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Portuguese Language in Goa 

- Tony Correia-Afonso


One should not be surprised to find that there are still people in Goa who speak Portuguese. Although their number is steadily dwindling, there is still a considerable number (particularly among those belonging to a pre-liberation generation like myself) who speak the language of Camoens.

Since we have been relating anecdotes on this list, I would like to share an experience of my late father Prof. Francisco Correia-Afonso, which has a bearing on this subject. He was a Professor of English, an Oxonian and a well-known public speaker in his day. Although he never got beyond secondary school (segundo grau) studies in Portuguese, he was an examiner at the B.A. examination in Portuguese of the Bombay University! He always insisted that we converse in Portuguese at the family dinner table, saying that we would learn enough English in school and college.

Sometime in the late forties (I was a teenager at the time!) we were all invited to attend the wedding of  Eng. Balkrishna Naique, Chief Engineer of the P.W.D. and son of Prof. Ramachondra Naique, a close family friend and colleague of my aunt Propercia C.A. de Figueredo at the Escola Normal. The wedding was held in Ponda and since the bride's father Justice Rau was a Judge of the High Court, all the top dignitaries led by the Governor-General (I think it was Quintanilha at that time) were there.

Without any prior intimation and on the spur of the moment Prof. Naique requested my father to raise the toast, which had obviously to be in Portuguese. He was rather hesitant, particularly considering the distinguished gathering, but could not refuse such a close family friend. He agreed, but on one condition - that he should be given a quiet room to collect his thoughts and a glass of champagne to stimulate his brain!

As it turned out, he was at his scintillating best and put on quite a performance, which impressed all present. The Governor's wife enquired from the host as to who my father was and was told that he was a "Professor of English at the Bombay University", at which she turned to my father and said:"O Senhor e Professor de Ingles mas fala o Portugues melhor do que nos!" (Sir, you are a Professor of English but you speak Portuguse better than us!)

Tony Correia-Afonso July 2000