Nesta dissertação tratamos de questões relativas às dificuldades de ensino dos tempos verbais pretérito indefinido e pretérito perfecto compuesto do modo indicativo nas aulas de Espanhol Língua Estrangeira ELE para falantes do português brasileiro. Partimos do pressuposto de que a Linguística Contrastiva pode contribuir de maneira eficaz visto que possibilita ao estudante contrastar as convergências bem como as divergências inerentes ao uso de sua língua materna em relação à língua espanhola, especialmente devido à relativa semelhança existente entre os idiomas em destaque. Nossos objetivos consistiram em: a) observar e buscar preencher as lacunas relacionadas ao ensino dos tempos verbais pretérito indefinido e pretérito perfecto compuesto; b) descrever quais são suas semelhanças e diferenças em relação ao uso em língua portuguesa; c) analisar de que maneira a Linguística Contrastiva pode contribuir quando do tratamento dos tempos verbais destacados nas aulas de ELE, além de analisar sua abordagem em alguns materiais didáticos; d) detectar quais procedimentos de ensino são mais cabíveis para o ensino desse tema. O arcabouço teórico utilizado fundamentou-se, principalmente, nos conceitos propostos e/ou defendidos por Bello e Cuervo (1943), RAE (2010), Alarcos Llorach (1995), Matte Bon (2010a), Cunha e Cintra (2007), Bechara (2009), Luft (1996), Almeida (1973), Durão (2004a) e Santos Gargallo (1993), bem como nas reflexões contidas nas OCEM (BRASIL, 2006). Os resultados obtidos por meio da pesquisa revelaram que os professores de ELE ensinam os tempos verbais em destaque apoiados na definição básica apresentada nas gramáticas, isto é, a forma simples deve ser empregada para fazer referência a situações passadas ocorridas em um espaço de tempo encerrado e a forma composta deve ser utilizada para expressar acontecimentos pretéritos realizados em um espaço-temporal ainda não concluído e, portanto, não esclarecem a seus alunos as diferentes possibilidades de uso dos dois tempos verbais. Os docentes-colaboradores também acreditam que os materiais didáticos abordam o assunto de maneira superficial, pois oferecem poucas explicações e/ou sugestões de atividades. Os manuais, por sua vez, utilizam a abordagem contrastiva, mas não enfocam os tempos verbais em pauta de maneira abrangente. Por fim, verificamos que os docentes, em geral, fazem uso de procedimentos de ensino que remetem à metodologia Tradicional e Áudio-oral de ensino. Julgamos que os 11 resultados desta pesquisa contribuem para o ensino do pretérito indefinido e pretérito perfecto compuesto nas aulas de ELE na medida em que enfatizam e valorizam as diferentes possibilidades do uso real que o falante faz da língua e salientam a importância do aperfeiçoamento contínuo do professor para o desenvolvimento de sua função. / This thesis is about the questions related to the difficulties encountered in the teaching of the verb tenses pretérito indefinido and pretérito perfecto compuesto in the Spanish as a foreign language classes SFL for Brazilian Portuguese speaker students. We assume that the Contrastive Linguistics approach can effectively contribute as it gives the students the chance to contrast the differences and similarities in the structures and usage of their mother tongue and the Spanish language, due to the alikeness existent between both languages. Our objectives were: a) observe and fill in the gaps related to the teaching of the two verb tenses mentioned above; b) describe the similarities and differences in their usage in relation to the usage in Portuguese; c) analyze in which ways Contrastive Linguistics can contribute to the teaching of those verb tenses in the SFL classes, besides analyzing its approach in some teaching materials; d) detect which teaching procedures are better for the teaching of those verb tenses. The theory in this essay was mainly based on the concepts proposed and/or endorsed by Bello and Cuervo (1943), RAE (2010), Alarcos Llorach (1995), Matte Bon (2010a), Cunha and Cintra (2007), Bechara (2009), Luft (1996), Almeida (1973), Durão (2004a) and Santos Gargallo (1993), as well as the reflections enclosed in the OCEM (BRASIL, 2006). The results found in this research revealed that SFL teachers, teach these verb tenses based on the basic definition presented in grammar books, that is to say, the simple form should be used with reference to finished periods, whereas the compound form suggests a connection between the past event and the present. Therefore, teachers do not point out the different possibilities of the use of both verb tenses. Teachers who helped in this research also believe that teaching materials approach this subject in a superficial way as they offer very few explanations and/or suggestions of activities. Teachers guides use the contrastive approach but they do not focus deeply on the verb tenses. Lastly we observed that teachers in general either use Traditional procedures, or the Audio-oral teaching approach. We believe that the results of this research can contribute to the teaching of the verb tenses pretérito indefinido and pretérito perfecto compuesto in the SFL classes as they emphasize and value the different possibilities of the real use the native speaker makes of the language and point out how important continuous teachers development is for their career.

