The pronominal paradigm of Brazilian Portuguese and language teaching

Abstract

This study analyzes changes in the Brazilian Portuguese (BP) pronominal system and discusses their incorporation into pedagogical practices. From the perspective of Variationist Sociolinguistics, it contrasts forms prescribed by traditional grammar with those effectively used in everyday speech, which remain underrepresented in teaching materials. Based on a literature review, the study critiques the traditional classification of pronouns and proposes a new framework, describing the restructuring of the paradigms. The results point to the expansion of forms like "você" and "a gente," the increasing use of the possessive forms "dele/dela" to avoid ambiguity, and the simplification of verbal inflection. The conclusion is that these changes necessitate a revision of grammatical instruction. It is essential for teachers to adopt an approach that values linguistic diversity, using empirical research data to promote critical reflection. The goal is to integrate the standard norm with the language varieties present in students' reality, combating linguistic prejudice through contrastive and reflective teaching methods.