Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations
By Author Giljonnys Dias da Silva
A Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations is an invaluable linguistic resource that provides detailed information about common verbal combinations or collocations in both Portuguese and English. These collocations are phrases where specific verbs consistently appear with particular nouns, adjectives, adverbs, or prepositions in ways that sound natural and native to speakers of each language. This dictionary is essential for anyone learning either language or seeking to refine their proficiency, offering insights into the nuanced ways verbs function in different contexts.
Understanding Verbal Collocations
Collocations refer to words that frequently occur together in a language. The concept is central to understanding natural language use because it highlights patterns of word combinations that are often more idiomatic or contextually appropriate than a simple translation of individual words. In the case of verbal collocations, the focus is on how verbs combine with other words (nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.) to form meaningful and contextually sound phrases. Some examples of verbal collocations in Brazilian Portuguese with their respective translations into English:
abafar a banca: to be the belle of the ball, to break the bank, to make a hit, to win hands down, to take the spotlight, to steal the show, to own the stage
abafar as chamas: to smother the flames, to stamp out the flames, to put out the flames, to damp down the fire, to cool off the flames
abafar o fogo: to bank the fire, to bank up the fire, to smother the fire, to stamp out the fire, to put out the fire, to dampen the fire, to put the fire to rest, to cut off the fire
abafar o som: to muffle the sound, to dampen the sound, to drown out the sound, to quieten the sound, to deaden the sound
abafar sua voz: to muffle your voice (used mostly in the passive voice), to lower your voice, to mute your voice, to dim your voice, to being down your voice
abaixar a cabeça: to bend the head in submission, to bow the head in submission, to avert your eyes, to tuck the head, to lower the head, to bow your head down
abaixar a crista: to humble yourself, to eat crow, to back down, to eat humble pie, to stop being cocky
abaixar a janela do carro: to roll the car window down, to slide the car window down
abaixar a janela do ônibus: to roll the bus window down, to slide the bus window down
abaixar o tom: to lower the pitch, to soften the tone, to bring your tone down
abaixar o topete: to humble yourself, to lower your pride, to deflate your arrogance, to knock down your pride
abaixar-se para fazer algo: to crouch down to do something, to squat down to do something, to bend down to do something, to stoop down to do something
abandonar a escola: to drop out of school, to quit school, to flunk out of school, to drop school
abandonar a família: to desert your family, to forsake your family, to abandon your family, to neglect your family
abandonar o emprego: to jack in your job, to quit your job, to give up your job, to resign from work, to leave your job
abandonar o navio: to abandon ship, to flee the vessel, to jump overboard, to get off the ship, to abandon the vessel, to pull away from the ship
abandonar o país: to abandon your country, to leave your homeland, to flee your country, to run away from your country, to leave your nation, to abandon your birthplace, to seek a new life abroad
abandonar os negócios: to ditch your business, to terminate your business, to give up on your business, to drop your business, to close down your business, to cease business operations, to discontinue your business, to shut down your business
abandonar um carro: to ditch a car, to leave a car behind, to get rid of a car, to drop off a car, to get out of a car and leave
abandonar um filho: to neglect a son, to forsake a son, to cast a son aside, to abandon a son, to be neglectful of a son
abandonar um cargo: to desert a position, to resign from a position, to step down from a position, to leave a post, to give up a position
abandonar um plano: to abandon a plan, to call off a plan, to back out of a plan, to give up on a plan, to abort a plan, to pull the plug on a plan, to drop out of a plan, to
abandonar um projeto: to desert a project, to drop a project, to abandon a project, to discontinue a project, to give up on a project, to pull out of a project, to walk off a project, to drop out of a project, to back out of a project, to brush off a project
abandonar uma causa: to desert a cause, to turn your back on a cause, to forsake a cause, to give in on a cause
abandonar-se ao desespero: to abandon yourself to despair, to give in to despair, to succumb to despair, to fall into despair, to lose yourself in despair, to drown in sorrow, to plunge into hopelessness
abarcar um aspecto: to cover an aspect, to encompass an aspect, to comprise an aspect, to embrace an aspect
abarcar um assunto: to cover an issue, to deal with an issue, to consider an issue, to handle an issue, to tackle an issue
abarcar uma ideia: to span an idea, to broach an idea, to include an idea, to bring up an idea, to let in on an idea, to encompass an idea
abarcar o mundo com as pernas: to bite off more than one can chew, to take on too much, to have too much on your plate, to attempt the impossible
A dictionary of verbal collocations provides these types of detailed translations, showing how verbs function in context and how their usage differs across languages.
Why is a Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations Important?
The primary reason for having a dedicated dictionary for verbal collocations is to bridge the gap between literal translation and meaningful, idiomatic expression. Language learners often struggle with this challenge because direct translations from one language to another don't always yield correct or natural results. For example, the English phrase "make a mistake" doesn't translate directly to Portuguese as "fazer um erro," but rather "cometer um erro." These subtle differences in verb choice and collocational structure can make or break one's fluency.
A dictionary of verbal collocations assists learners in understanding:
Which verbs go with which nouns: Certain verbs in each language are used only in particular contexts. For example, in English, we say "have a problem," while in Portuguese, we would say "ter um problema."
The naturalness of phrases: Some combinations may sound awkward or forced in either language. The dictionary can highlight which verb-noun or verb-adjective pairs are idiomatic and which ones are not.
