Erro, inadequação, desvio ou problema: como os professores de português língua materna analisam textos de brasileiros e de estrangeiros

Abstract

This study investigates the correlation between the approaches of Portuguese native language teachers regarding the writing errors of foreign and Brazilian students and their perceptions of these errors. This raises questions about linguistic expectations for Brazilian natives versus foreigners. The central question is: Do teachers have divergent perceptions of deviations in Portuguese writing in texts by Brazilian and foreign students? Starting from the research question, we delineate our general objective: to examine how Portuguese native language teachers analyze texts from foreign and Brazilian students in terms of occurrences of deviations in written Portuguese. Regarding specific objectives, we seek to understand how teachers perceive the discrepancies between the writing of a Brazilian and that of a foreigner, as well as how these perceptions influence their correction approaches, which may vary between more rigorous or more flexible methods. The hypothesis raised along with the research question was that teachers must have a differentiated perspective for these two groups of students. We used key concepts from Saussure (2012 [1916]), Possenti (1996), and Signorini (2006) when discussing different views of language. We also employed works on "error" and "inadequacies" by Monteiros (2016 [1999]), Simon (2004), Camara Jr. (1984), Possenti (1996), Zaczek (2012), Hymes (1972), among others. Finally, we addressed the understanding of the term "stigma," with Goffman (2021 [1988]) as our reference source. We used a predominantly qualitative approach to explore data in natural contexts, allowing usto understand the meanings attributed by the participants (DENZIN; LINCOLN, 1994). Data collection occurred in three phases. In the first, we selected nine texts from Brazilian and foreign students (coming from languages close and distant from Portuguese). In the second phase, 13 Portuguese teachers evaluated nine texts, each from a different group of students. The third phase consisted of non-structured interviews with two teachers to triangulate the responses given in the questionnaire. The results showed differences in the evaluation applied to texts by students learning Portuguese in various ways, as well as in the teachers' approaches. Throughout the analysis, we observed that teachers' views on the term "error" were diverse, ranging from "intralingual errors" to considerations of standard usage. The term "inadequacy" often referred to linguistic variations, while "deviation" was used to describe grammatical occurrences that did not hinder text comprehension. Other termssuch as "misunderstanding," "problem," "slip," "incorrect," "incoherent," and "difference" were used interchangeably. This diversity of perspectives highlights the complexity of evaluating student writing.