Cláusulas de finalidade e ações dos conciliadores em audiências no JECrim: uma interface interação e gramática

Abstract

This work aims at identifying the actions undertaken by the conciliators through the use of purpose clauses in four hearings at the Special Criminal Court (JECrim) of two towns in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais. JECrims are institutions of the judiciary that deal with misdemeanors and crimes, which the penalty lasts less than two years. In these places, the hearings are held, that is, institutional meetings in which the parties involved can reach the agreement. This study aligns itself with researches on the grammar and interaction interface. For this purpose, we use the Functional Syntax (HOPPER; TRAUGOTT, 1993; THOMPSON, 1985; THOMPSON; LONGACRE; HWANG, 2007; DECAT, 2001; DIAS, 2001; MENEZES, 2001), as an approach to grammar, and Conversation Analysis (SACKS; SCHEGLOFF; JEFFERSON, [1974] 2003; DREW; HERITAGE, 1992; LEVINSON, 2013; CLIFT, 2016) and Interactional Sociolinguistics (GUMPERZ, 1982; 1999; GOFFMAN, 1979; 1981), as perspectives on discourse. In addition, this research is qualitativeinterpretative in nature (DENZIN; LINCOLN, 2006), because it seeks to understand the meaning of social actions performed by professionals during the hearings at JECrim. The data belong to the collection of the research project “Práticas de linguagem em contextos legais” (CNPq). The hearings were transcribed according to the Jefferson's transcription system (LODER, 2008). The analysis identified sixteen canonical purpose clauses, two embedded purpose clauses and two afterthought purpose clauses. The results show that the actions found are to explain/describe legal procedures, rebuke participants, ascertain facts and control the interaction and are implemented by the conciliators to carry out the process and the institutional mandate (MAYNARD, 1984). In addition, the purpose clauses are used by professionals because they are easy to be produced by them and to be understood by the participants of the hearings. These constructions are used by conciliators when they seek to be more emphatic and clear in their turns-at-talk. Since most of the participants of these meetings are laypeople, it is necessary that professionals are simpler and more objective so that their speeches are understood and obeyed. Therefore, this work assists the professional practice of conciliators, because it studies actions that, when implemented, can be successful to make the agreement during those institutional events.