When Football Speaks Portuguese: A Linguistic Milestone at the 2026 World Cup

For just the second time ever, three Portuguese-speaking nations have qualified for the same World Cup: Brazil, Portugal, and Cape Verde. The first time this happened was in 2006, when Angola joined Brazil and Portugal on football's biggest stage. Two decades later, Cape Verde has taken up that mantle—and the story is even more remarkable.

The Debutants Stealing Hearts

Cape Verde's qualification is nothing short of a fairytale. A volcanic archipelago of ten islands off Africa's west coast with a population of just 525,000, they are the third-smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a World Cup. Only Iceland in 2018 and fellow 2026 debutants Curaçao are smaller.

Their journey was dramatic. Cape Verde secured their spot by winning Group D in African qualifying, beating powerhouse Cameroon to top spot. The decisive victory came on October 13, 2025, with a 3-0 win over Eswatini in the capital Praia, sparking wild celebrations across the island nation.

Once they arrived in North America, they didn't just make up the numbers. Cape Verde held European champions Spain to a goalless draw in their opening match, then battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw with Uruguay—keeping their knockout-stage hopes very much alive.

A 20-Year Echo of Lusophone Africa

To appreciate Cape Verde's achievement, we have to look back two decades. In 2006, Angola made their World Cup debut in Germany. The Palancas Negras (Black Antelopes) had overcome giants like Nigeria in qualifying. They were drawn in Group D alongside Portugal, Mexico, and Iran.

The Portugal-Angola match was particularly poignant. As The New York Times noted at the time, spectators "could root for the underdog and they could try to do so in soccer's sexiest language".

That generation planted a seed. Twenty years later, Cape Verde has harvested it.

Why Only Three?

With nine African qualification slots available in the expanded 48-team tournament, why did only one Lusophone African nation make it through? Other CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) members like Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau fell short. As of June 2026, Cape Verde ranked 67th in the world, ahead of Angola (88th), Mozambique (103rd), and Guinea-Bissau (132nd). Only Cape Verde seized the moment.

More Than Just a Game

Language and football intersect in fascinating ways at this tournament. While only three nations have Portuguese as their official language, individual players from other teams speak it too—many having played for Brazilian or Portuguese clubs. The language becomes an invisible thread connecting players, fans, and nations across continents.

For Cape Verde, Portuguese is the official language, though Cape Verdean Creole is also widely spoken.

What This Means

The 2026 World Cup is being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—an unprecedented three-nation co-hosting arrangement. Into this vast, diverse landscape step three nations bound by a common tongue but representing three different continents: South America's giant (Brazil), Europe's perennial contender (Portugal), and Africa's plucky debutant (Cape Verde).

It's a reminder that football's beauty lies not just in the goals and glory, but in the stories it tells—of small islands dreaming big, of colonial histories transformed into sporting pride, and of a language that, for 90 minutes at a time, unites millions across the globe.

Obrigado, football. Thank you for the stories.

[Ramblings on Translation Theory] Translation as Metaphor for Artistic Expression: Metaphor for the art and challenge of translation

 

Reserved rights for the image to this blog's owner.

The Literal Image

We see a classic, ornate picture frame. However, instead of a painting, the frame contains a real, three-dimensional, leafy branch. The branch doesn't just sit within the frame; it actively grows through it, bursting out of the constraints of the wooden borders.

The Metaphor for Translation

The Frame = The Target Language
The frame represents the structure, rules, and conventions of the language you are translating into (the target language). Every language has its own: Grammar and Syntax (the rigid corners of the frame); Idioms and Cultural Context (the specific artistic style of the frame (e.g., baroque, modern); Vocabulary Limits (the physical space within the frame).

The Branch = The Source Text & Its Meaning
The living branch represents the original text (the source text) with all its richness, nuance, and life.

Organic Nature: A text is not a static, dead object. It's alive with meaning, tone, rhythm, and cultural subtext.

Complexity: The branch has leaves, twigs, and direction—just as a text has layers of meaning, ambiguity, and beauty.

The "Problem" or The Act of Translation = The Branch vs. The Frame
The central tension of the image is the mismatch. You are trying to fit a living, irregular, organic entity (the source text) into a fixed, rigid, man-made structure (the target language). A straightforward, word-for-word translation is like trying to force the entire branch to fit perfectly within the frame. This is impossible without breaking the branch (losing the meaning) or breaking the frame (breaking the rules of the target language and creating nonsense).

The "Solution" or The Ideal Translation = The Branch Growing Through
The most successful translations do not try to hide this tension. Instead, they acknowledge it and find a way to let the life of the original text shine through the constraints of the new language.

A good translation:

Preserves the Life (The Branch): The core meaning, feeling, and voice of the original work are kept intact and vibrant.

Respects the New Frame (The Target Language): The translation reads naturally and follows the rules of the new language; it doesn't sound awkward or "translated."

Acknowledges the Imperfection: Just as the branch cannot be fully contained by the frame, some elements (puns, cultural specificities, unique rhythms) cannot be perfectly replicated. The translation makes a choice—sometimes it finds an equivalent, sometimes it compensates, and sometimes it lets a leaf stick out, acknowledging that something is "lost in translation."

This image illustrates that translation is not a simple act of substitution, but a dynamic process of negotiation and transformation.

A bad translation either hacks the branch to pieces to make it fit (losing all the original's beauty) or builds such an awkward, misshapen frame that the result is unreadable.

