Variação, mudança e ensino: o caso dos pronomes possessivos da gente e nosso(a)(s) em uma abordagem sociofuncionalista

In this work, we analyze the variation and change phenomenon involving the possessive pronouns da gente and nosso(a)(s) in the light of the theoretical referentials of the North-american linguistic functionalism and of the variationist sociolinguistics. At first we present the phenomenon itself, highlighting the fact that few studies have considered it as an object, gap which we will try to fill in with our contribution. In the following chapter, we emphasize concepts and principles of the functionalism and the sociolinguistics that are used as our background for the data analysis. In the third chapter, we present what the normative grammars inform about our object of study, besides synthesizing some works on variation and change involving the personal pronouns nós and a gente. In the following chapter, we analyze the data. We used data from the Discurso & Gramática a língua falada e escrita na cidade do Natal (FURTADO DA CUNHA, 1998) corpus. In this chapter we present the results for the groups of social and linguistic factors which we can control. Grounded on these results, we specify the preferential contexts for employing the pronouns da gente and nosso(a)(s) and we observe that the social motivations, the valorization credited to the forms and the identity marks underly the restrictions exercised in their use by social factor groups, besides obtaining signs of ongoing changes in apparent time (from the age factor groups) and possible use specializations of each form, what helped us verify the course of the grammaticalization process of the referred pronouns in the community of Natal. In the sixth chapter, we make some considerations on the teaching of grammar and propose activities which can be carried on in the classroom involving the possessive pronouns da gente and nosso(a)(s) considering the variation and change issue

A linguagem da reflexão de uma professora de Língua Inglesa: um estudo de caso sob a perspectiva do sistema de avaliatividade

Research about teacher education, carried out in the area of Applied Linguistics (AL), reveals the importance of reflective practices in the professional development of teachers. With the aim of contributing to this area, we present this case study conducted at a technical school in Natal, RN. The corpus of the study is formed mainly from the teacher‟s discourse, generated during a stimulated recall session and the instruments used to collect the data: an initial questionnaire, a video recording of a class and the text transcript of the stimulated recall session. The central objective is to understand the way in which the reflection-on-action (SCHÖN, 1983, 1987) can contribute to raise the awareness of an English as a Foreign Language teacher (EFL) about her actions in the classroom. With this proposal, we begin our discussion presenting the origins, the presuppositions and characteristics of the concept of reflection according to Schön (1983, 1987), and supported by other authors (PERRENOUD, 2002; GÓMEZ, 1995; IMBERNÓN, 2009, among others); of critical reflection (LISTON e ZEICHNER, 1993; PIMENTA, 2002; DUTRA e MELLO, 2004, among others); and of the process of critical reflection (SMYTH, 1992). To evidence the reflections that emerge in the teacher‟s discourse, we found support in the theories and methods of Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG), which was initially proposed by Halliday (1985, 1994), Halliday and Hasan (1989), Halliday and Matthiessen (2004) and followers, such as, Eggins (1994), Thompson (1996), among others. We focus mainly on the subsystem of Attitude, an integral component of the system of discourse resources, Appraisal, presented by Martin (2000), Martin and Rose (2003, 2007), Martin and White (2005). The results reveal that the actions of the teacher in the classroom reflect not only her professional experiences, but also her values and concepts about teaching/learning languages. The results also show the teacher‟s awareness of the need for changes in her practices. Faced with these findings, we believe that this study reveals important concepts that can direct teacher educators to rethink new ways of approaching teacher training courses. In addition, it also reveals the importance of discourse analysis based on a systemic functional approach.

