CHEGADA E EXPANASAO DA LÍNGUA PORTUGUESA EM CUBA

Abstract

The purpose of this research is tracking down the Portuguese language in Cuba. It first came with Christopher Columbus’ arrival on the island in the late 15^th century. It continued to make inroads into the country with the first dwellers of Havana village, who included a high percentage of Portuguese descendants coming from the Canary Islands. Others settled down in Cuba, to work or other reasons, and left a legacy. Their presence created a need for the study of the Portuguese language, consolidated in the second half of the twentieth century.

This paper covers the imprint of the Portuguese language on the Caribbean island, where it is taught today under the sponsorship of the Camões Institute from Portugal. This kind of academic and cultural exchange between the two peoples is promoted by the Cuban educational and cultural system.