A good translation is the one we see in the image: it holds the tension beautifully. The frame is still a frame, and the branch is still a branch, but together they create a new, interesting, and authentic piece of art that honours both its source and its new home. The life of the original text bursts through the constraints of the new language.

Reflections on Translation and Cultural Mediation: Brief Notes

Translation and cultural facilitation have become indispensable pillars of our globalized world, bridging linguistic and cultural divides. While these fields offer immense potential for understanding and collaboration, they also present complex challenges that demand careful navigation.

On the one hand, translation and cultural facilitation have opened up new avenues for intercultural dialogue and exchange. Through translation, we gain access to diverse perspectives, literature, and knowledge from around the globe. Cultural facilitators, in turn, play a vital role in fostering cross-cultural understanding and promoting empathy. They help bridge communication gaps, navigate cultural nuances, and facilitate meaningful interactions between individuals and groups from different backgrounds.

However, the complexities of language and culture introduce significant challenges to translation and cultural facilitation. Linguistic nuances, cultural references, and idiomatic expressions can be difficult to convey accurately across languages and cultures. Moreover, the ever-evolving nature of language and culture adds another layer of complexity. Translators and cultural facilitators must constantly adapt to new terminology, emerging cultural trends, and evolving social norms.

One of the most significant challenges in translation is the potential for misinterpretation and loss of meaning. A single word or phrase can carry multiple meanings depending on the context and cultural background. Translators must carefully consider these nuances to ensure accurate and culturally appropriate translations. Cultural facilitators, on the other hand, face the challenge of balancing cultural sensitivity with effective communication. They must be able to navigate delicate cultural issues while promoting understanding and respect for diverse perspectives.

Another challenge lies in the rapid pace of globalization and the increasing diversity of languages and cultures. This diversity necessitates specialized knowledge and skills to effectively translate and facilitate intercultural communication. Translators and cultural facilitators must stay updated on the latest developments in their fields and continuously expand their linguistic and cultural expertise.

Despite these challenges, translation and cultural facilitation remain essential for fostering global understanding and cooperation. By bridging linguistic and cultural divides, these fields contribute to a more interconnected and inclusive world. As our world becomes increasingly diverse and interconnected, the importance of translation and cultural facilitation will only continue to grow.

Translation of text on Willard Wigan

Note: original English-language source from official press kit.

“Willard Wigan was born in Wolverhampton, England in 1957 and is the creator of the smallest artworks in history, as verified by Guinness World Records.

From being a traumatised and humiliated child with unrecognised learning differences, he has emerged as the most globally celebrated micro-miniaturist of all time and is literally capable of turning a spec of dust into a vision of true beauty.

To escape the constant taunts from his teachers and student peers, Wigan found solace in creating art of such minute proportions that it could not be seen with the naked eye. He adopted the belief that if his work could not be seen, then it and he could not be criticised. Often described as “nothing”, Wigan set about showing the world that there is no such thing as nothing.

“My work is a reflection of myself” says Wigan. “I wanted to show the world that the little things can have the biggest impact. At school, I couldn’t express myself and felt like “nothing.” I wanted to experiment with the world that we can’t see.”

He can create a masterpiece within the eye of a tiny sewing needle, on the head of a pin, the tip of an eyelash or on a grain of sand. Smaller than the fullstop at the end of this sentence, with some being completely invisible to the naked eye, the effect on the viewer when seen through high powered magnification is truly mesmerising.

Inspired to capture the attention and awe of his subject matter in the smallest and most microscopic of detail, Wigan imagines and creates a microscopic world that entices people to look closer.

The artists himself likens his work to “Trying to pass a pin through a bubble without bursting it” and the skill, time and dedication involved in their creation means that each piece contains the very heart and soul of its creator.

Willard, who is completely self-taught (there are no teachers) has baffled medical science and been the subject of discussion among micro-surgeons, nanotechnologists and at universities worldwide. There is no doubt he is as unique as his timeless masterpieces.

The personal sacrifice in creating such wondrous sculptures is inconceivable to most. Wigan enters a meditative state in which his heartbeat is slowed, allowing him to reduce hand tremors and sculpts between pulse beats. Even reverberation caused by outside traffic can affect Wigan’s work. This causes him to retreat to places of solitude, or to work through the night when there is minimal disruption.

His works have fascinated and amazed discerning collectors worldwide and are cherished by Royalty, Politicians and Celebrities from the worlds of show-business and sport. In July 2007 he was honoured by HM Queen Elizabeth II with an MBE for services to art.

The audiences that attend Willard’s exhibitions are amongst the most diverse of any living artist and are a huge success around the world. When exhibited in public they draw reactions of astonishment and wonder from press and public alike, frequently generating comments such as “The eighth wonder of the world”, “The most amazing thing I have ever seen” and “Truly a gift from God”

In many instances his work simply stuns viewers into silence. Others have described it as being seemingly “supernatural” and crossing the boundaries between Art and Science. It confuses the senses and such distinctions ultimately become irrelevant as viewers become lost in the sheer wonder of the inner space to which his work transports them.

His sculpture of The Statue of Liberty in the eye of a tiny sewing needle so impressed the American foundation that they placed it on display inside the real statue – only the fifth time in the great monument’s history that an artists has been allowed to exhibit there.