Modalização autonímica: um estudo de utilização e apropriação do discurso sobre os conceitos de variação e de mudança na escrita de dissertação de mestrado de 1970 - 2011

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Didática do plurilinguismo: efeitos da intercompreensão de línguas românicas na compreensão de textos escritos em português

This exploratory study aims to present some readings as Doyé (2003), Carrasco Perea (2003), Melo Araújo e Sá (2004), Chavagne (2009) and Alas-Martins (2010; 2011) which helped to confirm some ways for showing that a plurilingual environment can enable a trend in improving the understanding of written texts in the mother tongue, and can collaborate on a better perception of the world around a person with all their different nuances. The study describes the methodology and some results of our doctoral research that resulted in the insertion of the experimental discipline called Intercomprehension of Romanic Languages (ILR) in the curriculum in the city of Natal / RN / Brazil, and it was justified because of high functional illiteracy degree among young people up to 15 years old according to the educational data from IBGE research on 2010. The results were verified through an experimental action-research which was characterized by Lewin (1946); Nunan (1992); Thiollent (1994) and Trip (2005) in two schools: Professoara Terezinha Paulino de Lima (municipal school) and Professora Ana Julia de Carvalho Mousinho (State of Rio Grande do Norte), with 95 students from the final years of primary education. The corpus of this research was subjected to a series of condensed techniques like the nonparametric test from Kruskal and Wallis (1952) and the parametric test ANOVA as an effort to provide statistical significance to the analysis of the results indicated in the book of ILR activities. The research presented some skill views about reading comprehension of written texts according to perspective of Ringbow (1987), Giacobbe (1990), Alarcão (1991; 2009a and 2009b), Corder (1992), Castellotti (2001) and Degache (2003), and the possibilities of transfer these skills for learning Portuguese as pointed out by Meissner, Klein and Stegmann (2004); it indicates a positive trend towards the understanding of LM according to analyzing the scores of written tests and texts by participants in solving tasks

Variação entre os pronomes tu e você na função de sujeito na fala de Natal (RN): uma abordagem sociofuncionalista

In this dissertation, under the light of a sociofunctionalist approach (TAVARES, 2003; 2013; GORSKI; TAVARES, 2013), I analyze 378 data of pronouns tu and você extracted from 12 conversations belonging to Natal Conversational Data Base (CUNHA, 2010). I have the following objectives: (i) mapping linguistic and extralinguistic specialization trends of second person singular subject pronouns tu and você in the speech of Natal (RN); (ii) assessing the role of the principle of persistence (HOPPER, 1991) as a possible motivating factor of specialization trends of pronouns tu and você; (iii) identify in which of the six pronouns subsystems proposed by Scherre et al. (2009) is situated the speech community of Natal portrayed in this study. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, I submitted the data to multivariate statistical analysis, which have provided frequencies and relative weights.I obtained, as relevant factor groups, according to the statistical analysis, the nature of the relationship between the interlocutors (if the relationship is asymmetric, less intimate, and more formal, the use of você is favored; if the relationship is symmetrical, intimate and informal, the use of tu is favored); the degree of formality of the environment in which the conversation takes place (in more informal environments tu was favored; in more formal environments você were favored); and the type of discourse (reported / not reported) (tu was favored in not reported discourse and você was favored in reported discourse). Based on results regarding to these factors groups, I organized a panorama of specializations of pronouns tu and você, noting that tu seems specialized for more informal contexts of use than those for which você seems specialized. The motivation underlying these trends of specialization may be the principle of persistence, since along its historical development, você carries a trace of greater formality or, at least, less intimacy, when contrasted to tu. Finally, I concluded that, of the six pronoun subsystems proposed by Scherre et al. (2009), the speech community of Natal can be framed in the fifth, characterized by variable use of subject pronouns tu and você, with more frequent use of você than tu, and rare occurrence of agreement of tu with second-person singular verb.

