Besides football there is one more thing that makes Brazil a well-known country, Brazilian Carnival. The annual affair is held in Rio de Janerio and is considered the biggest carnival in the world with nearly two million people singing and dancing on the streets every day.This year the carnival was held from 5th February to 10th February. For five days it was all about seductive rhythms and scantily clad dancers, with viewers from across the globe flocking the beautiful Brazilian city. To celebrate the occasion, we have leaped into the interesting vocabulary of the Brazilian carnival to bring-forth a list of words that will help you understand one of the most famous spring events in the world.
This year the carnival was held from 5th February to 10th February. For five days it was all about seductive rhythms and scantily clad dancers, with viewers from across the globe flocking the beautiful Brazilian city. To celebrate the occasion, we have leaped into the interesting vocabulary of the Brazilian carnival to bring-forth a list of words that will help you understand one of the most famous spring events in the world
Carnival
Before anything else, it is important to understand the word carnival itself. The noun was derived from Italian words carnevale, carnovale. It is called as carnival in Portuguese. The Italian and Portuguese words are related to Medieval Latin that includes words such as carnelevārium, carnilevāria, and carnilevāmen.
Rio de Janeiro
The capital of the Brazilian carnival, it was originally called São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, named after a 3rd-century saint Sebastian the King of Portugal from 1557 to 1578. Further, when the Portuguese sailed into the city in 1501 through the bay and mistook it for the mouth of a river, they named the bay as ‘River of January.’ This name in-turn applied to the whole city, and that is how Rio de Janeiro received its name from the Portuguese. Today, the city is often referred as just ‘Rio’.
Samba
Samba is a Portuguese term of African origin. It is both a dance for as well as a type of music, typically associated with South American carnival traditions. Also, samba is probably the first word that comes to mind when people talk about Brazilian carnival. However, the derivation of the word is uncertain.
Abadá
Abadá is a word of African origin that came to Brazil through African Muslims. It is referred as colorful tops worn by the blocos. Besides this, it is also known as a white tunic that African Muslims wear when offering prayers and also as a loose-fitted white trousers worn by players while performing capoeira.
Frevo
In the northeast part of the country, carnival tradition is different from that in Rio. Frevo is a trendy form of music and dance that has its origin in the Recife area and is connected with the carnaval de rua. The word finds it derivation from a variant of the Portuguese ferver, which means ‘to boil’.
Folião
Any individual taking part in carnival is a folião. The word when translated to English is known as a reveler. It thus denotes someone enjoying in a lively and noisy way. And that is what the Brazilian carnival is all about – enjoyment.
Wrapping Up
So, if you are planning to head to Brazil to be a part of the extravaganza next time around, make sure you avail language translation service because conversing with locals can prove to be a difficult task. Give a call at 888-670-3369 to know more about the service.