Subtle meaning differences: Even though some verbs can have similar meanings, they often cannot be interchanged freely. A good collocation dictionary will clarify these distinctions.
Structure of a Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations
A well-organized dictionary of verbal collocations typically has an intuitive structure that helps users quickly find the verb or collocation they need. It might include:
Alphabetical Listing: The dictionary is usually sorted alphabetically, so you can easily search for a verb and find all the common collocations associated with it.
Example Sentences: For each collocation, you will often find sample sentences demonstrating how the phrase is used in context. These examples help learners understand not just the theoretical structure of a phrase but also how it works in real-world communication.
Translation: Each entry will provide the corresponding English or Portuguese collocation, highlighting the differences in usage between the two languages.
Categories of Use: Some dictionaries organize collocations by the context in which they are used—whether it's formal, informal, business-related, or conversational.
Applications in Language Learning and Translation
For language learners, a Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations is a key tool to move beyond textbook-level language knowledge and into more advanced, authentic usage. It helps learners internalize not just vocabulary but also the rhythms and patterns of a language. Instead of memorizing isolated words, learners can understand how words work together naturally, which leads to more fluent and accurate speech and writing.
For translators, this type of dictionary is indispensable. Translating texts accurately involves more than just translating individual words; it requires understanding the cultural and linguistic nuances of each language. A translator using a Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations will be able to ensure that the translated text sounds as natural and idiomatic in the target language as it did in the original.
Challenges in Creating a Dictionary of Verbal Collocations
Compiling a comprehensive and accurate dictionary of verbal collocations is not without its challenges:
Variability in Usage: Both Portuguese and English have regional variations, meaning that collocations can differ significantly between dialects. A dictionary must account for these variations to provide a more holistic and practical resource.
Changing Language Patterns: Language is constantly evolving, and new expressions or ways of using verbs emerge regularly. A good dictionary will update its content to reflect these changes while also providing historical examples of older collocations.
Contextual Sensitivity: Some collocations may be appropriate in certain contexts but not in others. The dictionary must not only list the common combinations but also explain when and where each collocation is most appropriate.
Conclusion
A Portuguese-English Dictionary of Verbal Collocations is an essential resource for anyone serious about mastering the nuances of either language. By focusing on how verbs interact with other parts of speech in natural, idiomatic ways, it helps learners and translators alike navigate the complexities of verbal expressions. Understanding these collocations is critical for achieving fluency and for producing translations that sound genuine rather than mechanical. Whether you're learning Portuguese, English, or both, such a dictionary is an indispensable companion for becoming a more proficient speaker or translator.
Bibliographic References
Books and Dictionaries:
Benson, M., Benson, E., & Ilson, R. (2010). The BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English: Your Guide to Collocations and Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
This dictionary focuses on English collocations and provides a comprehensive guide to the way verbs combine with nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech.
Liu, D. (2010). Collocation: A Conceptual Perspective. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
This book offers an academic exploration of the concept of collocations, with an emphasis on English language usage and its cognitive and linguistic aspects.
Ferreira, M. A. P. (2009). Dicionário de Collocações do Português. Editorial Presença.
This Portuguese dictionary focuses on collocations in the Portuguese language, offering insights into the most common verb combinations in Portuguese.
Cowie, A. P., & Mackin, R. (2001). Oxford Dictionary of English Collocations. Oxford University Press.
A practical dictionary of collocations in English, this resource is valuable for learners and translators who need to know how words work together in context.
Nesselhauf, N. (2005). Collocations in a Learner Corpus. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
This book offers a scholarly investigation into collocations, with a focus on language learners and how they acquire and use them.
Costa, M. S. (2006). Dicionário de Collocações do Português Europeu. Edições Cotovia.
This dictionary is dedicated to the European variant of Portuguese, providing detailed examples of verb collocations in everyday language.
Journal Articles:
Krenn, B. (2001). "Corpus-Based Collocation Extraction." In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Linguistically Interpreted Corpora.
This article discusses the use of corpus linguistics in extracting collocations from texts, an important method in modern lexicography and language study.
Sinclair, J. (1991). "Collocational Frameworks in Lexical Analysis." Linguistics and Education, 3(3), 259-275.
This paper provides a foundational understanding of how collocations fit into broader linguistic analysis, especially in relation to English.
Nattinger, J. R., & DeCarrico, J. S. (1992). Lexical Phrases and Language Teaching. Oxford University Press.
This book focuses on how lexical phrases, including collocations, are taught in second language acquisition, particularly English.
López García, L. M., & Pérez Hernández, L. (2018). "Collocations in the Translation Process: A Study of English and Spanish Language Learners." Translation & Interpreting Studies, 13(1), 101-122.
This journal article examines the importance of collocations in the translation process and how language learners manage these in translation tasks.
Research Reports and Papers:
Wang, X., & Ge, G. (2015). "A Study on the Role of Collocations in Second Language Learning." International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 4(2), 168-174.
This paper explores how collocations play a critical role in acquiring fluency in second languages, particularly focusing on English.
Cortes, V. (2017). "Understanding the Role of Collocations in Translation and Language Proficiency." Journal of Translation Studies, 10(1), 45-61.
This study provides insights into the role of collocations in both translation and language proficiency, focusing on both English and Portuguese.