STOP FLATTERING YOURSELVES TO CHANGE YOUR LIVES: Portuguese at the top of the world (54) - Dedicated to angry souls who visit this blog and don't like posts written in English...

Other Portuguese at the top of the world.

A classic in the genre of unintentional humour for sale on Amazon.com

In 1855, when Jose da Fonseca and Pedro Carolino wrote an English phrasebook for Portuguese students, they faced just one problem: they didn't know any English. Even worse, they didn't own an English-to-Portuguese dictionary. What they did have, though, was a Portuguese-to-French dictionary, and a French-to-English dictionary. The linguistic train wreck that ensued is a classic of unintentional humor, now revived in the first newly selected edition in a century. Armed with Fonseca and Carolino's guide, a Portuguese traveler can insult a barber ("What news tell me? All hairs dresser are newsmonger"), complain about the orchestra ("It is a noise which to cleve the head"), go hunting ("let aim it! let make fire him"), and consult a handy selection of truly mystifying "Idiotisms and Proverbs."

... and also dedicated to His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic who has done so much to place the Portuguese at the top of the world. To the angry souls and to the President our deepest thanks.