Brazilian federal prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against Globo, the country’s largest media conglomerate, demanding over $6 million in damages and daily fines for the alleged systematic mispronunciation of the word “recorde.” The legal action, reported by UOL, centers on the broadcaster’s consistent use of “récorde” – a pronunciation deemed incorrect by linguistic authorities.
The lawsuit requests that Globo be legally obligated to instruct its reporters and presenters on the correct pronunciation of “recorde,” which, according to the Volp (Vocabulário Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa), is a paroxytone word. Prosecutors are also seeking a daily fine of R$50,000 (approximately $10,000 USD) for non-compliance and a minimum of R$10 million (approximately $2 million USD) in compensation for damages to the cultural heritage of the Portuguese language.
The filing cites three specific video examples of the mispronunciation. One instance highlighted involves Cesar Tralli, an anchor for the Jornal Nacional, who used “récorde” while reporting on the number of Brazilian athletes participating in the Winter Olympics. According to the lawsuit, the correct use of standard Portuguese is “not an aesthetic option, but a model of quality and administrative efficiency.”
Prosecutors argue that while the pronunciation “récorde” is common in certain contexts – particularly when referring to exceptional achievements, such as “breaking a record” – it remains linguistically incorrect. Carol Jesper, a linguist and author of “Não foi isso que eu quis dizer” (“That’s Not What I Meant”), explained that Brazilians generally do not struggle with the correct pronunciation when using the verb “recordar” (to remember).
Globo has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit or the allegations of systematic mispronunciation, according to reporting by UOL. The case is ongoing and it remains to be seen how the broadcaster will respond to the legal challenge.
