Remarks on the pejorative suffix: testing the speaker’s intuition towards a phase theory in words

Authors

  • Rafael Dias Minussi Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Caroline da Silva Oliveira Universidade Federal de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22409/gragoata.v23i46.33586

Keywords:

Pejoratives, Suffixal Derivation, Evaluation Suffixes, Distributed Morphology, Phase Theory.

Abstract

We seek to investigate the relationship between the semantic and syntactic factors by focusing on the formation of derivational names by suffix derivation, reflecting on bases, affixes, products, and the relationships established between them. Following the theoretical model of Distributed Morphology (Cf. HALLE; MARANTZ, 1993; MARANTZ, 1997), we propose an investigation and description of the syntactic-semantic interface (Cf. MINUSSI; NÓBREGA, 2014) in which the pejorative formations can be inserted. Based on Frota (1985) and Sandmann (1989), we initially determined which suffixes were to be studied and also based on the phase theory in words (MARANTZ, 2001; ARAD, 2003) we selected our data. That consists of 306 words, through oral and written texts, collected in the most diverse media and having as fundamental concept the speaker’s intuition. We perform tests to verify the pejorativeness of the bases, resulting formations and suffixes. The analysis of the respective data resulted in the creation of a pejorativity’s scale. Thus, among the objectives achieved in the work are: a) contribute to a research methodology regarding pejorativity, b) investigate the semantic contribution of the suffix to the interpretation of pejorativity, c) progress in the development of studies on pejoratives word formation and d) perform an analysis of pejorativity in the light of phase theory.

 

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22409/gragoata.2018n46a1131

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Author Biographies

  • Rafael Dias Minussi, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

    Bacharel e licenciado em Letras, com habilitação em Português e Linguística pela USP. Também é mestre e doutor pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Semiótica e Linguística Geral da USP. Atualmente é professor do Departamento de Letras da UNIFESP e do Programa de Pós-graduação em Letras da UNIFESP, integrando a linha de pesquisa Linguagem e Cognição. Faz parte dos seguintes grupos de pesquisa do CNPq: InFoLinC (Investigações (in)formais em Língua(gem) e Cognição) da UNIFESP e Grupo de Estudos em Morfologia Distribuída (GREMD) da USP.

  • Caroline da Silva Oliveira, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

    Bacharel em Letras pela Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), com habilitação em Português/Inglês. Desenvolveu projeto de Iniciação Científica com o apoio da Fapesp (processo nº 2015/24906-4) sobre sufixos e suas relações sintáticas e semânticas com a pejoratividade.

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Published

2018-08-30

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 46 (2018): Language: cognition and uses

Section

Language Articles

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How to Cite

Remarks on the pejorative suffix: testing the speaker’s intuition towards a phase theory in words. (2018). Gragoatá, 23(46), 470-491. https://doi.org/10.22409/gragoata.v23i46.33586