A variação do sujeito "nós" e "a gente" na fala Benjamin-constantense.

Abstract

This research was based on the theoretical-methodological assumptions of the Theory of Variation and Change (LABOV, 1972), and it had as a general objective to analyze, in the position of subject, the use of the variable /us/ in its pronominal realizations as nós and a gente in the dialect of residents of the city of Benjamin Constant/AM, which is located in Alto Solimões, in triple border region (Brazil, Peru and Colombia). In addition to the general objective, the following specific objectives were outlined: i) to identify the linguistic and extralinguistic factors that interfere in the occurrence of the nós and a gente variants; ii) explain whether there is a relationship between the level of education, social context, gender, age and the variable under study: P4 /nós/, first person plural, and its variants nós and a gente. In this research, the sample consisted of eleven interviews, whose informants were distributed over three age groups (from 18 to 30 years old; from 31 to 50 years old; and from 51 to 65 years old); by sex (male and female); and by schooling (Elementary School 1, Elementary School 2 and Complete High School). Despite the limitations of the research resulting from the pandemic context experienced in 2020 and still in 2021, we could to finished it. Considering the statistical analysis, including all intralinguistic and extralinguistic variables, the GoldVarb X program selected as relevant the linguistic factor Formal Parallelism and the extralinguistic factors sex, education and age group. The results showed that the pronominal realizations of the variable /we/ were more expressive according to the factors: intralinguistic, in Formal Parallelism, in which the highest incidence was for the variant a gente; and extralinguistic: by sex, it was more incident the variant a gente, in the speech of women; and by schooling, occurring more incidentally according to the parameter elementary education 2 and high school, the variant a gente; however, according to the Elementary Education factor 1, the two variants were used in the same proportion; and by age group, the variant a gente was more used in the age group factor 2 and 3, while the age group factor 1 favored the use of the variant nós.

Key words: Sociolinguistics; nós and a gente Variation; Benjamin Constant.