"The written language at the heart of Chinese civilization was designed for the production of a conservative elite and the exclusion of the masses from their activities. The contrast could scarcely be greater with the competing vernaculars of Europe – Italian, French and Castilian as well as Portuguese and English – usable for elite literature but readily accessible to a wider public with relatively simple and easily scalable education."

"The Portuguese language remained a lingua franca in Bengal as late as the eighteenth century. Clive, who could never give an order in any native language, was said to speak fluent Portuguese. The first three books printed in the Bengali language were printed in Latin characters in Lisbon in 1743, and it was a Portuguese who composed the first Bengali prose work and the first Bengali grammar and dictionary. In Modern Bengali, articles of common use, items used in Christian services, and plants often go by their Portuguese names; e.g., ag-bent (holy water), alpin (pin), altar (altar), ananas (pineapple), balti (bucket), bispa (bishop), botel (bottle), spanj (sponge), girja (church), tamak (tobacco), piyara (pear), ata (custard apple), veranda, etc. Other Portuguese words have passed into the English language, including caste, peon, padre, papaya, plantain, cobra, mosquito, pomfret, and palmyra."

"The Portuguese language is beautiful, rich and resounding, less sluggish and hard than German and English, more energic and phonetically diverse than Italian, softer and more natural than Spanish and superior in every aspect to French."

"This new request is for additional radio and television to Latin America and Southeast Asia. These tools are particularly effective and essential in the cities and villages of those great continents as a means of reaching millions of uncertain peoples to tell them of our interest in their fight for freedom. In Latin America, we are proposing to increase our Spanish and Portuguese broadcasts to a total of 154 hours a week, compared to 42 hours today, none of which is in Portuguese, the language of about one-third of the people of South America. The Soviets, Red Chinese and satellites already broadcast into Latin America more than 134 hours a week in Spanish and Portuguese. Communist China alone does more public information broadcasting in our own hemisphere than we do. Moreover, powerful propaganda broadcasts from Havana now are heard throughout Latin America, encouraging new revolutions in several countries. Similarly, in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, we must communicate our determination and support to those upon whom our hopes for resisting the communist tide in that continent ultimately depend. Our interest is in the truth."

"Like most colonial administrations, that of the Italians in Libya disregarded the culture of the Africans. However, after the fascist Mussolini came to power, the disregard gave way to active hostility, especially in relation to the Arabic language and the Moslem religion. The Portuguese and Spanish had always shown contempt for African language and religion. Schools of kindergarten and primary level for Africans in Portuguese colonies were nothing but agencies for the spread of the Portuguese language. Most schools were controlled by the Catholic church, as a reflection of the unity of church and state in fascist Portugal. In the little-known Spanish colony of Guinea (Rio Muni), the small amount of education given to Africans was based on eliminating the use of local languages by the pupils and on instilling in their hearts "the holy fear of God.""

"Knowing English is important, but for us Venezuelans I think it would also be important to know Portuguese. For that reason, we should evaluate the possibility of it being taught in our schools."

"Vida sem amigo, morte sem castigo."

"Vai muito do dizer ao fazer."

"Voz do povo, voz de Deus."

"A mal desesperado, remédio heróico."

"A pedra he dura, e a gota d'agoa he miuda, mas cahindo de continuo, faz cavadura."

"A pai guardador, filho gastador guardador ."

"A preguiça é a chave da pobrez."

"A quem sabe esperar ensejo, tudo vem a seu tempo e desejo."

"A História se repete."

"A curiosidade matou o gato."

"A necessidade não tem lei, mas a da fome sobre todas pode."

"Ainda que vistas a mona de seda, mona se queda."

"Actos falam mais do que palavras."

"A mór pressa major vagar."

"Alcança quem não cansa."

"Antes não começar que não acabar."

"Ao médico, ao letrado e ao abade, falar verdade."

"As aparências iludem. or, equivalently, As aparências enganam."

"Às vezes até o bom Homero dormita"

"Antes só do que mal acompanhado. (Brazil and Portugal)"

"Amigos amigos, negócios à parte.’’"

"Amor, fogo, e tosse, A seu dono descobre."

"Amor verdadeiro, não envelhece."

"Ajuda-te que Deus te ajudará."

"A fome é o melhor tempero."

"Água mole em pedra dura, tanto dá até que fura."

"Ao bom varão, terras alheias pátria são."

"Até ao lavar dos cestos é vindima."

"Agarram-se os pássaros pelo bico e os homens pela língua.."

"A mentiroso, boa memória."

"Ao homem amado a fortuna lhe dá a mão."

"As paredes têm ouvidos."

"A noite é boa conselheira."

"A verdade é clara e a mentira sombra."

"Bem parece o rego entre mim e meu compa nheiro."

"Bem sabe mandar quem bem sabe obedecer."

"Boca de mel, coração de fel."

"Bom exemplo e boas razões avassalam os coracões."

"Cabeça que não tem juízo, quem o paga é o corpo."

"Cada cabelo faz sua sombra na terra."

"Cada carneiro por seu pé pende."

"Cada coisa a seu tempo."

"Cão que ladra não morde."

"Antes de mil anos todos seremos brancos."