NEXT STOP: MOZAMBIQUE!

A trip around the portuguese-speaking countries

Over a series of articles, L10N Making Translation Invisible will transport you to the Portuguese-speaking world. Find out about the customs and unique characteristics of these countries and (re)discover a universe of diversity and multiculturalism, united by one of the most powerful links imaginable – the Portuguese language!

Guess where we are going!

That’s right… Mozambique.

Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony. National independence was won in 1975, and shortly thereafter the civil war began which was responsible for the deaths of more than one million people.

Mozambique is located on the southeast coast of Africa;
It borders Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania;
Its 11 provinces are home to approximately 25 million inhabitants.

Mozambique is renowned for its literature, music… and sport! It has produced world-renowned sportspeople and athletes such as Eusébio, Maria Mutola and Clarisse Machanguana.

Mozambican Portuguese

“All Mozambican writers write in Portuguese.
They do this because they feel in Portuguese, they live in Portuguese. However, it is already another Portuguese. A language that has adapted to the colour and texture of the Mozambican nation”
– Mia Couto

If you have read any of our other articles on Portuguese-speaking countries, you will have already realised that no language is static or stagnant. Mozambican Portuguese has been brilliantly adapted to Mozambican culture and, as such, it has unique characteristics that set it apart.

It is very similar to European Portuguese as a result of the colonialist policies to defend the Portuguese Language;
It is home to around 6 different language groups divided into 3 national languages.

In order that you can find out more about this variant of Portuguese, here are some illustrative examples:

European Portuguese	Mozambican Portuguese	Difference
Dói-me a barriga. Eu chamo-me José.	Me dói a barriga. Me chamo José.	Divergent use of the pronoun.
Vi-o passar há pouco.	Vi-lhe passar há pouco.	Exclusive use of "lhe".
Nem a tempo consegui chegar.	Nem a tempo consegui não chegar.	Double negation.
Este bolo é bom.	Este bolo é bom bom.	Adjective repetition to reinforce the key idea.
Estás a ver? O carro é caro. Fonética Estázaver? O carro é caro.	Estás a ver? O carro é caro. Fonética Estájaver? O carro é caro.	Oral/phonetic reproduction.
Foi-nos dada razão.	Fomos dados razão.	Divergence in the use of the passive voice.
Autocarro Emprego Apressar Ancião Pequeno-almoço Quinta	Machimbombo Ganho-ganho Depressar Madala Matabicho Farma	Local vocabulary.

L10N respects every culture and every tradition, and is trying to build a world without language barriers. This means we are specalists in localisation which is why we have a team of native Mozambican linguists.

Happy chatting (in Portuguese)!

NEXT STOP: MOZAMBIQUE!