Um olhar sociolinguístico sobre a variação nós/a gente no livro didático de língua portuguesa do 6º ano do ensino fundamental

Abstract

Considering the recurrent use of the pronouns “nós” and “a gente” in contemporary Brazilian Portuguese, this study aims to reflect on how this linguistic variation is addressed in Portuguese language textbooks used in lower secondary education. The overall objective of this research is to analyze the occurrence and approach of the personal pronouns "nós" (we) and "a gente" (we/us) in a Portuguese textbook intended for the 6th grade of elementary school. The theoretical framework is grounded in Sociolinguistics, drawing on the contributions of authors such as Bagno (2014), Mollica (2014), and Martelotta (2011), who conceive language as a heterogeneous phenomenon shaped by social interaction. Methodologically, this research adopts a descriptive and bibliographic approach, with a qualitative perspective, following Minayo (2008). The corpus consists of a 6th-grade Portuguese language textbook published by Editora FTD (2022). The analysis reveals that the variation between “nós” and “a gente” is still addressed in a limited manner in the textbook, especially within the presentation of personal pronouns. However, the presence of “a gente” in specific reflections on language use indicates modest advances in the recognition of linguistic variation. The findings point to the need for a more systematic and reflective approach to linguistic variation in Portuguese language teaching, in order to bridge the gap between school content and actual language use.