Variação nós ~ a gente: implementação da forma inovadora em diferentes comunidades de fala em Minas Gerais

Abstract

In this work, we aim at studying the phenomenon of pronominal variation, involving the first person plural in different speech communities in Minas Gerais. Several studies have shown that the variation between NÓS and A GENTE is evolving towards the implementation of A GENTE. We address this process as a stage of the variation between NÓS and A GENTE, according to Labov ([1972] 2008), and as a phenomenon of grammaticalization of A GENTE, according to Hopper and Traugott (1993). In this sense, we are mainly dealing with the stratification stage involved in the process of grammaticalization of A GENTE, which has been performing the function of NÓS. The main issue in this study concerns the linguistic and non-linguistic factors that influence the process of moving from WE to A GENTE. We also focus on the concepts of social networks, as presented by Milroy (1987). The properties that characterize the social network of an individual influence his linguistic realizations. Moreover, the proposal of this research regards the studies of the CNPp Research Group VARFON-MINAS, which aims at investigating the variation of first person plural forms NÓS and A GENTE in the Portuguese Pronominal System in the town of Machacalis, an area belonging in the Baiano variation, and in Itaúna and Piranga, pertaining to the Minas Gerais variation, according to Zágari (1998).