C1 — Advanced·10 min read·Literary Fiction·work

A Arte de Articular o Inarticulável

Uma diplomata tenta articular as exigências de dois países em conflito, descobrindo que articular a verdade pode ser mais difícil do que qualquer negociação.

Theme verbarticular—to articulate / to express clearly

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Story opening — Portuguese with English Translation

Sofia Carvalho tinha aprendido, ao longo de vinte e dois anos de carreira diplomática, que articular a posição de um país era muito mais do que traduzir palavras. Articulava interesses, articulava medos não confessados, articulava a distância entre o que um governo dizia querer e o que na verdade estava disposto a aceitar. Essa capacidade — essa arte de articular o inarticulável — era o que a tornava valiosa em negociações onde outros falhariam. Mas nunca tinha enfrentado nada semelhante à crise que a aguardava em Bruxelas naquele março cinzento.

Sofia Carvalho had learned, over twenty-two years of diplomatic career, that articulating a country's position was far more than translating words. She articulated interests, articulated unconfessed fears, articulated the distance between what a government said it wanted and what it was actually prepared to accept. That capacity — that art of articulating the inarticulable — was what made her valuable in negotiations where others would fail. But she had never faced anything like the crisis awaiting her in Brussels that grey March.

A situação era delicada em grau extremo. Portugal e uma antiga colónia africana encontravam-se num impasse sobre a renegociação de um tratado de cooperação económica que expirara havia dois anos. Os negociadores anteriores não tinham conseguido articular uma proposta que ambas as partes considerassem aceitável. Sofia foi chamada pessoalmente pelo Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros, que lhe disse, sem rodeios: — Sofia, precisamos que articules algo que faça as duas delegações sentirem que ganharam sem que nenhuma delas perceba o que cedeu.

"Sofia, we need you to articulate something that makes both delegations feel they have won without either of them realising what they gave up." The situation was delicate to an extreme degree. Portugal and a former African colony were at an impasse over the renegotiation of an economic cooperation treaty that had expired two years earlier. Previous negotiators had been unable to articulate a proposal both parties found acceptable. Sofia was summoned personally by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who told her plainly:

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Vocabulary Glossary

WordMeaning
articularto articulate / to express clearly / to link together
diplomaciadiplomacy / the art of negotiation between states
impassedeadlock / stalemate / impasse
delegaçãodelegation / diplomatic party
parceria estratégicastrategic partnership
dependência pós-colonialpost-colonial dependency
sessão plenáriaplenary session / full assembly meeting
emendaamendment / clause modification
tratado de cooperaçãocooperation treaty
cobertura políticapolitical cover / protection from political fallout
arquitectura de compromissoarchitecture of compromise / framework for agreement
acta de sessãosession minutes / meeting record
Ministro dos Negócios EstrangeirosMinister of Foreign Affairs / Foreign Minister
cláusulaclause / provision (in a treaty)
renegociaçãorenegotiation
inarticulávelinarticulable / impossible to put into words
cerimónia austeraaustere ceremony / simple formal occasion
intercâmbio académicoacademic exchange (programme)
fundo de investimento partilhadoshared investment fund
reunião informalinformal meeting / off-the-record conversation
sem rodeioswithout beating about the bush / plainly
pigarrearto clear one's throat (to signal discomfort)
nota pessoalpersonal note / private observation added to a report
entrar em vigorto come into force / to take effect
linguagem de futuroforward-looking language / future-oriented framing
diminuir uma parteto diminish a party / to make a side feel smaller
esboçodraft / rough outline / sketch
caneta de assinaturasigning pen (used at formal treaty ceremonies)
em boa féin good faith
relatório internointernal report / confidential document
comunicado oficialofficial communiqué / formal statement
medo não confessadounconfessed fear / hidden anxiety
ponto de partida comumcommon starting point / shared foundation
noche en blancosleepless night (from Portuguese: noite em branco)
longo prazolong term
trair a confiançato betray trust / to break faith
noite insonesleepless night
in verbisin the exact words (Latin, used in legal/diplomatic contexts)
falar às câmarasto speak to the cameras / to perform for the media
concessãoconcession / give-up in a negotiation
pasta de trabalhowork folder / briefcase file
articulavawas articulating (imperfect)
articulouarticulated (past of articular)
articularahad articulated (pluperfect)
articuleiI articulated (past of articular)
articulámoswe articulated (past of articular)
articuláveisarticulable (plural) / expressible
diplomatadiplomat
carreira diplomáticadiplomatic career
posiçãoposition / stance
interessesinterests (plural)
medosfears (plural)
governogovernment
distânciadistance / gap
valiosavaluable (feminine)
crisecrisis
BruxelasBrussels
marçoMarch
cinzentogrey / dull
delicadadelicate / sensitive
colónia africanaAfrican colony / former colony
expirarto expire / to lapse
expirarahad expired (pluperfect)
negociadoresnegotiators (plural)
Ministro dos Negócios EstrangeirosMinister of Foreign Affairs
cedeugave up / conceded (past of ceder)
cederto give up / to concede
actasminutes / records (plural)
perdaloss
influência económicaeconomic influence
desastre controladocontrolled disaster / managed chaos
rigidezrigidity / inflexibility
memorizadomemorised (past participle)
tomar notasto take notes
em privadoin private / privately
representanterepresentative
suspeitasuspicion / distrust
pigarreoucleared his throat (past of pigarrear)
sessões privadasprivate sessions
confirmarto confirm
opostasopposing / contrary (plural feminine)
notas densasdense notes / detailed notes
arquitectura de compromissoarchitecture of compromise / framework for agreement
linguagem da dependêncialanguage of dependency
intençõesintentions (plural)
vitóriavictory
pormenoresdetails (plural)
formalmenteformally / officially
precauçãocaution / care
emendas menoresminor amendments
assinadasigned (feminine past participle)
trocaramexchanged (past of trocar)
canetaspens (plural)
câmarascameras
encostadaleaning (feminine past participle)
abanoushook (past of abanar)
levementeslightly / gently
fracassofailure
vontadewillingness / will
diminuirto diminish / to reduce
conjuntamentejointly / together
gabineteoffice / study
expressão especialparticular expression / special reaction
pastafolder / file
jáalready / now
aindastill / yet
semprealways
nuncanever
tambémalso / too
muitovery / much
bemwell
apenasonly / just
claroclear / of course
realmentereally / truly
finalmentefinally
especialmenteespecially
talvezperhaps / maybe
acta de sessãosession minutes / meeting record
negociarto negotiate
negociaçãonegotiation
falharto fail
falhariamwould fail (conditional)
chamadacalled / summoned (feminine past participle)
relerto reread
releureread (past of reler)
dormirto sleep
horas por noitehours per night
procurarto seek / to look for
procuravawas seeking (imperfect)
realmentereally / truly
perderto lose
linguagemlanguage / framing
existiaexisted (imperfect of existir)
completamentecompletely
saídaway out / exit
ofenderto offend
ouviulistened / heard (past of ouvir)
palavrafloor / speaking turn (in a meeting)
dada a palavragiven the floor / invited to speak
amanhãtomorrow
propostaproposal
diferentedifferent
misturamixture / combination
surpresasurprise
tardeafternoon
em separadoseparately
essencialessential / fundamental
vontade de não repetirwill not to repeat
passadopast
trabalhouworked (past of trabalhar)
substituirto replace / to substitute
substituíssewould replace (imperfect subjunctive)
tratadotreaty
sobrevivemsurvive / outlive (present)
quatro da manhãfour in the morning
hábitohabit
antigoold / longstanding
verificarto check / to verify
assistenteassistant
BernardoBernardo (assistant character)
aceitarto accept
aceitoI accept (present of aceitar)
mencionarto mention
ninguémnobody / no one
Dr. Adama DialloAfrican representative character
chátea
coberturacover / protection
acordoagreement
assinaturasignature / signing
observarto observe / to watch
relatórioreport
acrescentouadded (past of acrescentar)
raramenterarely
quase semprealmost always
anunciaramannounced (past of anunciar)
programaprogramme
partilhadoshared (past participle)
jornalnewspaper
formaçãoforming / developing
alguressomewhere
fechouclosed (past of fechar)
abriuopened (past of abrir)
seguintenext / following

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