'Portunhol': language, history and politics

Abstract

Portunhol is defined as a language resulting from the linguistic contact between Portuguese and Spanish and is identified as a contact language but also an ethnic language of speakers from bordering communities in the Northern region of Uruguay and extreme Southern Brazil. This article aims at clarifying which social, political and identitary aspects contribute to differentiate Portunhol as an ethnic language from Portunhol as an interlanguage, from Portunhol as a social interaction language and from Savage Portunhol from literary texts, which is used for aesthetical purposes. Therefore, the historical and political aspects that have led Portunhol to be claimed as cultural heritage have also been taken into consideration.