The transmission of words from one language to another is a common phenomenon, accentuated with the advancement of communication technologies. However, this process can create incorrect translations of words that are incorporated into everyday speech. Check out the list of 5 now English words used incorrectly by Brazilians.
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Check out the terms and expressions that are commonly used incorrectly:
1. notebook x laptop
In Brazil, the term notebook is commonly used to refer to portable computers. However, when taken to the English language, the word notebook means notebook, while portable computers are called as laptop.
2. Chip x SIM Card
Among Brazilians, the word chip has become common to refer to the electronic circuits that we insert into our cell phones. However, in countries that have English as a native language, the word “Chip” has a very different meaning, referring to small potatoes.
Its correct name would be SIM Card, which means subscriber identification module card.
3. mall x mall
This term may come as a surprise, but the word shopping does not have the same meaning in the original language used in Brazil. For, while it represents shopping centers in English, the word shopping refers to the act of buying. Thus, it is a simple translation error, and the building itself is called a “mall”.
4. billboards x billboards
Another word with the meaning incorrectly used by Brazilians is billboard, which did not originally refer to billboards. And yes, in the English language it means “an outdoor venue”, with “Billboards” being the name of the term in English.
5. tuxedo x tuxedo
Tuxedo, used to describe men's formal attire, is also another word whose meaning is different from the original. In the native language, the word “tuxedo” is the act of smoking, while the garment is called a tuxedo.
