Portuguese and Spanish Religious Research

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Welcome

Welcome to the research guide for Portuguese and Spanish Religious Research. This guide is especially intended for those doing Protestant religious research in Portuguese and Spanish languages and for Carolina University faculty and students.

Searching our resources

Use our Discovery search above to search our campus collection and most of our digital resources. The remaining digital resources can be accessed for searching using the buttons beside the Discovery search.

Use both English and Portuguese/Spanish spelling

One needs to always do searches using both the Portuguese/Spanish and English spelling because the cataloging might be one or the other or both. Use the Boolean Search Operator of “OR” between the search terms and other Advanced Search techniques as needed. If needed, use Google Translate (https://translate.google.com/) to determine the English spelling.

Here are examples:

Discovery search with " baptism OR baptismo "

Discovery search with English and Portuguese words using Boolean operators and parentheses

Limit results to Portuguese/Spanish

You can limit search results to Portuguese/Spanish. To do this in Discovery, use the Language limiter on the left sidebar. But, the Library recommends that you consider how the translation options into Portuguese/Spanish that are available (see the Translation into Portuguese/Spanish section of this research guide) can enable you to use resources that are not Portuguese/Spanish before you choose to limit your results.

Discovery search's Language limiter

Limit results to specific source types

Limit search results to specific source types as needed.

To limit to specific source types in Discovery search, do the following: First, in the left sidebar in the Source Types section, click the Show More link. Second, select the checkboxes that are what you desire and click Update.

Discovery search Source Types section

Do not use the "Online Full Text Only" limiter

Portuguese/Spanish resources in the Library’s Campus Collection may be scanned in part and emailed to you if you live at a distance. So it is recommended that in the Discovery search you do not select the “Online Full Text Only” limiter in the left sidebar.

Also, English resources in the Library’s Campus Collection may be scanned in part and emailed to you if you live at a distance. Then, you could use Google Translate’s document translation (see the Translation section of this research guide) to translate it into Portuguese/Spanish. So it is recommended that in the Discovery search you do not select the “Online Full Text Only” limiter in the left sidebar.

Use other Advanced Searching techniques

Use other Advanced Searching techniques to improve your results.

  • Advanced Search (right under the normal search bar)
    Discovery search's Advanced Search
  • Phrase searching = ""
    • Use the quotations to put around a phrase that you specifically want to search
    • Example: “short-term wins”
  • Boolean searches = AND, OR, and NOT
    • Using AND in between search terms will bring back results that have both search terms in them
    • Using OR in between search terms will bring back results that have one or the other search term in them
    • Using NOT in between search terms will bring back results that have the first search term in them but not the second
  • Truncation = *
    • Using the asterisk (*) will make the word a root and substitute any possible ending on it to bring back results will any of those iterations in them
    • Example: Christ* = Christ, Christian, Christians, Christianity, Christlike
  • Subject searching (clickable subjects in detailed records)
    • Using the clickable subject tags in the detailed records to find other items tagged with the same subject area
  • Limiters or expanders on left sidebar (publication date, physical or online, source type, databases, and more)
    • Example: Using Source Type to limit the search to only Academic Journal results
  • Proximity searching = W5 (5 represents the number of words in between the search terms)
    • Proximity searching allows you to bring back results with search terms that are close in proximity to each other
    • Example: bears W10 water as a search will brings back results that have the term bears and the term water within ten words of each other
  • Wildcard = #
    • The # wildcard symbol will substitute an extra letter in a word when searching
    • Example: colo#r brings back color and colour
Remove Catholic results

Much of what is in Portuguese and Spanish for religion is Catholic so if you do not want to have Catholic material in your search results, you can try this Advanced Search method. Based on the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry's (CARM) Catholic Terminology list (from 2019-09-13) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Glossary of Catholic Terms (from 2019-09-13) and from observations made in searching Discovery, here is suggested search string to remove Catholic results though they may remove non-Catholic results as well, especially depending on the research topic, so evaluate the entire search string's entries before using.

