Language Variation In Conversation: Quantitative And Qualitative Analysis Of The Variable Use Of Tap Where A Trill Is Expected In Brazilian Portuguese In The Speech Of Portuguese-German Bilinguals

Abstract

This paper is about the use of flap where a trill is expected in Brazilian Portuguese (cachorro~cachoro, arroz~aroz) by German descendants in situated speech. Both quantitative (LABOV, 1972) and microinteractional qualitative analysis (LODER; JUNG, 2008; GARCEZ, 2008) of the data are done. The quantitative analysis showed that the variable age plays a role in the use of flap: it is favored by participants who are older than 40 years old and disfavored by participants who are younger than 40 years old. The microinteractional qualitative analysis of speech in social interaction revealed that the variable use of flap is generally not made relevant by the participants. A single use of flap by a participant who is younger than 40 years old was problematized by the interactants. We claim that the problematization is due to the expectations derived from common sense shared knowledge: young people are not expected to make such a use of flap in Brazilian Portuguese, an expectation which is also expressed by the relative weights obtained by the quantitative variable rule analysis. Older participants by their turn are expected to use flap instead of trill in Brazilian Portuguese, so the participants do not make that use relevant in the interaction. This expectation also conforms to the tendency verified by the quantitative analysis.