Discussion Post 4

[Nile Harris]

Spelling is related to how the letters of a word are put in order while sound is how the word is phonetically pronounced. Sometimes, the same letter can have different phonetical pronunciations based on the context. When comparing Spanish and Portuguese, the vowels in Spanish each have only one phonetical pronunciation. In Portuguese, vowels can have up to 3 different phonetical pronunciations. The nasal sound in Portuguese does not really exist in the English language. In the words coração (“heart”) and nações (“nations”) the letters ã and õ contain the tilde above them which forces a nasal pronunciation. Another example is the word pão (bread) vs the word pau (wood). If you do not pronounce pão nasally, then people will think you are trying to say wood. The nasal pronunciation is very important. Then most important thing in mastering these phonetical pronunciations is constant practice with native Portuguese speakers.