In 2009 Wigan’s artistic genius was formally recognised by the world-leading Technology, Entertainment and Design Institute (TED) where he was invited to be the keynote speaker during the 2009 World Conference, receiving with it a TED achievement award.

In recent years Willard has undertaken numerous motivational speaking engagements for private, corporate, charitable and educational organisations with particular emphasis on inspiring young people in schools to believe in themselves, to never give up and to keep searching for their own particular gift.

Telling his story of how he overcame childhood adversity, and being described by his teachers as “nothing”, through sheer hard work, persistence and dedication to get where he is today.

His unique abilities have also been recognised by large corporations, including Mercedes Benz and ANZ Bank, looking to associate their brand with the pinnacle of precision and intricacy and how attention to the smallest of details can make the biggest of differences to an outcome.

In January 2018 he was awarded an honorary degree by Warwick University, specifically as Doctor of Letters, in recognition of the significant contributions that he has made to art and sculpture.

A feature length Channel 4 documentary about the artist and his work was broadcast in July 2018.

As for the future, a feature film about Willard’s life story is at the scripting stage and further international exhibitions are currently being planned for 2019.

Following his late mothers guiding advice, Wigan continues to challenge himself by striving to make each work even smaller and more detailed – “The smaller your work, the bigger your name”. Wigan’s continued goal remains quite simple; to inspire others with his micro-sculptures and to encourage others to live to their fullest potential, remembering that “nothing” does not exist.

Ultimately, all who view these truly astounding treasures are filled with a sense of awe, lost for explanations but nevertheless acutely aware that their lives have in some small way been enriched by the uncanny sights they have witnessed.

It’s unpredictable how long this incredible talent will last but his unique and exclusive creations will outlive him as national treasures for generations to come.”

——————————————————————————–

My translation into Portuguese

Willard Wigan nasceu em Wolverhampton, Inglaterra, em 1957, e é o criador das mais pequenas obras de arte na história, conforme confirmado pelo Guinness World Records.

De uma criança traumatizada e humilhada com dificuldades de aprendizagem negligenciadas, emergiu como o micro-miniaturista mais celebrado a nível mundial de todos os tempos e é, literalmente, capaz de transformar um grão de pó numa visão de verdadeira beleza.

Para escapar às constantes provocações dos seus professores e colegas, Wigan encontrou consolo na criação de arte de proporções tão reduzidas que não podia ser vista a olho nu. Adotou a crença de que se seu trabalho não podia ser visto, então o seu trabalho e ele próprio não poderiam ser criticados. Muitas vezes descrito como “nada”, Wigan agarrou a tarefa de mostrar ao mundo de que não existe tal coisa como nada.

“O meu trabalho é um reflexo de mim mesmo”, diz Wigan. “Queria mostrar ao mundo que as pequenas coisas podem ter o maior impacto. Na escola, não me conseguia expressar e sentia-me como “nada”. Queria experimentar o mundo que não conseguimos ver.”

Consegue criar uma obra-prima dentro do buraco de uma pequena agulha de costura, na cabeça de um alfinete, na ponta de uma pestana ou num grão de areia. Mais pequena do que o ponto final no final desta frase, com algumas a serem completamente invisíveis a olho nu, o efeito sobre o espetador, quando vistas através de ampliação de elevada potência é verdadeiramente deslumbrante.

Inspirado pela captura da atenção e do espanto do seu tema no mais ínfimo e microscópico pormenor, Wigan imagina e cria um mundo microscópico que convida as pessoas a olharem mais de perto.

O próprio artista compara o seu trabalho a “Tentar passar um alfinete através de um balão sem o rebentar” e a habilidade, o tempo e dedicação envolvidos na sua criação, significa que cada peça contém o próprio coração e alma do seu criador.

Willard, que é totalmente autodidata (não há professores) tem confundido a ciência médica e foi objeto de discussão entre microcirurgiões, nanotecnólogos e em universidades em todo o mundo. Não há dúvida de que ele é tão único quanto as suas intemporais obras-primas.

É inconcebível para a maioria o sacrifício pessoal na criação de tais maravilhosas esculturas. Wigan entra num estado meditativo em que o seu ritmo cardíaco é abrandado, permitindo-lhe reduzir os tremores da mão e esculpir entre as batidas da pulsação. Até a reverberação causada pelo tráfego na rua pode afetar o trabalho de Wigan. Isto faz com que se retire para locais solitários, ou que trabalhe durante a noite, quando a perturbação é mínima.

Os seus trabalhos têm fascinado e surpreendido colecionadores exigentes por todo o mundo e é admirado pela realeza, políticos e celebridades do mundo do espetáculo e do desporto. Em julho de 2007, foi agraciado pela Rainha Isabel II com a Ordem do Império Britânico, pelos serviços prestados à arte.

O público que visita as exposições de Willard está entre os mais diversificados de qualquer artista vivo e são um enorme sucesso em todo o mundo. Quando exibidas em público, granjeiam reações de espanto e admiração tanto da imprensa, como do público, gerando frequentemente comentários como “A oitava maravilha do mundo”, “A coisa mais incrível que alguma vez vi” e “Um verdadeiro dom de Deus”.

Em muitos casos, o seu trabalho deixa os espetadores simplesmente mudos. Outros descreveram o seu trabalho como sendo praticamente “sobrenatural” e ultrapassando os limites entre a Arte e a Ciência. Confunde os sentidos e tais distinções tornam-se, em última análise, irrelevantes, à medida que os espetadores se perdem na maravilha que é o espaço interior para onde a sua obra os transporta.

