Here is the order of countries marching in the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. If you speak English, you’ll notice the list of countries is ALMOST in English alphabetical order, but not quite. It’s in Portuguese alphabetical order, with just a few exceptions -- Greece goes first because they invented the Olympics, Brazil goes last because they are the host country, and the Refugee Olympic team goes second to last.
Why the United States will march earlier than usual in the 2016 Olympics opening ceremony
Everyone else is in alphabetical order by their Portuguese name. This distinction will stand out when, say, South Africa (África do Sul), Germany (Alemanha), and -- crucially -- the United States (Estados Unidos da América) appear in places English speakers might not expect.
This was actually the subject of some controversy! Olympic organizers reportedly requested that the official language of the ceremony be changed to English. According to Bloomberg, NBC appreciates the position of “United States” near the end of the alphabet, because it compels an American audience to stick around until late in the broadcast. Change that first letter to an “E,” and suddenly millions of Americans get to see Serena Williams early in the procession and might bail on the rest.
In any event: Brazil said no, we speak Portuguese, and this will be in Portuguese. Reasonable. And that’s why Americans should tune in earlier than usual to catch a glimpse of our athletes. Czechs, y’all can hold out a while.
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