Orações relativas no português brasileiro em perspectiva histórica

In this study, we focus on the relativization strategies, in diachronic corpus of Brazilian Portuguese (BP). Generally speaking, we aim to investigate the use of the relative in a historical perspective on BP, focusing on semantic-cognitive and discursive-pragmatic motivations involved and the correlation with the discursive traditions. The theoretical perspective underlying our study is the North-American Functional Linguistics, inspired by Talmy Givón, Sandra Thompson, Paul Hopper, Joan Bybee, Elizabeth Traugott, Mario Martelotta, Angelica Furtado da Cunha, among others, combined with contributions of Discursive Traditions, based on authors such as Kabatek, Koch and Oesterreicher. As for the methodology, our research is eminently qualitative, in the sense that it seeks to elucidate semantic-cognitive and discursive-pragmatic motivations related to the use of relativization strategies in BP; and it has quantitative support, with respect to measurable data aspect and characterization of the object of study and its frequency of use. For this investigation, we use the corpora of the project Para a História do Português Brasileiro (PHPB), more specifically, the particular, official, reader and redactor letters written between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, from four states: Minas Gerais, Paraná, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro. The results of this research reveal the variation in relativization strategies, in view of the increase in the relativa cortadora (prepositional chopping strategy) percentage in the corpus of this investigation, even though the occurrence of this strategy is more restricted to private letters. In addition, we found factors of cognitive nature such as reduction in cognitive cost and economy related to the occurrence of that relative strategy, principally in private letters; aspects such as the need for expressiveness and clearness related to the use, even if infrequent, of the relativa copiadora (resumptive strategy), especially in official letters; and factors of communicative order such as the public sphere of circulation of the sample letters, as in the redactor and reader letters, and the gap between the parties most directly involved in the use of the standard relative of our sample.

A intercompreensão em Línguas Românicas nas aulas de Espanhol: o que querem e o que podem essas línguas?

The official documents that guide the teaching and learning process of a Foreign Language in Brazil, Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais de Língua Estrangeira, suggest a linguistic and intercultural communication as the main objective of teaching a foreign language inorderto contribute withareflexive formation of the students.Toachieve this goal, a Virtual Interchange was realized connecting distant places like Córdoba, in Argentina, and Natal in Brazil, between High School students through Moodle platform and Facebook. The Interchange is based in the Intercomprehension in Romance Languages(IC) guidelines, inthiscase between Portuguese and Spanish, according to which every student speaks their own language and makes an effort to comprehend the others througha collaborative process thatgo es beyond the limits of mere linguistic objectives and favors the students’ reality acceptance before the diversity. This qualitative study with thno graphic characteristic stries to know whe ther differentiate projects can increase students’ interest to learn the target language. It was also set as an aim of this study to develop the intercultural competence of our students and foster the respect for different cultures. In the case of Argentinian and Brazilian students, wetried to promote reflection about social representation trying to destroy stereotypes between both groups. As methodological resources, we used interviews, questionnaires and intercomprehension activities during the Project, as well as a participant observation of the interactions betweenthe students of both countries.Webe lieve tobe contributing towards the integral formation ofth student asacriticalcitizenthatthinksa bouttheir posture before the world, which is one of the formal education aims according to Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais. Our theoretical foundation is based on Intercomprehension in Romance Languages (IC) as a plurilingualism didactics, (JAMET AND SPIŢĂ 2010; ARAÚJO AND SÁ et al., 2003; CAPUCHO, 2010; ANDRADE etal.,2003), some the oriesaboutinter culturalisman didentity(Vallespir, 1999;DUARTE&SANCHES,2004; REVUZ,1998;SILVA,2000;CHAUÍ2006; SERRANI-INFANTE 1998), motivation and second language learning (DECI & RYAN, 1985; DÖRNYEI AND OTTÓ, 1998; DÖRNYEI, 2000, 2001; 2011) and Significant Learning Theory (AUSUBEL, 1968). The results show an increase of students’ motivation when in contact with the target language through dynamic activities in an IC context. Moreover, we noticed that a deeper thinking aboutthe Argentinian culture helped to deconstruct previous cultural representation.

