European Portuguese

European Portuguese (português europeu in Portuguese, pronounced: [puɾtuˈɣez ewɾuˈpew] though the sole word português is pronounced: [puɾtuˈɣeʃ]) refers to the Portuguese language spoken in continental Portugal and in the portuguese islands of the Azores and Madeira. The word “European” was chosen to avoid the clash of “Portuguese Portuguese” as opposed to Brazilian Portuguese. Standard Portuguese pronunciation, the prestige norm based in European Portuguese, is the reference for Portugal, Portuguese-speaking Africa, and East Timor.

Geographic variation

European Portuguese is divided into Northern and Southern varieties. The Prestige norms are based around two varieties: that of Coimbra and that of Lisbon.

Phonetically, differences emerge within Continental Portuguese. For example, in northern Portugal, the phonemes [b] and [v] are less differentiated than in the rest of the Portuguese speaking world, and the grapheme 'ch' is pronounced [tʃ] instead of [ʃ] giving this particular regional variety of Portuguese greater proximity to Galician. Another regionalism can be found in the south with the use of the gerund in the present progressive tense rather than the infinitive.

Portuguese is spoken by a significant minority in Andorra and Luxembourg. The Principality of Andorra has shown interest in membership in the CPLP. There are also wealthy immigrant communities in France and Germany.

Galician

The Galician language, spoken in the Autonomous Community of Galicia in Spain, is very closely related to Portuguese. There is, as yet, no consensus among writers and linguists on whether Galician is a variety of Portuguese or a distinct yet closely related language.

Galicia has expressed interest in joining the CPLP as an associate observer pending permission from the Spanish government.

The prominence of European Portuguese

Portugal maintained its colonial rule over its old world empire much longer than it did over Brazil. Thus European Portuguese is used as a norm of reference for African and Asian Lusophone countries (Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Macao, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe). Portugal remains a destination for post-secondary education for the elites of these places. In Europe, European Portuguese remains the learning standard for PLE (Portuguese as a Second Language)^{[citation needed]}.

The Instituto Camões is an organization which promotes not only the Portuguese language but also Portuguese culture. Thus, it promotes Standard Portuguese as a norm for learners.

RTP is the Portuguese public television network and also serves as a vehicle for Standard Portuguese providing media content throughout the world. There is a branch of RTPi named RTP África, which serves Lusophone Africa.

In estimating the size of the speech community for European Portuguese, one must take into account the consequences of the Portuguese Diaspora: Immigrant communities located throughout the world in the Americas, Australia, Europe and Africa.

See also

• Portuguese language

External links

• Description of the pronunciation rules of European Portuguese
• Description of the pronunciation rules of Brazilian Portuguese
• Article on variation in European Portuguese
• On gerund clauses of Portuguese dialects