Bases da ortografia portuguesa

In this compact but thorough work, two nineteenth‑century scholars lay out a systematic blueprint for modern Portuguese spelling. Drawing on linguistic research and the practical frustrations of printers, they argue that orthography must serve the whole nation, not the whims of individual writers or regional press. The first section spells out fundamental principles—language as a social fact, the need for historical continuity, and the distinction between pronunciation and enunciation.

Beyond theory, the authors present concrete rules for handling vowels, consonants, and accent marks, illustrated with excerpts from contemporary publications. Their appeal to the successful reforms of Spanish and Italian orthographies provides a comparative perspective that still resonates with today’s language planners. Listeners will gain a clear sense of how a unified, scientific spelling system was envisioned in a time of rapid cultural change, offering both historical insight and practical guidance.