A sua escultura da Estátua da Liberdade no olho de uma pequena agulha de costura impressionou de tal forma a fundação americana, que a colocaram em exposição dentro da estátua original – foi apenas a quinta vez na história daquele grande monumento em que foi autorizada a exposição de um artista.

Em 2009, o génio artístico de Wigan foi formalmente reconhecido pelo líder mundial Technology, Entertainment and Design Institute (TED), tendo sido convidado para ser o orador principal durante a Conferência Mundial desse ano, tendo recebido com o mesmo um prémio TED de realização.

Nos últimos anos, Willard tem realizado inúmeras palestras motivacionais para particulares, empresas, entidades e organizações de ensino, com particular ênfase nos jovens em escolas, para que acreditem em si próprios, nunca desistam e que persistam na busca do seu próprio dom especial.

Conta a sua história sobre como superou a adversidade na infância, quando era descrito pelos seus professores como “nada”, tendo chegado onde está hoje através do trabalho árduo, persistência e dedicação.

As suas capacidades únicas, que também foram reconhecidos por grandes empresas, incluindo a Mercedes-Benz e o ANZ Bank, que procuravam associar a sua marca com o auge da precisão e complexidade, e como a atenção com os pequenos detalhes pode fazer a maior das diferenças na obtenção de um resultado.

Em janeiro de 2018, recebeu um diploma honorário pela Universidade de Warwick, mais precisamente, Doutoramento em Humanidades, em reconhecimento das importantes contribuições feitas para a arte e a escultura.

Em julho de 2018, foi transmitido um documentário de longa-metragem do Canal 4 sobre o artista e a sua obra.

Quanto ao futuro, há um filme sobre Willard em fase de redação e estão a ser planeadas mais exposições internacionais para 2019.

Seguindo os conselhos da sua falecida mãe, Wigan continua a desafiar-se a si mesmo esforçando-se por fazer com que cada trabalho seja ainda mais pequeno e pormenorizado – “Quanto mais pequeno o teu trabalho, maior será o teu nome”. O objetivo contínuo de Wigan continua a ser bastante simples: inspirar outras pessoas com as suas micro-esculturas e encorajar as pessoas a viver o seu potencial ao máximo, lembrando que o “nada” não existe.

Em última análise, todos os que veem estes tesouros verdadeiramente surpreendentes são inspirados por um sentimento de admiração, confusão, mas, no entanto, com a plena consciência de que a sua vida foi, de alguma maneira, enriquecida com a incrível visão testemunhada.

É imprevisível quanto tempo este incrível talento irá perdurar, mas as suas criações únicas e exclusivas irão sobreviver-lhe enquanto tesouros nacionais para as gerações vindouras.

Here's a sample from one of my latest works: a foreword to a Portuguese/ English bilingual exhibition catalogue. The exhibition is titled Animália by Portuguese photographer Nuno Horta. The original text in Portuguese was written by Miguel V. Duque, who entrusted me with the English translation... Check it out!

[the original text!]

"Animália, de Nuno Horta

De olhos bem abertos. PUM!

“Um novo mandamento vos dou: Que vos ameis uns aos outros; assim como Eu vos amei, vós também vos deveis amar uns aos outros.”

S. João 13:34

A objectiva de Nuno Horta aspira à comoção dos sentidos, à comunhão da fotografia retratista com paixões de um quotidiano que se mascara, inventando e, quiçá, reinterpretando saberes e ambições que não transcendem o Ser, antes o aprisionam em humanidade díspar entre si, em vez de os acutilar nos seus anseios mais primários: o desejo que se mistifica e animaliza como em metamorfoses que nos confortam e nos permitem o essencial dos sentidos: o Prazer.

No entanto, colore a negro – como preto fecundo do lodo deposto pelas águas do Nilo – cenários de peças de sensualidade mácula e/ou obscura: trevas ou a noite de todo o contentamento como o pigmento de Johann Conrad Dippel. 

Verdade ou pecado?

Fique o espectador ante estes flashes, saboreando a abundância animália ou as tentações de Antão ou a luxúria humana ou simplesmente a beleza e a exuberância do Ser e do sermos! A Natureza na sua sublime Arte.

O transcendente no real quotidiano em Leibovitz ou Nan Goldin; o transcendente numa encenada estética artística em Witkin ou Saudek; o transcendente do real encenado numa estética artística cerebral e empírica em fotografias de Nuno Horta, num palco que também é vida e quotidiano. 

Nesta colecção Animália, Nuno Horta surpreende-nos por uma atitude cénica mais simples, traduzindo uma maturidade nos temas que interpreta, decifra e exprime na sua acção fotográfica – como resultado, fotografias auto interpretativas – ao essencial, enfoque para metáforas, parábolas e mistificações como narração alegórica que traduz a devoção pelo corpo, pelo humano, pelo mito, envolvido num preceito moral que cruza, em penumbra, o Homem e a Mulher, escudados do próprio de si, dos seus devaneios ou anseios, por zoomorfoses.

