Jun 24, 20202 min read

Did you know these facts about the Portuguese Language?

Updated: Jun 29, 2023

According to the World Atlas:

Portuguese is the #3 language spoken in Florida.

Portuguese is the #2 language spoken in Massachusetts.

Ethnologue lists Portuguese as the #9 language spoken in the World.

So why is Brazilian Portuguese translated less frequently in the United States by government agencies and public or private companies?

THE REASON

Most companies follow the Federal Guidelines for dealing with those individuals and groups with Limited English Proficiency. Executive Order 13166 signed by President Clinton in 2000, mandated among other things, "Vital documents must be translated when a significant number or percentage of the population eligible to be served, or likely to be directly affected by the program/activity, needs services or information in a language other than English to communicate effectively." Read more about it here.

According to the American Community Survey conducted in 2017 by the U.S. Census Bureau, "approximately 58 percent of Brazilian immigrants in the United States reported speaking English very well or speaking only English at home. The remaining 42 percent had limited English proficiency, speaking English less than “very well.” Brazilian immigrants were, on average, less likely to be Limited English Proficient (LEP) than the overall foreign-born population (48 percent).

Brazil is an industrialized, developing country of over 200 million people and there are over 300,000 Brazilians living here in the United States. By not reaching out with advertisements and marketing in Portuguese you are missing out on potential customers. Even if many Brazilians in business speak some English, you can reach them where your competition isn't, by marketing in Portuguese.

Google Translate is not the answer!

Do you need the services of a professional translator who will provide you with a precise and effective communication in Brazilian Portuguese? SCG Law & Language can meet your needs. With almost 25 years of translation experience including over 20 years of patent translation, Mrs. Sonia Cunha-Goldner from SCG Law & Language can be relied on for an excellent translation.