Help with Writing Portuguese
I have never been to Brazil or Portugal, only Macau. In Macau, I didn't find many Portuguese speakers, only ghost reminders of Portuguese on menus, etc.
I say this by way of explanation. I learned what I know of Portuguese by studying on my own.
As a result, I write with elements of both European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. I don't even know which is which when I write. I've been advised to stick to one style, but I'm clueless. Is there a classic handbook for writing style for Portuguese and a style book for Brazilian Portuguese?
Stick to European Portuguese because in Brazil the writing is closer to European style than to Brazilian vernicular usage, and now when the spelling has been unified, the differences in high style will be minimal.
Thank-you, Hus. Could you recommend any style book? I mean a handbook for writing correctly (including punctuation)?
Here are some questionable things I wrote:
(se mudaram, me dizia) Is this Brazilian usage? How should I say it in European usage?
"interessar-me" "dar-lhe" Is this European or Brazilian usage?
If European, how would I write it in the Brazilian way?
I've been using FSI Portuguese and a mixture of Portuguese and Brazilian books and podcasts. I guess I should pay more attention to the origin of the writer.
"interessar-me" "dar-lhe" Is this European or Brazilian usage?
If European, how would I write it in the Brazilian way?
It is both European and Brazilian, if you read Brazilian newspapers you would find ''interessar-me'', ''dar-lhe'', it is the form promoted by Brazilians professors of Portuguese, and Brazilian students are required to use in writing.
Gallega is right, although it is often used here as in french, so instead of "Interessar-me" we say, "me interessar". "dar-lhe" as "lhe dar" and so on.
Thanks to all of you. Thank-you for the link, Ren. I've added it to my favs.