LINGUISTIC THINKING IN 16TH CENTURY IN BRAZIL THROUGH THE LETTER “AO GERAL LAINEZ, DE PIRATININGA, MARÇO DE 1562, RECEBIDA EM LISBOA A 20 DE SETEMBRO DO DITO ANO” BY JOSÉ DE ANCHIETA

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to bring a reading proposal, anchored in the theoretical and methodological assumptions of Linguistic Historiography, of the letter written by Father José de Anchieta entitled Ao Geral Lainez, de Piratininga, março de 1562, recebida em Lisboa a 20 de setembro do dito ano. Through the analysis of the referred message, we also want to understand and uncover the linguistic thinking present in Brazil during the 16th century. In order to achieve these objectives, this text addresses the subject of Humanism, a historical-intellectual movement of the aforementioned period, and also brings a brief biography of the author of the letter in order to offer readers an appropriate contextualization.