Articulação Semântico-Cognitiva por Meio de Papéis Semânticos realiza a comparação de enunciados retirados do meio jornalístico nas línguas portuguesa e inglesa, analisados com base nas teorias propostas pela gramática de casos e semântica cognitiva. A partir das idéias de background e foreground propostas por Fillmore, é possível a interpretação de tais enunciados como eventos. Pretende-se, aqui, categorizar os predicadores, verificar seus possíveis efeitos de sentido dentro do contexto em estudo, determinar as relações temáticas que envolvem os núcleos preposicionais, analisar e dimensionar os dados qualitativamente. A análise procedeu-se tendo como corpus editorial da revista National Geographic, nas versões em língua portuguesa e inglesa, donde se concluiu que o ambiente enunciativo tanto na fala quanto na escrita sofre alterações, mas, apesar de flutuações sintáticas (como indicações de tempo e gênero), o campo semântico mantém-se inalterado, ou seja, estável e produtivo. / Cognitive -Semantic Articulation by Semantic roles compares sentences from publications in Portuguese and English Languages, analyzing them through the theories proposed by The Case Grammar and Cognitive Semantics. The concepts of background and foreground presented by Fillmore allow an interpretation of such sentences as events. The intention is to categorize the verbs, verify their possible effects within the analyzed context, determine the thematic relations involved in the prepositional nucleons and qualitatively analyze the data. The analyses had the Portuguese and English versions of a National Geographic editorial as a corpus, from which we concluded that although the discourse environment can differ, the semantic field remains unaltered.

Esta tese investigou o desenvolvimento da convencionalidade e especificidade na aquisição de verbos. No Estudo 1, uma amostra de verbos do Português Brasileiro (PB) foi julgada por 605 universitários, em escala likert de 1 a 5 pontos, gerando escores de convencionalidade e especificidade. O Estudo 2 comparou a convencionalidade em 80 crianças divididas em 2 grupos etários (2:0-3:0 e 3:1-4:5) utilizando 2 análises: dicotômica e contínua (escala likert). Os resultados mostraram que ambas são válidas para diferenciar os grupos, embora a contínua apresente vantagens. No Estudo 3, foram analisadas 55 crianças em 2 momentos. Os resultados mostraram um desenvolvimento significativo da convencionalidade e especificidade ao longo do tempo e diferenças significativas entre gêneros: meninas foram mais convencionais e específicas do que meninos. As correlações mostraram uma interdependência entre variáveis linguísticas e cognitivas. O Estudo 4 apresentou diferenças de gênero na organização semântica dos verbos por meio de um modelo gráfico. / This dissertation investigated the development of conventionality and specificity in the acquistion of verbs. In Study 1, a sample of Brazilian Portuguese (PB) verbs was judged by 605 undergraduate students, in a 1 to 5 points likert scale, generating conventionality and specificity scores. The Study 2 compared conventionality in 80 children divided in 2 age groups (2;0-3;0 and 3;1-4;5) using 2 analyses: dichotomic and continuous (likert scale). The results showed that both are valid to differentiate the groups, although the continuous presents advantages. In Study 3, we analized 55 children in 2 moments. The results showed a significant development of conventionality and specificity through time and significant differences between genders: girls were more conventional and specific than boys. The correlations showed an interdependence between linguistic and cognitive variables. The Study 4 showed gender differences in verbs semantic organization throuth a graphic model.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Este estudo propÃe a aplicaÃÃo dos princÃpios da Teoria da MetÃfora Conceitual (TMC), preconizada por Lakoff e Johnson, ao ensino/aprendizagem de inglÃs como lÃngua estrangeira (LE), mais especificamente ao ensino/aprendizagem de verbos de duas ou mais palavras, comumente chamados de phrasal verbs. Analisa a relaÃÃo entre metÃfora conceitual e cogniÃÃo, particularmente entre as metÃforas conceituais relacionadas Ãs partÃculas up e down, foco principal deste trabalho, e procura explicar de que maneira essa relaÃÃo pode influenciar nossa linguagem e a maneira como compreendemos e utilizamos esse tipo de verbo. Revisa e explora os sentidos dessas partÃculas com o objetivo de estabelecer a relaÃÃo entre metÃfora conceitual e o significado de verbos de duas ou mais palavras. Utiliza a pesquisa experimental como mÃtodo investigativo. Assim, a fim de possibilitar uma anÃlise mais abrangente dos dados, faz uso de uma abordagem mista que inclui um prà e um pÃs-teste, instrumento mais relacionado a pesquisas experimentais, mas tambÃm, utiliza anotaÃÃes feitas pela pesquisadora durante a aplicaÃÃo dos exercÃcios para os grupo-controle e experimental, a exemplo de pesquisas semelhantes que buscam uma visÃo mais abrangente tanto do produto como do processo de ensino/aprendizagem. Sugere procedimentos de ensino que faÃam uso de metÃforas conceituais como ferramenta facilitadora do ensino/aprendizagem dos verbos de duas ou mais palavras, que sÃo bastante comuns em lÃngua inglesa, mas que sÃo considerados difÃceis, ou atà mesmo impossÃveis de serem aprendidos por alunos e professores de inglÃs como LE falantes de portuguÃs