Investigação do léxico, das estruturas fraseo morfológicas na escrita de pessoas surdas por diferentes gêneros textuais: uma análise a partir da Linguística de Corpus

Abstract

This thesis presents a study on the writing of deaf individuals from the perspective of Corpus Linguistics (CL). Its general objective is to analyze texts produced during a Brazilian Portuguese (BP) course offered as an additional language, in order to identify recurring lexical, grammatical, and morphosyntactic patterns, as well as to characterize the levels of Interlanguage (IL) and the encapsulation processes present in these productions. As specific objectives, the study includes the development of a specialized corpus composed of written productions in BP created by deaf individuals, with the aim of supporting linguistic analyses grounded in CL. It also involves the systematic identification and description of predominant (a)typical lexico-grammatical features in these productions, considering the frequency and distribution of grammatical classes such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives, in order to map patterns of lexical choice and possible lexical restrictions. Additionally, the study investigates the use of infinitive verb forms, syntactic inversions in sentence order, and nominal derivation processes through affixation, seeking to understand how these aspects may reveal patterns characteristic of the participants’ writing, possibly influenced by Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). The defended thesis argues that the writing of deaf individuals in BP should be recognized as a legitimate form of expression in an additional language, respecting its particularities. In analyzing linguistic patterns, the study seeks to understand these productions as manifestations of IL, valuing the visual and gestural experiences of Libras, while also considering encapsulation as a process inherent to deaf textual constructions rather than as a deviation from the norm. The theoretical framework encompasses the historical trajectory of deaf education and the development of written BP as an additional language. It addresses the linguistic systems of BP and Libras, considering phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic levels. The study incorporates theories from Chomskyan linguistics as well as contributions from Vygotsky, Bakhtin, Quadros, and Pizzio, which support the understanding of linguistic learning processes among deaf individuals. The concept of IL is discussed based on Schlatter, Garcez, Leffa, Irala, and Furlanetto. The approach to textual genres is grounded in Bakhtin, Cristóvão, and Dolz. Online teaching-learning contexts and the foundations of CL are also addressed, with emphasis on phraseology and lexicology. The methodology follows the principles of CL, employing the WordSmith Tools software to conduct quantitative analyses through the WordList and Concord tools, which enable the identification of the frequency of the linguistic phenomena under analysis. Results revealed a high frequency of infinitive verbs, which function as morphosyntactic strategies for simplification and verbal organization in IL. In addition, syntactic inversions were identified as reflecting transfer from Libras, particularly from the topic–comment pattern. It was also found that nominalizations through derivation signal morphological development in BP and indicate progression in IL levels. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that such elements configure a distinctive bilingual grammar marked both by the influence of Libras and by the advancement of written BP. In this sense, these phenomena should not be interpreted as deviations but rather as legitimate linguistic strategies of IL, constituting complex, autonomous, and systematic forms of written BP produced by deaf participants who use it as an additional language.