In the beginning of the presentation, I talk about why I wanted to study the Portuguese language. I mention how I took Dixon’s class and learned about the Portuguese Empire and current issues in Luso-Brazilian cultures. As I think about this initial interest, I can comment on how through working with Gabi, specifically, I have learned more about the culture of Brazil. Gabi is from São Paulo and has travelled all over Brazil. Usually at the end of each session with Gabi, we talk about Brazil. I asked her if she had ever been to the Amazon Rainforest, and she said she had, but her favorite travel destination in Brazil was on the north coast. Gabi has talked about many places and foods that she enjoys in Brazil. I also asked her about the Favelas in Rio de Janeiro and if there were similar areas in São Paulo. She said that the favelas in Rio are typically more mixed in with the rest of the city, while in São Paulo, the favelas are more distinct from other neighborhoods, meaning it is harder to wander in to a favela in São Paulo than in Rio. I enjoy having Gabi to learn from, because she knows so much about the country and its current affairs.
In the next bit of my presentation, I talk about the accent and how beautiful it sounds to me. Both Dixon and Gabi have helped me to speak much better and become more confident in my speaking ability. I mention that at the time of this presentation, I was using Spanish quite a bit to understand and translate Portuguese. I say that I would like to step away from this crutch and learn Portuguese as a separate language. I feel as though I came into this SDLC thinking I needed to separate Portuguese Spanish, and after talking with Dixon a few times, I feel comfortable with how I utilize Spanish. Dixon has told me that it is normal to use Spanish in order to learn Portuguese, because the structures are so similar. He has said to allow myself to do this, because as time goes on and I recognize all of the similarities between the two languages, I would be able to more easily recognize the differences between them. So, I have been accepting my use of Spanish during my Portuguese learning, because it has genuinely helped me so much in the comprehension aspect of the Portuguese language.
I also wanted to focus on new vocabulary in Portuguese, and as it turned out, Gabi’s mom is a dentist in São Paulo. Gabi was able to tell me the words for certain English words that one may find in a dental office. Her mom was also able to give a few more words that we had not thought about. As for learning vocabulary now, I feel as though I pick more words up as I speak with Dixon and Gabi, because the words I would like to say, I typically do not know. I typically guess a word similar to one in Spanish, but with the ending and accent of Portuguese.
I also briefly mention the use of the Living Language Ultimate Portuguese, and I did use it for a few grammar purposes, however, I found that using the book Dixon has provided me with, is easier to follow. The structure is much less complex, because the Ultimate Portuguese has a lot of text explaining in great detail, the grammar. In the book Dixon gave me, it explains grammar as well but in a less confusing way.
Replies
Thank you for sharing your presentation, Alana. I find it very beautiful and inspiring that your interest in the language is not solely focused on the language itself, but it extends into the culture as well. Your conversations and inquiries with Gabi demonstrate this cultural interest. Now, in regard to guessing Portuguese words derived from your Spanish background, how often are your guess correct? How close are the two languages?