Linguist Spotlight: Bridging Cultures with Brazilian Portuguese

Meet Zilda, a passionate Brazilian Portuguese interpreter from Brazil who now serves as a vital language bridge in Pittsburgh. With over a decade of professional interpreting experience, Zilda’s journey into linguistics was inspired by her love of communication and a remarkable role model—her grandmother, a geography professor fluent in five languages. This fascination with languages, coupled with her background in computer science—where she mastered coding languages—naturally led her to connect English and Portuguese speakers, one sentence at a time.

Zilda’s career is as diverse as her talents. Beyond interpreting, she has worked as a standardized patient for 17 years, helping medical and nursing students hone their communication skills. Her early days in the U.S., starting in 1999, included teaching Portuguese during “brown bag lunches” at Suma Technologies and volunteering at Children’s Hospital, where she informally interpreted for Brazilian families. These experiences solidified her commitment to language access, which she views as a fundamental human right—ensuring everyone can understand and be understood in critical moments, such as healthcare or decision-making.

Her favorite part of interpreting? The joy of enabling mutual understanding—especially when delivering life-changing news like, “You’re cancer free!” or witnessing a child’s progress in long-term Early Intervention assignments. Zilda finds these moments deeply rewarding. One memorable assignment involved interpreting for an orthopedic patient, mirroring a simulation she once performed—blending her dual roles as interpreter and actress.

Zilda’s vibrant personality shines through her love for Brazilian culture, from savoring pão de queijo (cheese bread) to chuckling over idioms like “Barata tonta!” (dizzy cockroach, meaning disoriented) and “Tirar o cavalinho da chuva!” (take your little horse out of the rain, meaning give up on the idea). An actress and former playwright enthusiast, she once took a Spanish class at The University of Pittsburgh just to audition for a Brazilian maid role in The Clean House—and landed it!

Zilda’s story embodies the power of language to connect and uplift. Whether interpreting, acting, or volunteering, she continues to build bridges—inspired by her grandmother’s legacy and her own passion for fostering understanding.