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Archive for 'Customs'

Jogo do Bicho Posted by on Sep 6, 2007

O jogo do bicho or animal game is an informal lottery run on the streets of Brazil. It is a numbers racket, essentially, that links the numbers in the game to different animal avatars. Though illegal, the game enjoys wide popularity and is considered even part of the national heritage. Each animal is represented by…

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The Brazilian ‘Eh?’ Posted by on Aug 29, 2007

North Americans are certainly familiar with the fact stereotype that Canadians end their sentences with ‘Eh?’ A sort of rhetorical interrogative, this type of linguistic habit or custom is by no means limited to Canada. Of course, this saying doesn’t end every sentence, but is used as a casual cue for the listeners approval. Brazilians…

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Plastic Surgery in Brazil Posted by on Aug 29, 2007

I saw a TV segment once that featured a reporter combing Ipanema beach asking its denizens if they would have plastic surgery (if it were free), and if so, what would they have done? Many of the respondents were pretty funny, but one woman took the cake by replying “Eu teria duas. Um para o…

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Cultura de Ficar Posted by on Aug 27, 2007

In Brazil, when people speak of the cultura de ficar, they are referring to the modern practice of casually displaying affection in public, and the general tendency of young people to warm up to each other rather quickly. It is very common in Brazil for people who have just met to wildly make out if…

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Fica a Vontade Posted by on Aug 24, 2007

Fica a vontade means make yourself at home. This is another very common, useful phrase, and is the centerpiece of Brazilian hospitality. … Continue Reading

Combinado? Posted by on Aug 22, 2007

Making social plans in Brazil requires an extra step. Without this step, one can expect to be invariably ‘stood up’ without explanation. After coming up with an idea for, let’s say, nighttime plans with friends (um programa), it is imperative not to assume that you have all agreed on actually doing those plans. The right…

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Saudade Posted by on Aug 15, 2007

In every language there are words that are simply untranslatable. Saudade is one such word, and perhaps one of the best examples of this phenomenon. In any attempt to translate saudade into English, some or many of the following words will frequently appear: longing, hope, fatality, nostalgia, yearning, missing, fondness, endearment, loneliness, feeling, emotion Here’s…

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