Pretérito imperfeito (indicativo/subjuntivo): análise variacionista da função de cotemporalidade a um ponto de referência passado no falar popular de Fortaleza

Abstract

The present article has as object of study the variation between the imperfect past tense of the indicative and the imperfect past tense of the subjunctive in the function of cotemporality to a reference point in the past, under the theoretical-methodological apparatus of Variationist Sociolinguistics (LABOV, 2008) and Functionalism (GIVÓN, 2001, 1993). Thirty-six informants from NORPOFOR (Norma Popular de Fortaleza) were analyzed, distributed in orthogonal cells by sex, age group and level of education. We found, in the surveys, 123 data, being 74 of imperfect of the indicative and 49 of imperfect of the subjunctive, which have been tested using the following factors group: type of subordinate clause; verb type of the main clause; presence / absence of adverb or adverbial phrase in the main clause; presence / absence of sequence of verbs in the subordinate; sex; age group and education level. The results obtained indicate that substantive subordinate clause and cognitive verbs in the main clause motivate the use of imperfect of the indicative.