Variation and Change in Portuguese

Code:

MPLE009

Acronym:

VMPOR

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Language, Literature and Cultural Studies

Instance: 2022/2023 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Portuguese and Romance Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Masters in Portuguese as second language / Foreign language

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEP	17	MEP - Study Plan	1	-	6	41	162
MPLE	16	MPLE - Study Plan	1	-	6	41	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The aim of this Seminar is to provide students with knowledge in two areas: analysis of theories and methods of study related to language variation and change, and their application to the specific study field of the Portuguese Language; observation of past synchronicities and of evolution phenomena in progress.
The students will develop the capacity to recognise analysis of linguistic variation theories and study methods; its application in the specific field of the history of the Portuguese language in its different varieties. The students will also know the connections between the language specificity and its historical evolution.
The students will have the capacity to recognise the historical variation in past synchronicities and of evolution phenomena in progress in its different varieties.

Learning outcomes and competences

The students will develop the capacity to recognise analysis of linguistic variation theories and study methods; its application in the specific field of the history of the Portuguese language in its different varieties. The students will also know the connections between the language specificity and its historical evolution.
The students will have the capacity to recognise the historical variation in past synchronicities and of evolution phenomena in progress in its different varieties.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Incidence, scope and limits of the several different linguistic fields in the study of language diversity, variation and change. 1.1 Issues of object and methodology. Critical testimony.
2. Historical variation of Portuguese - periods.
3. “Modern” variation of the Portuguese language.
3.1 Connections between dialectology and language history.
3.2 Analysis of ongoing evolution phenomena: the system and the forms during the process of grammaticalization.Analysis of ongoing evolution phenomena: system and forms in the process of grammaticalization.
3.3 Specificities of modern Portuguese in relation to its historic evolution: verbal inflection and adress forms - system and variation; phonetic and phonological profile of the portuguese language.
3.4 Brazilian Portuguese
3.4.1 Phonetic differences (unstressed vowels, palatal fricatives, palatalization), syntactic features (inflectional paradigms, placement and use of clitics, use of the article) and lexical peculiarities.
3.5 The situation of Portuguese in Africa. Portuguese as first and second language.
3.5.1Some characteristics that distinguish the different varieties of Portuguese dialects in Africa.
3.6 Linguistic evolution and orthographic reforms.

Mandatory literature

Silva Neto Serafim; História da Língua Portuguesa, Presença Mec Rio de Janeiro, 1973
Teyssier Paul; História da Língua Portuguesa, Sá da Costa, 1984
Faria, Isabel Hub et al. ; Introdução à Linguística geral e Portuguesa, Caminho, 1996. ISBN: ISBN: 972-21-1048-9
Mateus, M.H. e Bacelar do Nascimento, F. (orgs.); A Língua Portuguesa em Mudança, Caminho, 2005. ISBN: ISBN: 972-21-1724-6
Mateus, M.H. e Cardeira, E. ; O Essencial sobre Língua Portuguesa. Norma e Variação, Caminho, 2007. ISBN: ISBN: 978-972-21-1953-5

Complementary Bibliography

Cuesta, P. e Mendes da Luz, M.A; Gramática da Língua Portuguesa , Edições 70, 1980. ISBN: Não tem
Cristóvão, F. et alii (coord.; Dicionário Temático da Lusofonia, , Texto Editores, 2005. ISBN: ISBN: 972-47-2935-4
Ferreira, M. B. et al; “Variação linguística: perspectiva dialectológica” , Caminho, 1996. ISBN: ISBN: 972-21-1048-9
Luchesi, D. e T. Lobo; "Aspectos da Sintaxe do Português Brasileiro", Caminho, 1996. ISBN: ISBN: 972-21-1048-9
Gonçalves, P.; “Aspectos da Sintaxe do Português de Moçambique” , Caminho, 1996. ISBN: ISBN: 972-21-1048-9
SILVA, Rosa Virgínia Mattos e; “O português são dois (variação, mudança, norma e a questão do ensino do português no Brasil)” , APL, Colibri, 1996. ISBN: ISBN: 972-8288-36-0
Inverno. L.; Angola’s transition to Vernacular Portuguese, Diss. de Mestrado, Universidade de Coimbra, 2005

Teaching methods and learning activities

The discussion of theoretical concepts related to linguistic variation and the identification and characterization of different evolution phenomena in progress, and the periods of the history of the Portuguese language, allows the learning of the fundaments of linguistic change.
The analysis of different oral and written documents allows the development of interpretation of the specificities of different norms and diachronic periods of Portuguese.
Teaching the concepts of linguistic variation develops the student’s capacity to recognise the theories and methods of the study of linguistic change; the specific field of the evolution of the Portuguese language and the connections between the language specificity and its historical evolution.
The seminars will be student-centered, stimulating the sensibility to understand the linguistic concepts of variation and linguistic change.
An attempt will be made to favour individual research, critical thinking and problem solving, avoiding formal lectures.
Main attention is given to the active participation in class, by submitting small projects.
Evaluation: based on elaboration of essay. The results of the individual research can be shared with the group.

keywords

Humanities > language sciences > Linguistics > histórica Historical linguistics

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	90,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	32,00
Frequência das aulas	30,00
Trabalho escrito	100,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance at a minimum of 75% of classes, except in cases foreseen by law.

Calculation formula of final grade

Distributed assessment (100%).

Examinations or Special Assignments

To be discussed with students in the first session.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

According to the Assessment Regulations in force.

Classification improvement

According to the Assessment Regulations in force.