To do this, add both the English and Portuguese/Spanish parallel search strings or a variation of them to your search as NOT search elements:

  • English
    • Absolution OR (Actual N2 grace) OR (Actual N2 sin) OR Annulment OR Annunciation OR (Anointing N3 sick) OR Apocrypha OR (apostolic N2 nuncio) OR (Apostolic N2 Succession) OR Archbishop OR archdiocese OR archeparchy OR Assumption OR (auxiliary N2 bishop) OR Beautification OR Benediction OR Bishop OR (blessed N2 sacrament) OR Bull OR Canon OR (Canon N2 Law) OR Canonization OR (Capital N2 sins) OR Cardinal OR catechism OR catholic OR celibacy OR chalice OR chancellor OR charism OR chastity OR clergy OR coadjutor OR (College N2 Cardinals) OR collegiality OR confession OR confessional OR confirmation OR consecration OR consistory OR contrition OR convent OR curia OR defrocking OR delict OR (deposit N2 faith) OR dicastery OR (diocesan N2 curia) OR (diocesan N2 priest) OR diocese OR dulia OR encyclical OR eparchy OR episcopal OR excommunicate OR (eucharistic N2 adoration) OR (eucharistic N2 prayer) OR (extreme N2 unction) OR filioque OR (finance N2 council) OR (first N2 communion) OR font OR (habitual N2 grace) OR (hail N2 Mary) OR (holy N2 chism) OR (holy N2 orders) OR (holy N2 see) OR (holy N2 water) OR host OR hyperdulia OR (immaculate N2 conception) OR imprimatur OR indulgence OR inquisition OR Jesuit OR Laity OR (latin N2 rite) OR latria OR (lay N2 ecclesial) OR legate OR lent OR laicization OR limbo OR litany OR liturgy OR madonna OR magisterium OR mass OR missal OR monasticism OR monk OR monsignor OR monstrance OR (mortal N2 sin) OR novena OR nun OR  (papal N2 nuncio) OR parish OR (partial indulgence) OR penance OR piety OR (plenary N2 indulgence) OR pontiff OR Pontifical OR pope OR (presbyteral N2 council) OR presbyterate OR presumption OR priest OR province OR purgatory OR relic OR reparation OR RCIA OR (religious N2 priest) OR requium OR rite OR rosary OR sacramentals OR (sanctifying N2 grace) OR scapular OR (sign N3 cross) OR sister OR (stations N3 cross) OR suspension OR (temporal N2 punishment) OR (titular N2 see) OR tribunal OR (venial N2 sin) OR vespers OR viaticum OR vicar OR (vicar N2 Christ) OR vow OR (works N2 mercy) OR saint OR dominican OR cathedral OR (Holy N2 Church)
  • Portuguese
    • Absolvição OR (graça N2 real) OR (pecado N2 real) OR anulação OR anunciação OR (unção N3 doente) OR apócrifos OR (núncio N2 apostólico) OR (sucessão N2 apostólica) OR arcebispo OR arquidiocese OR arqueparquia OR suposição OR (bispo N2 auxiliar) OR Embelezamento OR Bênção OR Bispo OR (abençoado N2 sacramento) OR Touro OR Cânone OR (Lei N2 Canon) OR Canonização OR (pecados N2 capitais) OR Cardeal OR catecismo OR católico OR celibatário OR cálice OR chanceler OR carisma OR castidade OR clero OR coadjutor OR (Cardeais N2 faculdade) OR colegialidade OR confissão OR confissão OR confirmação OR consagração OR consistência OR contrição OR convento OR cúria OR desfragmentação OR delito OR (depósito N2 fé) OR dicastério OR (diocesano N2 cúria) OR (diocesano N2 padre) OR diocese OR dulia OR encíclica OR eparquiosa OR episcopal OR excomungada OR (adoração N2 eucarística) OR (oração N2 eucarística) OR (unção N2 extrema) OR filioque OR (conselho N2 financeiro) OR (primeira N2 comunhão) OR fonte OR (habitual N2 graça) OR (saudação N2 Maria) OR (sagrado N2 chism) OR (sagrado N2 ordens) OR (sagrado N2 ver) OR (sagrado N2 ver) OR (água N2 sagrada) OR host OR hiperdulia OR (imaculada