Os verbos dicendi e suas expressões modificadoras na construção da relação de oposição de comportamento entre Elinor e Marianne em Sense and Sensibility.

Abstract

This senior thesis analyzes the role that verba dicendi and expressions carrying adverbial function that come along with them play on the development of the opposing behaviors that characterize the sisters Elinor and Marianne in the novel Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen. Drawing on the literature, which indicates the different functions played by verba dicendi, the study tested the working hypothesis that these verbs and the expressions with adverbial function that come along with them assist in the characterization of literary characters, thus contributing to the development of characters with opposing behaviors. A parallel corpus was created with excerpts of the source text Sense and Sensibility, in English, and the corresponding translations from the target text Razão e Sentimento, in Portuguese, as produced by Rodrigo Breunig. The analysis was based on all direct and indirect speech passages from both characters, not considering free direct and indirect speeches. Theories on the predominant function of verba dicendi and the influence that expressions with adverbial function exert on them were studied and then applied to both source and target texts. The results indicate that the verba dicendi were frequently used in the development of the behavioral opposition between the sisters, especially when the verbs featured characterizing and expressive functions. The expressions with adverbial function also played an important role in the characterization of Elinor and Marianne; they also provided greater expressive values to the verba dicendi in both source and target texts. The results also point out that the verbal functions in the target text were quite similar to those in the source text.