Intercompreensão de línguas românicas: uma proposta para a leitura literária plurilíngue no ensino fundamental

The developed research aimed to investigate how students behave on elementary school in a plurilingual context, based on Intercomprehension of Romanic Languages with literary texts in the classroom. The theoretical framework prioritizes authors who consider reading literary text as an essential tool to the formation of reading and writing skills for students, such as: Amarilha (1997; 2003; 2007), Resende (1993), Kleiman, (1999), Villardi (1997), Aguiar (1991), Perrone-Moisés (2000), Lajolo (1993), Zilberman (1991), Cosson (2006), Andrade, Melo-Pfeifer, Santos, (2009), Sá; De Carlo; Antoine (2011), Alas Martins (2014), Doyé (2005), Souza, (2013), and others, according to the intercomprehension approach and plurilingualism. We use questionnaires as a methodological resources for this research, and we applied some activities that was developed based on intercomprehension from literary texts which represent three types of Romanic languages (Spanish, French and Italian), in addition to the participant observation in classes with students of the 8th grade from an elementary public school in the city of Natal (RN). The students could read and (inter) understand some texts of classic literature in those Latin languages and also in Portuguese, whose titles include “D. Quixote de la mancha” by Miguel de Cervantes; “O pequeno príncipe” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; and “Pinóquio” by Carlo Collodi. The data analysis shows that students understood the lessons with plurilingual texts as something which goes beyond the structure of language teaching, awakening themselves to the knowledge of new languages and cultures, and linguistic diversity as motivation at the time of understanding and literature as transforming element to Citizen formation of students.

Os youtubers e a representação do certo, errado, adequado e inadequado no trabalho com a variação linguística em sala de aula

Some of the current discussions in the teaching of Portuguese Language (LP) pertain to how the school should deal with the phenomenon of language variation in the classroom. In 2010, for example, an explosion of talk took over the academic corridors: a book, entitled "Por uma vida melhor", the collection "Viver, Aprender", published by the MEC (Ministry of Education and Culture) to students EJA (Youth and Adults) brought notions regarding linguistic variation, even in their first chapter. In it is clear the notion that it is possible to make use of structures as "pretty boy", instead of "pretty boys", depending on the context in which such use is insert. Therefore, the discussions focused around the notions of variety cultivated, standard and popular measuring them to the possibilities of linguistic appropriateness. The community was surprised by the defense of the "power" to use, since it would be the school space to teach a standard "default", and not the possibility of legitimate use of grammatical patterns that clashed with those recommended in traditional grammars. The television media has been responsible for a major blaze that MEC had endorsed the use in schools of a book that legitimized such linguistic patterns. The quarrel was released on Youtube and in that space, netizens expressed themselves for or against the proposal of LD often directing the discussion to questions of a purely political. We observed that, on one side, loomed arguments related to Sociolinguistics (BAGNO , 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009; BAGNO, M.; STUBBS, M., Gagne, G., 2006; Bortoni - RICARDO, S.M., 2008; Tarallo, F., 1982; U. Weinreich, MARVIN I. HERZOG, Labov, W., 1968, Labov 1972, etc.); another, arguments concentrated on defending the school is the area of language teaching standard, and not fit to bring certain discussions within an LD. It was from these words, that this research was born. Interested in the particular way that the community media, which seemed to have no training in linguistics, understand the concepts of right, wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, so intimate in academic circles. Our thoughts take as reference the theoretical studies on the question of sociolinguistic variation and education, official documents that guide the "work" with the Portuguese language in the classroom, like the NCP (National Curriculum) and Curriculum Proposal for Education Youth and Adult (PCEJA). In our analysis, we found that LD" For a better life "makes no apology for teaching the "error", but it raises discussions about the possibility of "change", linked to factors and different order. We realize how significant it is to observe how speakers of a language are positioned in relation to language teaching which they are not speakers and scholars. Our study showed that certain issues regarding the teaching of the Portuguese language, as is the case of linguistic variation, points are far from being resolved, either for linguists and/or grammarians, whether for language speakers.