N2 concepção) OR imprimatur OR indulgência OR inquisição OR jesuíta OR leigo OR (latim N2 rito) OR latria OR (leigo N2 eclesial) OR legado OR emprestado OR laicização OR limbo OR litania OR liturgia OR liturgia OR madona OR magistério OR massa OR missal OR monasticismo OR monge OR monsenhor OR monstruoso OR (pecado mortal N2) OR novena OR freira OR (núncio N2 papal) OR paróquia OR (indulgência N2 parcial) OR penitência OR piedade OR (indulgência N2 plenária) OR pontífice OR pontifício OR papa OR (conselho N2 presbiteral) OR presbiterado OR presunção OR sacerdote OR província OR purgatório OR relíquia OR reparação OR RCIA OR (religioso N2 padre) OR requium OR rito OR rosário OR sacramentals OR (santificação N2 graça) OR escapular OR (sinal N3 cruzado) OR irmã OR (estação N3 cruzado) OR suspensão OR ( punição N2 temporal) OR (titular N2 ver) OR tribunal OR (pecado N2 venial) OR “vesp outros” OR viaticum OR vigário OR (vigário N2 Cristo) OR voto OR (obras N2 misericórdia) OR santo OR dominicano OR catedral OR (Igreja N2 Sagrada)
  • Spanish
    • Absolución OR (gracia N2 real) OR (pecado N2 real) OR Anulación OR Anunciación OR (Unción N3 enfermo) OR Apócrifa OR (nuncio N2 apostólico) OR (Sucesión N2 apostólica) OR Arzobispo OR arquidiócesis OR arqueparquía OR Asunción OR (obispo N2 auxiliar) OR Embellecimiento OR Bendición OR Obispo OR (sacramento N2 bendecido) OR Toro OR Canon OR (Ley N2 Canon) OR Canonización OR (Pecados N2 capitales) OR Cardenal OR catecismo OR católico OR celibato OR cáliz OR canciller OR carisma OR castidad OR clero OR coadjutor OR (Cardenales N2 College) OR la colegialidad OR la confesión OR el confesionario OR la confirmación OR la consagración OR el consistorio OR la contrición OR el convento OR la curia OR el desengaño OR el engaño OR (depósito N2 fe) OR dicasterio OR (diocesano N2 curia) OR (sacerdote N2 diocesano) OR diócesis OR dulia OR encíclica OR eparquía OR episcopal OR excomulgado OR (adoración N2 eucarística) OR (oración N2 eucarística) OR (unción N2 extrema) OR filioque OR (consejo N2 finanzas) OR (primera N2 comunión) OR fuente OR (gracia N2 habitual) OR (granizo N2 Mary) ) OR (sagrado N2 cisma) OR (órdenes N2 sagradas) OR (sagrado N2 ver) OR (agua N2 sagrada) OR host OR hiperdulia OR (concepción N2 inmaculada) OR imprimatur OR indulgencia OR inquisición OR jesuita OR Laico OR (rito N2 latino) ) OR latria OR (laico N2 eclesial) OR legado OR prestado OR laicización OR limbo OR letanía OR liturgia OR madonna OR magisterio OR masa o misal OR monasticismo OR monje OR monseñor OR custodia OR (mortal N2 sin) OR novena OR monja OR (papal N2 nuncio) OR parroquia OR (indulgencia N2 parcial) OR penitencia OR piedad OR (indulgencia N2 plenaria) OR pontífice OR Pontificia OR papa OR (consejo N2 presbiteral) OR presbiterado OR presunción OR sacerdote OR provincia OR purgatorio OR reliquia OR reparación OR RICA OR (religioso N2 sacerdote) OR requium OR rito OR rosario OR sacramentales OR (santificación N2 gracia) OR escapulario OR (signo N3 cruzado) OR hermana OR (estaciones N3 cruzado) OR suspensión OR (castigo temporal N2) OR (titular N2 ver) OR tribunal OR (venial N2 sin) OR vísperas OR vómito OR vicario OR ( vicario N2 Cristo) OR voto OR (funciona N2 misericordia) OR santo OR dominicano OR catedral OR (Iglesia N2 Santa)
  • Example in Discovery search
    Discovery search with NOT search elements for Catholic terms
If needed, remove the "Online Full Text or in Campus Collection" selection

