The Writing and Numeral System of the Portuguese Language: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Portuguese is a Romance language that originated in the Iberian Peninsula and has since spread across the world, notably to Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, and other parts of the Portuguese-speaking world. Like other Romance languages, Portuguese employs a variant of the Latin script. This article delves into the intricacies of the Portuguese writing and numeral systems, touching upon historical developments, phonological aspects, and contemporary usage.

Writing System

The Portuguese Alphabet

The modern Portuguese alphabet comprises 26 letters based on the Latin alphabet, the same as the English alphabet. Until the orthographic reforms of the early 20th and 21st centuries, the Portuguese alphabet also included the letters é (ê), ó (ô), and pê (p), which have since been officially removed.

Diacritics

Portuguese uses various diacritical marks, which are essential for indicating stress patterns, differentiating homonyms, and representing specific sounds. They include:

• Acute accent (´): á, é, í, ó, ú
• Grave accent (`): à, è, ù
• Circumflex accent (^): â, ê, ô
• Tilde (~): ã, õ
• Cedilla (¸): ç

Digraphs

Several digraphs occur in Portuguese, representing single sounds. These include “ch,” “lh,” “nh,” “rr,” and “ss.” These digraphs are considered two separate letters for alphabetical ordering.

Spelling Rules and Orthography

The Portuguese writing system is fairly phonemic, especially in comparison with English. However, it is less phonemic than Spanish. One feature is the use of silent consonants, particularly in European Portuguese. For example, the word “facto” is pronounced as “fatu.”

Orthographic Agreements

There have been several attempts to standardize Portuguese orthography across the Portuguese-speaking world, notably the Orthographic Agreement of 1990. These efforts aim to unify spellings and facilitate mutual understanding among different countries.

Numeral System

Arabic Numerals

Like most modern languages, Portuguese uses the Arabic numeral system (0–9). These numbers are employed for all mathematical operations and numerical indications.

Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers in Portuguese are fairly straightforward, sharing much in common with other Romance languages. For instance, “one” is “um” (masculine) or “uma” (feminine), “two” is “dois” (m) or “duas” (f), and so on. Ordinal numbers typically add the suffix “-eiro” or “-eira” after the corresponding cardinal numbers.

Numeral Expressions

Portuguese uses different rules for numeral expressions compared to English. For example, “mil” is used for a thousand, and it never uses a plural form. Also, Portuguese employs a long scale for big numbers where a billion is a “mil milhões” or a million million.

Decimal and Thousands Separators

In Portuguese, a comma is used as the decimal separator, while a period or space is used to separate thousands. For example, 2,500.75 in English would be written as 2.500,75 in Portuguese.

Historical Development

The Portuguese language underwent significant changes in its journey from Latin roots. The 12th-century “Cantar de Mio Cid” is considered among the earliest written records of proto-Portuguese. Over time, Portuguese absorbed contributions from Arabic, French, and other languages. Various reforms have been implemented to standardize spelling, the most significant of which was the Orthographic Agreement of 1990.

Conclusion

The Portuguese writing system has been shaped by a long history of linguistic evolution and standardization efforts. Employing a Latin script of 26 letters, enhanced by various diacritical marks, Portuguese orthography captures the nuances of the language’s diverse phonology. The numeral system is standardized around Arabic numerals, with specific conventions for decimal and thousands separators. Together, these systems facilitate a rich tapestry of expression in one of the world’s most widely spoken languages.