Pecado versus virtude ou o seu contrário? – Na virtude o pecado omisso! – Deus ou o Demónio; o prazer ou a abstinência; a abundância ou a escassez; o Amor ou a ausência; o desejo ou a fraude; a Vida ou a Morte; o ser ou o não ser; ou, simplesmente, o sonegar ao Ser Humano da face, conferindo-lhe símbolos e mitos que o resgatam das malhas de uma qualquer condenação mundana, outorgando-lhe o direito de momentos, apenas e tanto, de animalidade, urbe ou rural, mas sempre defendidos, esses momentos, por caprichos de uma natureza extra-humana, permissiva e lasciva, para uma Alma Pura, que se resgata pelo sacrifício animal, tal Dido por Eneias, Gilgamesh por Enkidu, Pedro por Inês, ou Eu – anónimo – por Ti – ninguém ou ausência de identidade.

Em última instância, infra-humana! 

A máscara dourada como maçãs de Hipómenes para seduzir Atalanta e resgatar o seu Amor, cumprindo-se o desejo de posse pela corrida que se vence: suor, cansaço e, de novo, o luxo perpectuado pelo ouro que nos inebria e entontece os sentidos. Tal macho ou fêmea ou os contrários ou os mesmos: trocas e selos de cumplicidade assumida e rejeitada, num lado a lado, nada ingénuo ou desprovido de sentidos reflectidos.

Esta colecção não é ingénua; não é apenas provocadora; também é erótica, estimulante, sedutora e sensualmente sensitiva para olhos de Alma Pura. Para gente que se assume sem tabus de mediocridade infame para o ser animal de que somos feitos ou criados.

Matéria negra que precede a Luz. Simbólica do Apocalipse ou Fiat Lux como precedência cromática da Criação. Génese e fruição de uma fecundidade artística como nuvens escuras que fecundarão a Terra, como elemento fecundado caracterizada pelo supremo dom de gerar: The Wolf & the Fox; The Fox & the Wolf; The Goat; The Pig; The Tiger; The Deer!

Masked Ball!

Ao ouvir Jocelyn Pook, Flood, reporto-me a máscaras que interpretam o duplo papel: vendar / desvendar. Ou seja, entendo a necessidade, na urbe actual, do Ser Humano se confrontar com mitos passados que se reinterpretam, numa actualidade mediática, como formas de estar, pensar e sentir de cada individuo como demiurgo, que, possuindo os seus anseios, promove a sua atuação no palco da Vida e do quotidiano. 

Parafraseando Susan Sontag, in Olhando o Sofrimento dos Outros, “As intenções do fotógrafo não determinam o sentido da fotografia, que terá a sua própria carreira, impulsionada pelas paixões e fidelidades das diferentes comunidades que a utilizem”. Assim acontece com os símbolos ou parábolas, neste caso, fotografias como narração alegórica que envolve um preceito moral: Animália como função de ilustrar o desejo e a cumplicidade numa linguagem metafórica de criação do prazer e a respectiva recriação. Mas sem idolatria. Antes a linguagem de humanidade!

Animália! Tripúdio de prelúdio?

Sob a égide do ouro: o Lobo, luxúria e ambição, animal de Poder, com enorme capacidade para amar, mas com um carácter individualista e solitário; a Raposa, astuta e demónio do fogo e com capacidades únicas de sedução, na China são animais voluptuosos (curiosidade: testículos de raposa macerados no vinho eram considerados um elixir infalível de amor) e na Ásia são símbolos eróticos; o Bode, associado à luxúria e à fertilidade, está ligado a Pã, Dionísio e Zeus; o Porco, para católicos é símbolo da tentação e luxúria, impuro para judeus e muçulmanos, mas é associado também à fertilidade e à prosperidade no Antigo Egipto e no Norte da Europa; o Tigre, impetuoso e apaixonado, representa a beleza, a vaidade e a astúcia; o Veado, emblema solar de fertilidade, com forte simbolismo divino, com as suas hastes representam a Árvore da Vida e a regeneração, como fervor sexual figura ao lado de Afrodite e Adónis.

Acabo esta minha dissertação sobre este conjunto fotográfico de obras que compõem a colecção Animália, de Nuno Horta, com a onomatopeia:

PUM! – de olhos bem abertos porque somos animais… e porque não? – PUM! – caçador ou presa? – PUM! – porque cair vale a pena!  PUM! Animália! PUM!

Basta pum basta!!!

Viva o Amor, viva! PIM!

VIEIRA DUQUE

Outubro de 2015"

 [... and my translation into English.]

"Animália, by Nuno Horta

Eyes wide open. PUM!

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

John 13:34

A lens of Nuno Horta aspires to the commotion of the senses, to the communion of portrait photography with passions of a daily life that masks itself, inventing and, perhaps, reinterpreting knowledge and ambitions that do not transcend the Being, but most of all imprison it in an unequal humanity, instead of striking them in their most primary ambitions: the desire that mystifies and makes a beast of itself as in the metamorphoses that comfort and allow the essence of senses: Pleasure.

However, he colours black – like the fertile black of the mud disposed of by the waters of the Nile – scenarios with pieces of maculated and/or obscure sensuality: the darkness or the night of all the contentment as the pigment of Johann Conrad Dippel.

Truth or sin?

May the spectator remain in front of these flashes, tasting either the animal-like abundance of the temptation of Anthony, or the human lust, or simply the beauty and the exuberance of the Being and for existing! The Nature in its sublime Art.

