attempt, it proposes a compromise between the two orthographic systems. 2009: The new 1990 spelling reform goes into effect in Brazil, in Portugal, and in Cabo Verde, changing the rules of capitalization and hyphen usage, eliminating the trema completely from the language (except for foreign words), changing the diphthongs "éi" and "ói" into "ei" and "oi" respectively in paroxytones (unless, of course, when needed to show the stress), and eliminating silent letters as in acção or óptimo, which are now spelled ação and ótimo. 2015–2016: The transitional period in Portugal, Cabo Verde, and Brazil, during which both orthographies co-existed, ends. Only the new orthography is official from May 2015 (Portugal), October 2015 (Cabo Verde), and January 2016 (Brazil). Orthographic Agreement of 1990 In 1990, an orthographic agreement was reached between the Portuguese-language countries with the intent of creating a single common orthography for Portuguese. This spelling reform went into effect in Brazil on January 1, 2009. In Portugal, the reform was signed into law by the President on 21 July 2008, allowing for a six-year adaptation period, during which both orthographies co-existed. The legality of this decision is questioned, as the main bases of the International Treaty that governs the application of the new spelling reform are yet to be established, chiefly the common vocabulary drawn by all participating countries, that still does not exist. Also, the application of International Treaties, as per the Vienna Convention, states that the text of a treaty cannot be changed, and this one has suffered at least two revisions. See also Portuguese orthography Academia Brasileira de Letras Wikisource in Portuguese – Ortografia da Língua Portuguesa Notes References Estrela, Edite A questão ortográfica – Reforma e acordos da língua portuguesa (1993) Editorial Notícias Full text of the Pequeno Vocabulário Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa (Abridged Orthographic Vocabulary of the Portuguese Language) published by the Brazilian Academy of Letters in 1943. Text of the decree of the Brazilian government, in 1971, amending the orthography adopted in 1943 (no updated version of the PVOLP was published). lusografia.org — Orthographic Agreement of 1990 (PDF – in Portuguese) External links Ciberdúvidas — O Acordo Ortográfico, de novo (in Portuguese) Portal da Língua Portuguesa — Acordo ortográfico (in Portuguese) Portuguese spelling reforms at Australian Centre for Social Innovations Official source about Portuguese spelling reforms with studies and guides (in Portuguese) Portuguese language Portuguese