Abstract: The present paper explores the relationship that young Portuguese and Portuguese-descendants living in the cities of Toronto and Montreal establish with Portugal and the Portuguese culture, particularly with respect to the retention of Portuguese language and culture. It identifies the reasons usually put forth to justify such retention, as well as its defenders and proponents—pointing along the way to some of the contradictions involved in the respective positions. The paper finds that in spite of rejecting cultural—and in particular linguistic—retention, young Portuguese and Portuguese-descendants exhibit a strong attachment to Portugal and the Portuguese culture. In trying to explain this apparent discrepancy, the paper identifies a number of reasons, emphasizing in particular the cultural ambivalence in which the youths are forced to live, and which causes them to adapt their behavior and mold their identity to the needs and conveniences of each moment.

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