Colonisation brought European languages to prominent roles all over the world, and this cultural legacy persists long after the dissolution of the European overseas empires. As of today, countries, communities and individuals around the world speaking languages such as French, Spanish, Portuguese and English make up the majority of the world’s population.
Another by-product of the cultural and linguistic ties between the home countries and the former colonies is the creation of new international organisations. These tipically favour international cooperation and friendship between countries that share a common language. One such example is the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, an IGO founded in 1996 which includes Portugal and several of its former colonies. This IGO currently ranks nine full Member States, as well as nineteen observers, and has contributed to a revival of the international status of Portuguese.
The Portuguese Language Revival
Portugal created one of the biggest transcontinental empires ever, rivaling the Spanish and British overseas conquests until the 19th century, when Brazilian independence definitely set it on the way of decline. It would take over a century for other colonies, like Angola and Mozambique, to gain independence. This was achieved after a bloody guerrilla war, fought during the Sixties and the early Seventies, and after the Carnation Revolution of April 25th 1974, which ended the Estado Novo dictatorship in Portugal. Since then, relations between the former coloniser and the new independent States have slowly improved.
Today, the Portuguese language is once again growing in influence. Brazil, the largest Portuguese-speaking country, is the eighth largest economy in the world. In spite of its painful recession, the many corruption scandals, and widespread poverty, Brazil is the most powerful among South American countries, raising the international profile of Portuguese.
Portugal itself, while hard-hit by the Great Recession and only recently back at pre-crisis economic levels, is also a country of good international standing, and an interesting economic partner for many third-party countries and businesses looking to enter the EU market.
Migration is another vehicle for the rise of Portuguese: workers from Portugal’s former colonies, whose typical destination of choice is South Africa, are spreading the language to the region. Even in Europe, the combination of Portuguese emigration and the language’s popularity as a learning choice result in dramatic growth.
According to a 2007 study from UNESCO, Portuguese was the second fastest growing European language around the world, after English and alongside Spanish.
This boost in popularity has also benefited variety. Mainland Portuguese is different from that spoken across the former colonies: Brazil has its own variant, and in African countries the situation is complicated by the intermingling of Portuguese, creole languages, and local languages.
The picture thus presented is one of a potential global community of more than 260 million speakers. The Comunidade dos Paìses de Lìngua Portuguesa, literally the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) reflects the bonds between the components of this linguistic community, and has further contributed to the strengthening of Portuguese as an international language.
The Community of Portuguese Language Countries
The objectives of this intergovernmental organisation are numerous, ranging from education and culture to political and diplomatic cooperation. The Community of Portuguese Language Countries does not interfere with the internal affairs of its Member States, but it still promotes political goals, like democracy and respect for human rights.
An example of the CPLP’s political involvement is in its efforts to assist its more troubled members. Guinea Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Equatorial Guinea are politically unstable countries, all suffering from coups in recent years. The CPLP has taken an active role in easing political transitions in these countries, as well as tackling poverty and famine.
The Community of Portuguese Language Countries’ best track record, however, is in fostering academic and educational collaboration: under its auspices, the Member States have signed multilateral agreements to establish language schools and boost literacy, especially in those countries and regions where schooling is problematic.
This has a material impact on the quality of life in the poorer Member States. To know the language used by the administration is fundamental to a well functioning relation between the State and its citizens. This also gives young people the opportunity to travel and find employment abroad, and it offers new opportunities for local businesses. In this light, free movement between member countries is another of the objectives pursued by the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.
Aside from its full members, the CPLP also counts numerous observer countries and prospective new partners. Interest for the organisation is driven by a plethora of reasons, ranging from historical ties to economic considerations. Immigration to or from Portuguese speaking countries is also a factor. Of all these, however, economic potential is undoubtedly the most alluring motivation. Even China (which at time of writing is neither an observer nor a prospective candidate) is favouring an upsurge of Portuguese speaking in Macau, once an overseas territory of the Portuguese colonial empire. The language had almost disappeared from the city in recent years, but the economic potential of ties with the CPLP has seen it surge back in popularity.
Uncertainty remains over the future of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries: much of it will depend on Portugal’s continued economic recovery and the role that Brazil could play on the world stage under Bolsonaro’s leadership. Another challenge is that posed byrelations between its members, who are starkly unequal in territorial extension, political stability, and economic might. Possible new accessions, and relations with the outside world, are also going to determine the future of this IGO. However, in light of its recent successes, the CPLP can be optimistic about its fortunes – as well as those of the language it represents.