The transcendent in the real everyday life in Leibovitz, or Nan Goldin; the transcendent in a staged artistic aesthetic in Witkin or Saudek; the transcendent of the real staged in a cerebral and empirical artistic aesthetics in the pictures of Nuno Horta, on a stage that is also life and everyday.

In this collection Animália, Nuno Horta surprises us with a more simple scenic attitude, reflecting a maturity in the themes that he interprets, deciphers and expresses in his photo action – as a result, self-interpretative photographs – the essential focus for metaphors, parables and mystifications as an allegorical narration, which translates the devotion for the body, for the human, for the myth, wrapped in a moral precept, that crosses, in the shade, Man and Woman, away from themselves, their daydreaming or longings, by means of zoomorphoses.

Sin versus virtue, or it’s the opposite way? – In virtue the omitted sin! – God or Devil; pleasure or abstinence; abundance or scarcity, Love or the absence, a desire, or fraud; Life or Death; to be or not to be; or, simply, taking away the face of the Human Being, giving it symbols and myths that rescue it from the meshes of any mundane condemnation, granting him the right to have moments, nothing much, of animal behaviour, urban or rural, but always defended, these moments, by the vagaries of permissive and lewd extra-human nature, to a Pure Soul, who is redeemed by animal sacrifice, such Dido for Aeneas, Gilgamesh for Enkidu, Pedro for Inês, or I – anonymous – for You – nobody or the absence of identity.

In the last instance, the infra-human!

The golden mask like apples of Hippomenes to seduce Atalanta and rescue his Love, fulfilling the desire of possession through the victorious race: sweat, fatigue, and, again, the luxury perpetuated in the same gold that inebriates and trick the senses. Male or female, or the opposites, or the same: exchanges and seals of assumed and rejected complicity, side-by-side, not naive or devoid of reflected senses.

This collection is not naive; it is not simply provocative; it is also erotic, stimulating, seductive, and sensually sensitive to the eyes of the Pure Soul. For people who are able to come out with no taboos of infamous mediocrity to be the animal that we are made of or created from.

Dark matter that precedes the Light. Symbolic of the Apocalypse, or Fiat Lux, as chromatic precedent to the Creation. The genesis and fruition of an artistic fertility as the dark clouds that will fertilise the Earth, the impregnated element characterized by the supreme gift of creation: The Wolf & the Fox; The Fox & the Wolf; The Goat; The Pig; The Tiger; The Deer!

Masked Ball!

While listening to Jocelyn Pook, Flood, I refer to the masks that play a double role: to hide/to disclose. That is, I understand the need, in the present day urban life, by the Human Being to be confronted by old myths, which are reinterpreted in a media-ridden reality, as ways of being, thinking and feeling by each individual as a demiurge, who promotes his/her performance on the stage of Life and of the everyday out of his/her longings.

Paraphrasing Susan Sontag, in Regarding the Pain of Others, “The photographer’s intentions do not determine the meaning of the photograph, which will have its own career, blown by the whims and loyalties of the diverse communities who have use for it.” So it is with symbols or parables, in this case, photographs as allegorical narration, which involves a moral precept: Animália with the function of illustrating the desire and complicity in a metaphorical language for the creation of pleasure and recreation. But without idolatry. Nothing but the language of mankind!

Animália! Reproaching of the prelude?

Under the aegis of the gold: the Wolf, lust, and ambition, animal of Power, with enormous capacity to love, but with an individualistic and solitary character; the Fox, cunning and fire devil, and with unique skills of seduction, in China they are voluptuous animals (fun fact: the macerated testicles of fox added to wine were considered to be an unfailing love elixir) and in Asia they are erotic symbols; the Goat, associated with lust and fertility, is connected to Pan, Dionysus and Zeus; the Pig, for Catholics is a symbol of temptation and lust, unclean to Jews and Muslims, but it is also associated with fertility and prosperity in Ancient Egypt and in the North of Europe; the Tiger, fiery and passionate, represents beauty, vanity and cunningness; the Stag, emblem of the sun, of fertility, with a strong divine symbolism, with its antlers representing the Tree of Life and regeneration, as sexual fervour stands next to Aphrodite and Adonis.

I finish my dissertation on this photographic ensemble of the works that compose the Animália collection, by Nuno Horta, with the onomatopoeia:

PUM! – eyes wide open, because we are animals… and why not? – PUM! – hunter or prey? – PUM! – because it is worth to fall!  PUM! Animália! PUM!

Enough pum enough!!!

Hurrah for Love, hurray! PIM!

VIEIRA DUQUE

October 2015"

Revisiting History of Art: translation of text about a “forgotten” collection of Rembrandt original prints [from Portuguese to English]

The original Portuguese text was written by Miguel V. Duque, Director of the Museum of the Foundation Dionísio Pinheiro and Alice Pinheiro, located in Águeda, Portugal. For more on the museum and some of the fine works of art it keeps, I highly recommend visiting the Google Art Project’s page of the foundation…

“Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn produziu gravuras durante quase toda a sua carreira, de 1626 a 1660, até ter sido forçado a vender a sua prensa, deixando, desta forma, a gravura para um segundo plano.