If you do not get enough good results in your search of full-text available options, do a search that includes what is not full-text. A search like this will provide you with more results (for instance, the Library has databases with Spanish and Portuguese content that is not full-text), but you will not be able to read them all. You can just submit an Interlibrary Loan request though for those that are not full-text that you wish to read--in Discovery, there will be a link on the search result to request Interlibrary Loan but otherwise, fill out the Interlibrary Loan request here on this page.

In Discovery, to do a search that includes what is not full-text, do the following: First, do a search. Second, on the left sidebar in the Limit To section, remove the check on the checkbox for "Online Full Text or in Campus Collection". If your first search did not produce any results, do an Advanced Search and in the options there you will see a checkbox for "Online Full Text or in Campus Collection".

Arrow pointing to "Online Full Text or in Campus Collection" limiter in Discovery search

Translate webpages

Webpages in other languages may be translated easily. Note: the translation will not be perfect, so use wisdom.

Many websites, including the Library website and the Library’s Discovery search site, have a Language selection tool to translate the site. Normally this tool is in the upper right of the website.

In Google Chrome internet browser, you can change the other language text on the webpage by clicking the translation symbol in the web address bar (see image below) or by right-clicking on the webpage that has another language and selecting the Translate To option.

An arrow pointing to Chrome browser's Translate feature

Translate entire files

Entire files of resources in other languages may be translated easily with Google Translate. This includes scanning service and interlibrary loan service files that the Library sends to you when you request those services (see the Miscellaneous section of this research guide)! Note: the translation will not be perfect, so use wisdom. Here are the steps:

  1. Download the document/article/eBook, preferably as a Word or PDF format. An example of doing this from Discovery search is below.
    A PDF file open in Discovery search with an arrow pointing to the download option
  2. Go to Google Translate and click the Documents button.
    Arrow pointing to Documents button on Google Translate site
  3. Leave Detect Language as the option on the left side and select Portuguese/Spanish on the right side of Google Translate or, if needed, click the dropdown menu and select Portuguese/Spanish there.
    Arrows pointing to language selection areas on Google Translate
  4. Click the Browse Your Computer button.
    Google Translate's Browse your computer button area
  5. In the popup that appears, locate your downloaded file, select it, and click Open.
  6. Click the Translate button.
    Google Translate site with a file and a Translate button
  7. Read the translated document. Google Translate will have formatted the translated document as closely as it could to the original’s formatting.
    1. Note 1: if you hold your mouse over translated text, it will give you the original in case that would help clarify any points of confusion.
    2. Note 2: if there are parts of the translation that do not make sense, it might be because, especially with the way words in a journal wrap from line to line and are hyphenated on the previous line, Google Translate’s Documents translation is often not as accurate as Google Translate’s Text translation (see instructions in this Translation section of this research guide) so you might wish to do that as well for these parts.
  8. To cite this document, it would be the normal citation of the original resource except that Google Translate should be added as a translator in the way appropriate to the citation style being used.
Translate text selections

Selections of resources in other languages may be translated easily with Google Translate. Note: the translation will not be perfect, so use wisdom. Here are the steps:

  1. Select the other language’s text and then right-click on it and select Copy.
    Some text in a file has been selected and an arrow is pointing to Copy in a popup
  2. Go to Google Translate.
  3. Leave Detect Language as the option on the left side and select Portuguese/Spanish on the right side of Google Translate or, if needed, click the dropdown menu and select Portuguese/Spanish there.
    Arrows pointing to language selection areas on Google Translate
  4. Paste into Google Translate’s left panel the other language’s text and the right panel will provide a translation.
    An English text and a translation in parallel on Google Translate
  5. To cite this, it would be the normal citation of the original resource except that Google Translate should be added as a translator in the way appropriate to the citation style being used.
Use Discovery search

The Library has worked to provide journals with Portuguese/Spanish religious articles into Discovery so that they can be searched by title, author, subject, etc. and linked to the full-text. The Library has worked to provide Protestant journals especially. So using the Searching Tips section of this research guide will help you to locate these articles from the journals in Discovery search.

Use this spreadsheet listing

Because many journals with Portuguese/Spanish religious articles cannot yet be searched and/or linked within Discovery search and because some/many of the journals with Portuguese/Spanish religious articles will still be Catholic, it may be helpful to you to use this spreadsheet of Journals with Portuguese religious articles or Journals with Spanish religious articles.

