--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you hear Portuguese, if you're…" description: "\"When you hear Portuguese, if you're listening fleetingly, it's as if you're hearing Russian, which never happens with Spanish. Because the Portuguese a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/gregory-rabassa-41041_dark_when-you-hear-portuguese-if-you-re-liste_1887374.jpg" --- # When you hear Portuguese, if you're listening fleetingly… ![“When you hear Portuguese, if you're listening fleetingly, it's as if you're hearing Russian, which never happens with Spanish. Because the Portuguese and the Russians share the open vowels and the dark "L," the "owL" sound.” quote by Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/gregory-rabassa-41041_dark_when-you-hear-portuguese-if-you-re-liste_1887374.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/gregory-rabassa-41041_dark_when-you-hear-portuguese-if-you-re-liste_1887374.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/gregory-rabassa-41041_dark_when-you-hear-portuguese-if-you-re-liste_1887374.jpg) > “When you hear Portuguese, if you're listening fleetingly, it's as if you're hearing Russian, which never happens with Spanish. Because the Portuguese and the Russians share the open vowels and the dark "L," the "owL" sound.” [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Portuguese sounds like Russian due to similar vowel openness and dark L, unlike Spanish. **In simple terms:** Portuguese and Russian share vowel and L sounds, unlike Spanish. Key Takeaway Notice phonetic similarities when listening. Themes language phonetics comparison Mood curious analytical Type observational comparative When to use this quote - language learning - travel - audio perception - accent training Key Concepts vowel openness dark L phonological similarity Questions to Reflect On - How does phonetic similarity affect language learning? - Do you notice other unexpected language re? A Different Perspective Similarity may be subjective and not universal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Owl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owl/) [Portuguese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portuguese/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Spanish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanish/) ## Related quotes > [Hispanics speak Spanish or Portuguese, which are languages we Americans are familiar with, so it doesn't seem to pose the same types of problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/hispanics-speak-spanish-or-portuguese-which-are-languages-we/) [Samuel P. 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But when you bring them together, they become a dangerous weapon. Jeanne is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/on-their-own-each-character-is-a-victim-of-no-importance-but-when-you/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [You can't find me 20 children in Chicago, I don't care which section you go in - you can be on Michigan Avenue or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marva-collins/you-can-t-find-me-20-children-in-chicago-i-don-t-care-which-section/) [Marva Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marva-collins/) > [God have mercy on the sinner Who must write with no dinner, No gravy and no grub, No pewter and no pub, No bellyand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowe-ransom/god-have-mercy-on-the-sinner-who-must-write-with-no-dinner-no-gravy/) [John Crowe Ransom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowe-ransom/) ## More by Gregory Rabassa > [A translator is essentially a reader and we all read differently, except that a translator's reading remains in unchanging print](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-rabassa/a-translator-is-essentially-a-reader-and-we-all-read-differently/) [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) > [Teaching translation is more of an editing job. 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But you can have fun with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-rabassa/teaching-translation-is-more-of-an-editing-job-you-act-as-editor-but/) [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) > [A translation can never equal the original; it can approach it, and its quality can only be judged as to accuracy by how close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-rabassa/a-translation-can-never-equal-the-original-it-can-approach-it-and-its/) [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) > [Translation is a disturbing craft because there is precious little certainty about what we are doing, which makes it so difficult in this age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-rabassa/translation-is-a-disturbing-craft-because-there-is-precious-little/) [Gregory Rabassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-rabassa/) > [I have always maintained that translation is essentially the closest reading one can possibly give a text. 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