Portuguese-based creole languages meaning "in" and/or "on", which would come from the Portuguese contraction "na" meaning "in the" (feminine singular). The Portuguese word for "creole" is "crioulo", which derives from the verb "criar" ("to raise", "to bring up") and a suffix "-oulo" of debated origin. Originally the word was used to distinguish the members of any ethnic group who were born and raised in the colonies from those who were born in their homeland. In Africa it was often applied to locally born people of (wholly or partly) Portuguese descent, as opposed to those born in Portugal; whereas in Brazil it was also
Houtman Abrolhos eyes open"), but this has been shown to be a false etymology. In the Portuguese language of the time, "abrolhos" meant "spiked obstructions", and served not only as a word for offshore reefs, but also as their word for caltrops and chevaux de frise. To Spanish ears, however, the word sounded like "abre ojos" ("open your eyes"), so they imputed this meaning, and this false etymology was later borrowed by English, Dutch and French writers. See abrojo wiktionary entry. Why Houtman named the islands using a Portuguese word remains a subject of debate. John Forsyth states that the islands are