If known, the spreadsheet indicates what the denomination is, what the journal website address is, what the ISSN is, whether it is open access, to what extent it is indexed in Discovery, to what extent it is full-text in Discovery, and several other less important pieces of information. You can use this information in a number of ways:

  • You can look for specific denominations or identify what denomination a specific journal is that you found in a Discovery search.
  • You can search in Discovery for articles in specific journals that you identify here.
    • If the journal is full-text in Discovery, then copy and paste or type the ISSN cell and your topic into an Advanced Search in Discovery search to produce results from that journal.
      Discovery search's Advanced Search with ISSN and topic entered
    • If the journal is not full-text in Discovery but it is indexed in Discovery and the journal is open access and there is a journal website address, then copy and paste or type the ISSN cell and your topic into an Advanced Search in Discovery search but also unselect the "Online Full Text or in Campus Collection" limiter to produce results from that journal. Then, you can go to the journal's website and look up specific articles that interested you from the search results on Discovery.
    • If the journal is not full-text in Discovery but it is indexed in Discovery but the journal is not open access, then copy and paste or type the ISSN cell and your topic into an Advanced Search in Discovery search but also unselect the "Online Full Text or in Campus Collection" limiter to produce results from that journal. Then, you can click the "Request this item through interlibrary loan" option on the search results that interest you so that the Library can try to get it for you.
  • You can search/browse an open access journal's website for articles that are of interest to you if the journal is not full-text in Discovery or indexed in Discovery but it is open access.
Translate other languages

There are many excellent journals that do not have articles in Portuguese/Spanish. Using the translation instructions in the Translation section of this research guide, you can still use these journals' articles for your research.

Use other libraries or sites

There might be helpful resources at other libraries or sites. Here are some suggestions:

Use Discovery search

The Library has worked to provide religious books in Portuguese/Spanish into Discovery so that they can be searched by title, author, subject, etc. and linked to the full-text. The Library has worked to provide Protestant books especially. So using the Searching Tips section of this research guide will help you to locate these books in Discovery search.

Translate other languages

There are many excellent books that we do not have in Portuguese/Spanish or may not even be published in Portuguese/Spanish. Using the translation instructions in the Translation section of this research guide, you can still use these books for your research.

Use other libraries or sites

There might be helpful resources at other libraries or sites. Here are some suggestions:

Use the Interlibrary Loan Service

If you know of an article, book, part of a book, or another type of resource that you would like, but the Library does not have the item, submit an Interlibrary Loan request! The Library will do its best to get this item for you--for international people, see below for what you can request. For instance, if you search Amazon or the online search portal for one of these Portuguese religious libraries, and you identify a resource that you would like, submit that to us as an Interlibrary Loan request. Also, keep in mind that with the use of the translation options (see the Translation section of this research guide) the resources not in Portuguese/Spanish can be used with this Interlibrary Loan service for your benefit as well.

For international people, since the Library does not do international shipping, here is what you can request for Interlibrary Loan. The Library can try to get a scan and then email it to you or accommodate your request in some other way:

  • Articles and other short text resources
  • Parts of books or dissertations and other text resources--for example, one chapter or 30 pages
  • For resources that are not text (for example, video or audio), each situation will differ as to whether the Library can assist with this so submit the Interlibrary Loan with an explanation of exactly what you need and desire
Use the Scanning Service

If you find something in the Library's Campus Collection that you would like to read from, submit a Scan to Patron service request! We will scan the requested portion and email it to you. Also, keep in mind that with the use of the translation options (see the Translation section of this research guide) the resources not in Portuguese/Spanish can be used with this service for your benefit as well.

Use the Library's Contact Us options

The Library can be contacted many ways and wants to assist you if you have questions or need help! See our Contact Us page for these many ways. We will either have people assisting you who know Portuguese/Spanish or who will use Google Translate so the language difference should not be a problem.

One of these ways of contact is even a live chat service that operates all day every day except for American Federal holidays; this chat can be located on the Contact Us page or on the Home page (the ways it looks are shown below).

Chat button Chat interface