Não sendo conhecido qualquer trabalho seu datado de 1649, ele volta, posteriormente, a dedicar-se à gravura, tendo sido ele mesmo a gravar parcialmente algumas das suas placas. A liberdade artística que votava à sua técnica da gravura foi fundamental para a imortalização do seu trabalho. Sempre muito envolvido em todo o processo de impressão, tendo impresso, pelo menos, os primeiros exemplares das suas gravuras. Começou por utilizar estilo baseado no desenho, que rapidamente largou para adoptar um estilo baseado na pintura, usando uma densa massa de linhas e inúmeras punções de ácido para conseguir diferentes espessuras de linhas. No final dos anos 30 do séc. XVII, revoltou-se contra a sua técnica e passou a usar uma mais simples, com menor utilização de ácido. No seu famoso “Cristo a Pregar”, trabalhou a gravura por estádios, durante os anos 40, gravura essa, que marcou o meio da sua carreira artística, e da qual emergiu o seu estilo final. Embora só tenham sobrevivido as placas dois estádios iniciais, sendo as do primeiro muito raras, evidências de muito mais estádios podem ser observadas nas impressões finais e em muitos dos desenhos que o sobreviveram até hoje.

Durante a década de 50, o auge da sua carreira como gravurista, Rembrandt produziu inúmeras ilustrações da vida de Cristo. Ao contrário do tratamento que anteriormente tinha dado ao tema, Rembrandt focou-se, daí em diante, numa abordagem mais pessoal, e mesmo intimista, do significado dos episódios bíblicos. Na “Apresentação de Jesus no Templo” podemos observar Simião, a quem “O Espírito Santo tinha revelado [...] que não morreria sem primeiro ver o Messias prometido pelo Senhor” (Lucas, 2:28), segura o Menino em direcção ao Sacerdote, enquanto o Sumo-Sacerdote, por trás deste, ostenta uma mitra e um enorme “báculo”. A Virgem e São José ajoelham-se humildemente na sombra no canto inferior esquerdo, e Ana que “ [...] chegou instante, louvava a Deus e falava do Menino a todos os que esperavam a libertação de Jerusalém” (Lucas, 2:38), aparece no canto superior direito em segundo plano. Talvez o mais experimentado gravurista de toda a História da Arte, Rembrandt combinou a gravura, a ponta seca e a água-forte para criar um efeito pictórico riquíssimo. Ao usar uma fina rede de trama no fundo e grupos de linhas paralelas nas figuras, criou uma atmosfera evocativa tal, onde as formas emergem através da meia-luz.

As 282 gravuras de Rembrandt, integrantes da Colecção de Arte do Conde do Ameal, Coimbra, fazendo parte do Leilão do Ameal, de 1921, tendo sido expostas em Lisboa/ SNI em 1948, na Grande Exposição de Gravura Antiga, organizada por Luís Reis‑Santos e vendidas, posteriormente, a Dionísio Pinheiro, entre 1956 e 1958.”

[Now follows my own English translation... your comments are highly appreciated!]

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn produced prints during almost his entire career, from 1626 to 1660, when he was forced to sell his press, leaving prints to a second plan.

No work dated from 1649 is known under his name, nevertheless he later returns to engraving and indeed some of his plates were actually partially engraved by himself. The artistic freedom that he applied to his engraving technique was essential for the immortalization of his work. He was always very involved in the whole process of printing, as he printed at least his early etchings.

He began by using a style based on hand-drawing that he rapidly quit to adopt a method based on painting using a dense mass of lines and numerous acid punctures to achieve different thickness in lines. In the late 30′s of the XVII century, he revolted against his technique and started to use a more simple with less usage of acid. In his famous “Christ Preaching”, he worked the plate by stages during the 40′s; this engraving marked the middle of his artistic career, and from which emerged his final style. Although only the plates of the two initial states have survived to our days (from the first one they are very rare), evidence of more stages can be seen in final copies and many of the prints that have survived to this day.

During the 50′s, the pinnacle of his career as a printmaker, Rembrandt produced countless illustrations of the life of Christ. Unlike the treatment that he had previously given the topic, Rembrandt focused thereafter, on a more personal approach, even intimate, about the meaning of biblical episodes. In “The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple”, we can see Simeon, to whom “had been revealed [...] by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah” (Luke 2:26), holding the boy towards the Priest, while the High Priest, behind him, sporting a turban and a huge “crook”. The Virgin and St. Joseph kneel humbly in the shadow at the bottom left, and Anna that “Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38), appears in the upper right corner in the background. Perhaps the most experienced printmaker of all History of Art, Rembrandt combined engraving, dry-point and etching to create a rich pictorial effect. By using a fine network of plot in the background and groups of parallel lines in the figures, he created such an evocative atmosphere, where forms emerge through the half-light.

The 282 prints by Rembrandt, from the Art Collection of Conde do Ameal, Coimbra, included in the Ameal Auction, in 1921; afterwards they were exhibited in Lisbon/SNI [Secretariado Nacional da Informação/National Secretariat for Information] in 1948, at the Great Exhibition of Ancient Engraving, organized by Luís Reis Santos, and later it was sold to Dionísio Pinheiro, between 1956 and 1958.

As seen on the... Google Art Project!

Bridging cultural gaps would not be possible without translation... in its multiple forms.

There are a few places where translation in the broader sense is a permanent and ongoing effort and necessity, the interpretation and contextualization of historical object is a "transitional" and layered process beyond aesthetics and form vs. function factor. Museums may be one of those space-time jinxes! Now put all that into perspective in an out-of-the-box experience right here on this screen... Nice to see some paintings, decorative arts and national treasures, but what's beyond the looks? What to tell about the route and history of an exotic piece? One of the last projects I found myself immersed into was the translation of the contents for the Google Art Project presence of the Dionísio Pinheiro and Alice Cardoso Pinheiro Foundation, based in Águeda, a small-to-medium-sized Portuguese city.

