In Portuguese it occurs a phenomenon of se word repetition. The first se is translated to English as if, and the second is the reflexive pronoun of the singular 3rd person, as the last word of the following sentences:
- He washes himself
- She washes herself
- It washes itself
Examples:
Portuguese phrase — Literal English translation — English meaning
- Se se investir em ouro, a empresa ganha dinheiro — If itself invest in gold, the company earns money — If we invest in gold, the company earns money
- Evitar apertos de mão, mesmo se se trata de mãos lavadas — Avoid handshakes, even if itself treats about washed hands — Avoid handshakes, even if it is about washed hands
What is the name of this phenomenon? Does it occur in other languages?
