy Gonçalves was born in 1907 in Santa Maria Madalena, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. She began working very young, especially after her mother left her family. Dercy ran away from home when she was 17 and joined a theater company. She began performing on stage, and later began to specialize in comedy…
Pipa in Floripa Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 17, 2008
Ken Yamazato, a retired Brazilian engineer, may have finished his career but he still has big dreams–pipa dreams. Next week, he hopes to break the record for launching the largest high-flying kite in the Guinness Book of World Records. He built a kite measuring 1,225 square meters, which he plans to fly sometime next week, after…
Auto News in Brazil Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 16, 2008
There’s a lot in the news about cars in Brazil this week, so let’s take a look: Reuters reported yesterday that Toyota’s chief executive for the Mercosur region met with President Lula this week to discuss the opening of yet another Toyota factory in Brazil. Due to increased demand, the Japanese auto maker will open…
Cadê? Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 15, 2008
Cadê is probably one of those most useful and most entertaining words to learn in Portuguese, because of its straightforward usage and easy pronunciation. It means “where is…” followed by the object. This can be an actual object or a person. This is a Brazilian expression that emerged from a language evolution from “o que…
International Rock Day Dog Parade Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 14, 2008
Sunday was the International Day of Rock Music, and to commemorate the occasion Cariocas (people from Rio), dressed their dogs up like rock stars, including Cyndi Lauper, Elvis, and Kiss. The rock star dog parade was a competition for best canine costume, and the event attracted dozens of dogs and their owners. Click here to…
The transbêbado service Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 13, 2008
In June, a new law went into effect in Brazil to try to prevent drunk driving, which is a serious problem throughout the country. The law prohibits all levels of alcohol consumption for drivers, with penalties of nearly R$1000 fines and drivers’ license suspensions. This means that a single glass of wine or a bottle…
Brazil Film Festival in New York Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 11, 2008
Premiere Brazil, a joint project between the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, will sponsor an event at MoMA starting on Thursday, July 17th. The film series, which runs until July 28th, features ten new Brazilian feature films and documentaries, several of which will have their American…