Brazilian capital outlaws the use of gerunds
12:58 H | Topics: Brazil - Language
Can a change in the way we speak change our behavior? The capital of Brazil, Brasilia, thinks so: they've outlawed the use of gerunds such as "doing", "studying", etc. because this verb form is associated with an inefficient government:
The governor of the Federal District of Brazil, José Roberto Arruda, has ordered regional public employees to abolish the use of gerunds, a measure that he defines as a "nice" message against inefficiency.Local government calls the use of gerunds "a plague", which only serves to make excuses for unsolved problems.
Upon defending the decision, Arruda said that he has lost patience with some members of his own government who are always "doing", "getting", "studying", "sending" or "preparing" but never finish their work or establish ways to finish it.
Meanwhile, one Brazilian university professor says that Arruda's measure only shows that he is "profoundly ignorant about the Portuguese language", since the gerund is a verb category that cannot be eliminated from use.
Via / 20 Minutos
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Feedback (2) » Share your opinion
1. Louis Pagan ~ Wednesday, Oct 03 2007 | 14:45H:
The way you think can change your behavior. And if you are watching your tongue, then you are mindful of your thoughts. So, if everyone is serious about this then it can create a change.
The only problem is I am not sure how he is going to replace the words (gerunds), which he so loathes.
2. Erwin C. ~ Wednesday, Oct 03 2007 | 16:22H:
A suggestion for Senhor Arruda-
pay more attention to the inept politicos that use such "inefficient" words rather than the words themselves.



