Construções modalizadoras epistêmicas asseverativas com “real” e “real oficial”: Uma proposta de rede construcional a partir da Linguística Funcional Centrada no Uso

Abstract

In this work, we dedicated ourselves to understanding how constructions with “real” and “real oficial” such as “problema real oficial”, “comi real” e “bonitinho real” and “funciona mesmo real oficial” are instantiated and conventionalized in asseverative epistemic modalization contexts. Therefore, we take as theoretical approach the contributions of the Usage-Based Functional Linguistics (BYBEE, 2010; MARTELOTTA, 2011; FURTADO DA CUNHA et al., 2013; TRAUGOTT; TROUSDALE, 2013; ROSÁRIO; OLIVEIRA, 2016; BISPO; SILVA, 2016), which conceives language as an hierarchically organized inventory of constructions. In this sense, our most specific aims are (i) to draw and describe the constructional patterns (form-function pairings) of asseverative epistemic modal constructions with “real” and “real oficial” identifying the three schematic levels proposed by Traugott and Trousdale (2013) – scheme, subscheme and microconstruction – and (ii) to propose a constructional network that would be able to hierarchically associate the analysed constructions. In order to fulfill the objectives proposed in this work, we have constituted a corpus with social interactions data from YouTube videos, grounded on the current synchrony. Our analysis is based on the equation between qualitative analysis and frequency calculation of use (CUNHA LACERDA, 2016). In addition, for a qualitative analysis of the data on the scope of the modalization, we have used the Praat software regarding prosody. We understand that the prosodic trace of break, a pause, collaborates with the identification of the scope of the modality present in the analyzed constructions, revealing the way these constructions are organized. The results demonstrate that (a) “real” and “real oficial” within modalization contexts serve to new communicative purposes in the language that differ from their uses as adjectives and that (b) the uses of these constructions with "real" and "real oficial" constitute a form-function pairing in language. In this sense, the more abstract scheme reveals a speaker's position, with a modal attitude, performed by “real” and “real oficial”. At a less hierarchical level in the network, there are four subschemas. In the first three subeschemas, “real” and “real oficial” are more linked to the scope of modalization, noted by the absence of a break between them. On the other hand, in the fourth subschema, “real” and “real oficial” are organized in a less interconnected way and there’s a pause between the scope of modalization - a sentence - and “real” and “real oficial”. In addition, constructions with “real oficial” show more intersubjective senses compared to those with “real”, which indicates a greater concern about the interlocutor in the communicative interaction.