Lusophone

Lusophones (Portuguese: lusófonos) are people who speak the Portuguese language, either as native speakers or as learners. Similarly, the Lusosphere or Lusophony (Portuguese: Lusofonia) is a community of people who are culturally and linguistically linked to Portugal, either historically or by choice. The idea of a Lusosphere is free of ethnic connotations, in that a Lusophone may not have any Portuguese ancestry at all. The Lusophone world is mainly a legacy of the Portuguese Empire, although Portuguese diaspora and Brazilian diaspora communities have also played a role in spreading the Portuguese language. Even after the collapse of the empire, the corresponding countries continue to exhibit both cultural and political affinities, expressed in the existence of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), created in 1996.

Etymology

The term Lusophone is a classical compound, whereby the combining form "Luso-" derives from the Latin term for an area roughly corresponding to modern Portugal, called Lusitania. The suffix "-phone" derives from the Ancient Greek word φωνή (phōnē), meaning "voice". The use of the term Lusophone mirrors similar terms, such as Anglophone for English-speakers, Francophone for French-speakers, Hispanophone for Spanish-speakers, and Russophone for Russian-speakers. The term is sometimes used in reference to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, similar to the Francophonie.

Official lusophone countries

Country	Population (2014 est.)	More information	Status
Brazil	202,656,788	Portuguese in Brazil	Spoken by vast majority as a native language
Mozambique	24,692,144	Portuguese in Mozambique	Spoken by significant minority as a native language
Angola	19,088,106	Portuguese in Angola	Spoken by minority as a native language
Portugal	10,813,834	Portuguese in Portugal	Spoken by vast majority as a native language
Guinea-Bissau	1,693,398	Portuguese in Guinea-Bissau	Spoken by significant minority as a native language
East Timor	1,201,542	Portuguese in East Timor	Spoken by small minority as a native language
Equatorial Guinea	722,254	Portuguese in Equatorial Guinea	Spoken by significant minority as a native language
Macau	587,914	Portuguese in Macau	Spoken by small minority as a native language
Cape Verde	538,535	Portuguese in Cape Verde	Spoken by majority as a second language
São Tomé and Príncipe	190,428	Portuguese in São Tomé and Príncipe	Spoken by majority as a native language
Total	270,963,252

N.B.:

1. Some linguists argue that Galician, spoken in Galicia, is merely dialect of Portuguese rather than an independent language; this would make northwestern Spain a part of the Portuguese-speaking world.
2. Macau is not a sovereign nation. It is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China (the other being Anglophone Hong Kong, a former British colony).
3. Equatorial Guinea adopted Portuguese as one of its official languages in 2007, being admitted to CPLP in 2014. The use of the Portuguese language in this country is limited. A Portuguese creole is however used, mainly in Annobon and Bioko islands.

See also

• Geographic distribution of Portuguese
• Lusitanic
• Lusophobia
• Lusophone literature
  • Angolan literature
  • Brazilian literature
  • Latin American literature
  • Portuguese literature
• Lusophone music
• Lusophone name

External links

• Words Without Borders explores Lusophone literature in translation
• "lusophone.org" free email for Portuguese-speakers around the world
• Flavours of Lusophony Template:Pt icon