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C2  ·  32 words

The colonial past in Portuguese

The words in which it is researched and argued over.

Practise this list

From these 32 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

The second entry is o governo indireto, and the obvious English word for its first half is the wrong one. « Government » in English names a body of people: the ministers currently in office, the thing that falls and is replaced. O governo carries that sense too, but here it means the act of governing, and for that English keeps a separate noun. The settled term is « indirect rule », and « indirect government » reads as an unfinished translation. What repays attention is how far « rule » has been stretched. It is sovereignty, as in « under colonial rule ». It is a single prescription: a grammar has « rules » and so does a card game. It is the verb, both « to rule a country » and « to rule a line » across a page, which is where the last sense sits: « a ruler » is the person who governs and also the flat strip of wood in a pencil case. Nothing in o governo reaches any of that, because Portuguese hands the four jobs to four separate words: o domínio, a regra, governar and a régua. So o governo indireto is « indirect rule », and whoever writes « government » has kept the institution and lost the activity.

The words

Adjective (1)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands

neocolonialneo-colonialAdjectiveC2
A relação continuou neocolonial depois da independência.The relationship remained neo-colonial after independence.

Noun (m) (12)

Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo

o protetoradothe protectorateNoun (m)C2
O protetorado mantinha o soberano local sem lhe deixar poder.The protectorate kept the local ruler in place without leaving him any power.
o governo indiretoindirect ruleNoun (m)C2
O governo indireto usava os chefes que já existiam.Indirect rule made use of the chiefs who were already there.
o trabalho forçadoforced labourNoun (m)C2
O trabalho forçado era exigido em vez do imposto.Forced labour was demanded instead of the tax.
o trabalho sob contratoindentured labourNoun (m)C2
O trabalho sob contrato levava gente para muito longe de casa.Indentured labour took people a very long way from home.
o imposto de palhotathe hut taxNoun (m)C2
O imposto de palhota obrigava cada família a ganhar dinheiro.The hut tax forced every family to earn money.
o genocídiothe genocideNoun (m)C2
O genocídio foi reconhecido muito depois.The genocide was recognised much later.
o estado sucessorthe successor stateNoun (m)C2
O estado sucessor herdou fronteiras que não traçou.The successor state inherited borders it had not drawn.
o tratado de proteçãothe treaty of protectionNoun (m)C2
O tratado de proteção era assinado numa língua só.The treaty of protection was signed in one language only.
o colaboracionistathe collaboratorNoun (m)C2
O colaboracionista ganhava um cargo e perdia os vizinhos.The collaborator gained a post and lost his neighbours.
o movimento anticolonialthe anti-colonial movementNoun (m)C2
O movimento anticolonial nasceu nas cidades e no campo.The anti-colonial movement was born in the towns and in the countryside.
o acervo de museuthe museum collectionNoun (m)C2
O acervo de museu guarda peças de origem duvidosa.The museum collection holds pieces of doubtful origin.
os restos humanoshuman remainsNoun (m)C2
Os restos humanos foram entregues às comunidades.The human remains were handed over to the communities.

Noun (f) (19)

Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo

a colónia de povoamentothe settler colonyNoun (f)C2
Numa colónia de povoamento a terra mudava de dono.In a settler colony the land changed hands.
a economia de plantaçãothe plantation economyNoun (f)C2
A economia de plantação vivia de um único produto.The plantation economy lived off a single product.
a cultura de exportaçãothe export cropNoun (f)C2
A cultura de exportação ocupava a terra do milho.The export crop took up the land that grew maize.
a missão religiosathe mission stationNoun (f)C2
A missão religiosa tinha escola e enfermaria.The mission station had a school and an infirmary.
a missão civilizadorathe civilising missionNoun (f)C2
A missão civilizadora servia de justificação.The civilising mission served as a justification.
a expedição punitivathe punitive expeditionNoun (f)C2
A expedição punitiva seguia-se a cada recusa.The punitive expedition followed every refusal.
a restituição de bens culturaisthe restitution of cultural propertyNoun (f)C2
A restituição de bens culturais depende de quem prova o quê.The restitution of cultural property depends on who proves what.
a cultura de memóriathe culture of remembranceNoun (f)C2
A cultura de memória discute-se em cada praça com estátua.The culture of remembrance is argued over in every square that has a statue.
a lacuna no arquivothe gap in the archiveNoun (f)C2
A lacuna no arquivo também diz alguma coisa.The gap in the archive says something too.
a história oraloral historyNoun (f)C2
A história oral recolhe o que nunca foi escrito.Oral history collects what was never written down.
a metrópolethe mother countryNoun (f)C2
A metrópole decidia o preço da colheita.The mother country decided the price of the harvest.
a feitoriathe trading postNoun (f)C2
A feitoria era um armazém defendido junto ao mar.The trading post was a fortified warehouse by the sea.
a companhia de comérciothe trading companyNoun (f)C2
A companhia de comércio tinha exército próprio.The trading company had an army of its own.
a reserva indígenathe reservationNoun (f)C2
A reserva indígena ficava na terra pior.The reservation lay on the poorest land.
a lei do passethe pass lawNoun (f)C2
A lei do passe decidia quem podia andar por onde.The pass law decided who could move where.
a barreira racialthe colour barNoun (f)C2
A barreira racial estava escrita nos regulamentos.The colour bar was written into the regulations.
a política de assimilaçãothe policy of assimilationNoun (f)C2
A política de assimilação prometia direitos a poucos.The policy of assimilation promised rights to few.
a potência mandatáriathe mandatory powerNoun (f)C2
A potência mandatária respondia perante uma assembleia.The mandatory power answered to an assembly.
a construção do estadostate-buildingNoun (f)C2
A construção do estado começou sem funcionários.State-building began without civil servants.

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