A Linguagem neutra em projetos de lei: uma análise de ideologias linguísticas

Abstract

This research, in the current space-time context, encounters a new clash surrounding language in social, political, and legislative fields. Many are turning to communication networks to demand an inclusive language, while others oppose this new language and advocate for the preservation of linguistic unity. In this context, the discussion around neutral language has gained prominence in political debates, and at the same time, notions, beliefs, and feelings about language are being expressed in legislative matters. Considering this debate, the aim of this research is to analyze the linguistic ideologies about neutral language as addressed in bills being processed in the Brazilian National Congress from 2020 to 2023. To this end, the research is epistemologically based on the studies of the Bakhtin Circle (Bakhtin, 2003[1952/3], Volóchinov, 2018[1929]), ideology (Eagleton, 1997; Volóchinov, 2018[1929]; Bakhtin, 2003 [1952/3]), linguistic ideologies (Blommaert, 2014; Del valle and Meirinhoguede; 2017; Woolard; Schieffelin, 1994, 1998; Kroskrity, 2004; Irvine; Gal, 2000) and neutral language (Barbosa Filho and Othero; 2022; Schwindt, 2018, 2020a, 2020b; Butturi Júnior, 2022). From this theoretical framework, the research sought to answer the following research question: how are the linguistic ideologies about neutral language constituted in bills? The research methodology adopted was qualitative-interpretative through a documentary research. The delimited corpus was selected from the legislative databases of the legislative assemblies of the Brazilian states. For data analysis, theoretical tools (Woolard, 2021) and categories of linguistic ideologies (Kroskrity, 2004) and utterance analysis (Volóchinov, 2018[1929]; 2019[1926]; Bakhtin, 2003 [1952/3]) were employed, resulting in a conflict between centripetal forces (conservatism, right-wing and its extremes) and centrifugal forces (linguistic stratifications and heterodiscursivity) and legislative language practices are linguistic ideologies that are mobilized to maintain the hegemony of a certain conception of language and to prohibit certain linguistic-discursive performances.