European Portuguese

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European Portuguese (português europeu in Portuguese) is a group of Portuguese dialects spoken mainly in Portugal but also in places of Africa and Asia with minor and subtle differences.

Standard Portuguese (português padrão) is traditionally based on the Estremenho dialect of Coimbra, where the single university of the country existed for centuries, and, currently, also Lisbon, despite the pronunciation of Lisbon is still perceived by many as a dialect. Being the standard form and because most African and some Asian politicians studied in Portugal, it is also the standard form of the spoken and written language in the former Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia (Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, Macau, Daman, Diu and Goa) and also in Venezuela, Namibia, South Africa, France, Germany, and Luxembourg (where Portuguese emigrants are most numerous), although there is a very wide variety of regional dialects.

Brazil was also once influenced by the dialect of Coimbra before it established its own universities where the country's elites started studying, but there is a remaining dialect similar to European, which is Paulistano (spoken in São Paulo City).

Brazilian Portuguese, while being distinct in some vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation from the European form, remains intelligible to speakers of European Portuguese and vice versa (save for a few expressions), because standard Brazilian dialect (which is an H-variant) is based on 19th century European Portuguese and very similar to Standard European with small differences in spelling and grammar, but correct Standard European grammar is followed usually by middle-class Brazilians.

[edit] See also

Portuguese language

[edit] External links

v • d • e Portuguese dialects
Europe (European Portuguese)	Açoriano • Alentejano • Barranquenho • Algarvio • Alto-Minhoto • Baixo-Beirão • Alto-Alentejano • Beirão • Estremenho • Madeirense • Nortenho • Transmontano • Judaeo-Portuguese
Africa (African Portuguese)	Angolan (Benguelense • Luandense • Sulista) • Cape Verdean • Guinean • Mozambican • São Tomean
Americas	Brazilian (Caipira • Carioca or Fluminense • Cearense • Baiano • Gaúcho • Manezês • Mineiro • Nordestino • Nortista • Paulistano • Sertanejo • Sulista) • Dialectos Portugueses del Uruguay
Asia	Damanese • Goan • East Timorese • Macanese
See also	Geographic distribution of Portuguese • Portuguese phonology • Portuguese vocabulary