I wonder where Zonneveld fetched the version that Podang derives from a Portuguese term.
Espadão means 'large sword' and is the alternative name for Montante (Great sword), a huge thing, about twice the size of the Podang (pedang/Peudeung).
On the other hand he tipifies Podang as a slightly curved sabre, whereas what the Portuguese dealt with, at the time their weapons and namings might have left their influence, were straight swords.
Later he sugests that the Podang's shape maybe an imitation of Indian and Portuguese swords, and i fail to discern how such two are comparable ... specially on the hilt langets
.
Finaly, you don't write 'Espadao' but 'Espadão', which makes a lot of difference. The nasal (unique) diphtong 'ão' sounds more like 'espadaum' than 'espadan' ... and never 'espadang'; no word terminates or sounds as having a 'g' in Portuguese.
... this not pretending that Zonneveld's proposal is wrong
I wish i could find some track.
Fernando