(Dis)similarities between brazilian portuguese and mandarin: a contrastive semantic analysis of nem todos (os) and bù dōu and pedagogical possibilities in PAL teaching
- V. 25, N. 2 (2026)
- Submitted: Sep 24, 2025
- Published: Sep 18, 2026
- DOI 10.25189/rabralin.v25i2.2347
Abstract
This article provides a contrastive analysis of the constructions nem todos (os) in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and bù dōu (“not all”) in Mandarin, focusing on their formal-semantic properties and implications for the teaching of Portuguese as an Additional Language (PAL). Following Quadros Gomes (2023), we argue that nem functions as a discourse-structuring particle: when combined with todo, it denies the universality of quantification and corrects expectations of totality anchored in the conversational background. In contrast, bù dōu in Mandarin operates as a more general sentential negation, without equivalent positional restrictions. We also compare these constructions with todos não/dōu bù, which express total negation and are frequently lexicalized in BP as ninguém/nenhum (“nobody/none”). After formally examining these interactions between negation and quantification, we propose a task-based pedagogical activity designed to foster the meaningful use of nem todos (os) in the teaching of BP to Mandarin speakers. We conclude that such contrastive analyses not only deepen the formal-semantic description but also provide pedagogical insights for integrating form and meaning in the language classroom.
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