This almost unnoticed museum lodges a vast collection with unique pieces in Oriental ceramics, Portuguese and European paintings, pottery and silverware, not to mention French Boulle furniture from different periods and a "lost" collection of drawings by a Dutch master... and so on and so on... In case you are in Portugal or visiting check their Facebook page right here to check their events and timetable.

And it is good to mention it was the second Portuguese museum to be invited to feature a selection of pieces, 50, but more will follow. The museum's page on Google Art Project was made available on 25 September 2013.

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Our cooperation with ICLEI

Here you have a 2011 project highlight: our cooperation with ICLEI for the revising of its Portuguese language leaflet translated from English. It followed our linguistic assistance with me as interpreter (English «» Portuguese) to the Director of the Strategic Services of this international organisation during the course of an international seminar during June 2011.

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development.

SEO those translations... please!

When we are dealing with the translation of marketing materials for the Web, such as press releases, features analysis, and usage tutorials, one of the prime priorities to bear in mind is the proper usage of particular keywords in text titles, subtitles, headers and associated tags. This is a legitimate and wise method to ensure the webpage in which the text will be included ranks high in particular websearch engines, such as the ravishing popular "word-magnet & SEO-nemesis" Google.

This is one of the strategies to bring value into the translation process and must be brought into different types of websearch optimization, consider, for instance, news search, local search, video search, and audio search. Translation for SEO must bear in mind the way search engines deploy their results and the search preferences of the target audience, which includes the words or terms used as well as the preferred search engines.

Careful and persistent work is always involved when dealing with a team of translators and designers so that no detail is forgotten while keeping content open for search engines. An example we like using is the huge void left inside PDF files, so many fields to add information which will help sort and rank your document, we are talking about fields, such as, base URL, title, author, subject, keywords, description, copyright status, and others, and all of these are accelerators for page views and website ranking...

In any case, keep an open and proactive approch towards search engine optimization while you translate or proofread texts and documents for the Web, even if there's no SEO manager to offer you guidelines and a sense of priorities for words...

Open publication - Free publishing - More from TwColour

Subtitling project: territorial marketing video for a Portuguese municipality

This is our most recent project for translation and subtitling, but we also intervened to some extent in the production of this documentary. In this case the video piece is over 28 minutes long and features a medium-sized Portuguese municipality (something like 50.000 inhabitants in 350 km2) in central Portugal. The original language is Portuguese.

Check it for yourself!

Translation with Colour® now available at Thumbtack.com

Making yourself seen in the midst of a crowd is not at all that easy. Try to etch in your mind a huge squre full with people - in this case translators or wannabe translators - all of them waving a sign telling the language pairs they work with. The client goes to a balcony equipped with binoculars watching out for the right person...  How to sort the right professional for that urgent translation in order to close the contract? Now imagine you try to go local with this type of search! It's the needle in the haystack...

The solution comes in the form of Thumbtack.com. This nifty website is the ultimate meeting point for people offering services and their clients. What's best Thumbtack is a free service!

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We take this opportunity to talk about Translation with Colour® and about the work we love to do, that is, translation! Now also at Thumbtack.com: Translation with Colour


We are on-schedule, ethical, reliable and cost-effective.

We translate the following language pairs and directions:
» Spanish to English,
» Spanish to Portuguese,
» Portuguese to French,
» Italian to Portuguese,
» Italian to English,
» Italian to French,
» French to Portuguese,
» Portuguese to English,
» English to Portuguese,
» English to French,
» French to English.

We have over 20 years' experience in translating corporate, business-to-business and institutional documents in 5 different languages. Job completion targets are based on method and discipline towards client’s needs. Corporate assignments are completed, keeping in mind the global market and the desired outcomes for the client, so that our services bring value to the organization from a cost-effective point of view.

Our translation experience encompasses documents such as operating agreements, company registration documents, contracts, import certificates, bank letters, resolutions, certificates of authority, government documents, bid applications for funding, and other legal and administrative documents. Our writing and translating activity is indeed very diverse, as it also includes software localization, audio transcription and translation, video subtitling (captions), contents production and localization, in text types such as press releases, reports, blog entries, text rewriting, and other.

Consider us for all your needs related with our working languages for translation, proofreading, subtitling, article (re)writing.

We are on-schedule, ethical, reliable and cost-effective.

Top-notch conference interpreting assignment last June!

June 2011 saw another English/Portuguese interpreting assignment being trusted to Translation with Colour®.
The background for the two days - 6 and 7 June - was the Environment & Sustainability Week promoted by a Portuguese local government which included a conference on the role and responsibilities of municipal authorities for sustainable development. The audience of this seminar was mainly composed by political decision-makers and senior technical staff.

The individuality I was personally assisting was ICLEI expert and United Nations Secretary-General's Adviser, Mr. Ruud Schuthof, during the Portuguese language presentations, while consecutive interpreting had to be performed for the audience in the hall, which included Spanish-language native speakers. This context demanded extra care in pronunciation and use of the microphone as the interpreting was made not from the booth but on open view from the chairman's table.

Interesting, challenging and rewarding!