Revista de Estudos da Linguagem

5-21

Authors: Maria Conceição Paiva

ln thls artlcle I discuss two forma of posposed causal clauses 1n oral discourse: Y porque ]C ("Y because X") and Y paU8a porque X. (;"Y pause because X"). By means of quantitative analysls, I demonstrate that these forms cannot be considered structural alternatives for expresslng causal relation ln alI environments. Although elther one may occur ln some contexts, afterthought clauses share d1fferent features and play a spec1flc role ln the process of verbal lnteraction.

37-51

Authors: Delson Biondo

The present paper summarizes the fundamental principIes of the syllable structure analysis proposed by Goldsmith (1990), on the basis of autosegmentaI phonology. According to this approach, sonority principIe, llcensing, directionallty of syllable structure creation, maximal anset principIe and syllabIe structure assignement are taken as universal laws that regulate a suitable syllable formation. Portuguese words are used to exempllfy function and appllcation af some of these principIes.

63-77

Authors: Maria Angélica Furtado Cunha, Nubiacira Fernandes Oliveira

This paper follows a functional approach which takes into account the real use of language as an instrument of communication. We are malnly lnterested ln lnvestigating the ways through whlch syntax, semantics and pragmatics interact. ln order to do this, we study the behaviour of the adverbs já, mais and ainda ln negative sentences. First, we review the use of some elements which reinforce the very idea of negation. Secondly, we deal, specifically, with the adverbs, já, mais and ainda as a reinforcement to the negative. Thirdly, we aim at verifying their behaviour from an argumentative perspective. Finally, we present our conclusions.

87-97

Authors: Rosângela Borges Lima

Este trabalho trata de algumas diferenças entre dois tipos de mensagens orais veiculadas pelo falante diante do público: mensagens improvisadas, em confronto com mensagens preparadas, e suas diferenças nos campos verbal e não-verbal.

9-30

Authors: Stela Bortoni, Christina Gomes, Elisabete Malvar

his study addresses a controversial issue of the implementation of the raising role oflhe pretonic vowels/el and/ol in Brazilian Portuguese. The phenomenon has been traditionally regarded as a case of vowel harmony. A strong influence ofanalogical processes affecting derived words has also been pointed out. More recent studies have suggested however lhat the role is lexically implemented. The data for lhe present study come from the contemporary Portuguese spoken by informants from Brasília, and from Ola Portuguese and lhe Galician. The quantitative analysis of lhe synchronic data has partially confirmed the two conditioning hypotheses that are couched within lhe Neogrammarian view of lhe phenomenon. The alphabetical ordering of lhe tokens however has revealed a residue of words in which lhe variation can only be taken into account by the Lexical Diffusion model of role implementation. The qualitative analysis oflhe diachronic data has accordingly shown that in lhe process of evolution from Latin into Modem Portuguese words with pretonic leI and/o! have followed two' different tracks lhat can neither be explained by phonological conditioning nor by analogy: in some groups of words lhe pretonic vowel evolved into a categorical high or a categorical mid vowel, whereas in olher groups the realization of the pretonic vowels has never become categorical.

43-51

Authors: Monica Auler

The phonetic/phonological aspects involved in the pronunciation of the post-vocalic s have already been analysed in several works conceming different dialects of Brazilian Portuguese. This paper presents a study of some lexical factors involved in the aspiration of the post-vocalic s in the dialect of Rio de Janeiro as an alternative approach to the phenomenon. It also reinforces the applicability of the Lexical Diffusion madel to Portuguese.

65-77

Authors: Carlos Alexandre Gonçalves

By taking the phenomena of dropping (aphaeresis) and addition (prosthesis) of inicial/al as the chiefpoint in a diffusionist inquiry, this article intends to discuss two main points. First, we analyse the most relevant characteristics or the phenomena in question as well as the typology of the initial segments we have found out. Our purpose is to present a morphological salience scale as the chief refraining agent of change. Secondly, we analyse the results ofthe tested lexical parameters and assume the hypothesis of the Inverse Proportionateness of the phenomena which, like a play on equivalences in a mirror, spread simetrically through the lexicon.

85-99

Authors: Rosa Virgínia Mattos Silva

ln this paper I discuss some research results on syntactic variation and change which took place in OId Portuguese. Based on texts from the 14th and 15th centuries I discuss: (a) the variation involving ser/estar and the diffusion of estar to atributive structures (both locative and descriptive); (b) the variation between singular and plural as weIl as the loss ofagreement marks in the Past Participle in those structures where in conjunction with haver or ter it could be reinterpreted as a compound tense; and (c) fmaIly, I present evidence to show that in some syntactic and semantic contextsnumber agreement involving a verb and its subject was a variable phenomenon in Old Portuguese.