Portuguese is the fifth most-spoken language in the world, with about 260 million speakers (and growing to an expected 400 million by 2050), the third most spoken in the West, the most widely spoken in the Southern Hemisphere, an official language in 9 countries and other regions. It is present in Europe, South America, Africa, and parts of Asia.…

A review of higher education Portuguese language programs explores the characteristics of these programs between 1945 and 1979 and enrollment in the 1980s. A discussion focuses on how recent developments in French and Spanish applied linguistics and new teaching methodologies and materials will affect the future development of such programs. (CB)