brasileiro. Apesar de os resultados estatÃsticos nÃo mostrarem evidÃncia de que o ensino de verbos de duas ou mais palavras seja mais eficiente do que o ensino tradicional, os resultados qualitativos apontam para o fato de que a TMC pode oferecer contribuiÃÃes bastante positivas para o ensino de inglÃs como LE. / This study proposes application of the principles of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), put forward by Lakoff and Johnson, to the teaching/learning of English as a foreign language (EFL), specifically the teaching/learning of verbs of two or more words, commonly known as phrasal verbs. The relationship between conceptual metaphor and cognition is analysed, particularly between conceptual metaphors related to the particles up and down, the main focus of this research, and seeks to explain how this relationship may influence our language and how we understand and use this kind of verb. The study both revises and explores the meanings of these particles with a view to establish a relation between conceptual metaphor and the meaning of verbs of two or more words. The investigative method adopted is that of experimental research. Thus, in order to enable a broader analysis of the data, a mixed approach is used, which includes a pre- and post-test, a tool more related to experimental research, but also makes use of notes made by the researcher during application of exercises to the control group and the experimental group, following the example of similar studies which seek a broader view of both the product and the process of teaching/learning. Teaching procedures which make us of conceptual metaphors as a tool facilitating learning/teaching of phrasal verbs are suggested, as the latter are very common in English, but are considered complicated or even impossible to learn by Portuguese-speaking learners and teachers of English as a Foreign Language. Despite the fact that statistical results failed to show evidence that the teaching of phrasal verbs is more efficient than traditional teaching, the qualitative results point to the fact that CMT may have a highly positive contribution to make to the teaching of English as a Foreign Language.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo estudar os argumentos espaciais preposicionados selecionados por verbos de deslocamento de forma contrastiva em português e alemão. Para tanto, foram utilizados preceitos da gramática de valências e da gramática de casos que se pautam nos conceitos de centralidade do verbo (que seleciona os argumentos) e papel temático. Dentro do papel temático espacial, considera-se que é possível distinguir seis subtipos: origem, direção, percurso, trajetória, locativo e situativo. Para este trabalho foi feito o recolhimento de um corpus de ocorrências em português e alemão a partir de verbos de deslocamento que selecionam argumentos espaciais introduzidos por preposições. Essas ocorrências foram analisadas e classificadas semanticamente segundo os subtipos do papel espacial encontrados. Contrastando as ocorrências em português e alemão, foi possível verificar similaridades e diferenças entre as duas línguas. Foram observadas construções com o substantivo casa e Haus, a influência do verbo para a seleção do argumento espacial e as diferenças sutis entre os subtipos de papéis espaciais. Um grupo de verbos chamou a atenção por não permitir a classificação clara em um dos subgrupos. Para esses verbos, é levantada a hipótese de criação de mais um argumento espacial: o argumento espacial preposicionado de referência. / This masters thesis aims the study of prepositional spatial arguments that are taken by verbs of movement in a contrastive way in Portuguese and in German. In order to carry out this research, there were used concepts of the valency grammar and the case grammar that present the verb as the core of the sentence (which requires arguments) and the semantic role. Between the spatial semantic roles, it is considered that it is possible to find six subtypes: source, direction, path, trajectory, locative and situative. For this thesis it was collected a corpus of occurrences in Portuguese and German from verbs of movement that select spatial arguments introduced by prepositions. These occurrences were analyzed and semantically classified according to these subtypes of semantic roles. By contrasting the occurrences in Portuguese and German, it was possible to verify similarities and differences between both languages. There were observed constructions with the noun casa and Haus, the influence of the verb for the selection of the spatial argument and the small differences between the subtypes of spatial roles. A group of verbs caught the attention because they did not allow a clear classification in one of the subtypes. For these verbs it is raised the hypothesis of creation of another spatial argument: the spatial prepositional argument of reference.

This essay deals with verb use in headlines. More specifically, the aim was to see if therewere any differences between two British newspapers in how verbs were used in headlines. Inorder to carry out this study, 100 headlines were collected from each of the newspapers andorganized into groups; headlines that included verbs and headlines that did not. A decisionwas made to only look at two types of verbs; main verbs and auxiliaries.The results showed that The Independent as well as The Sun generally contains verbs. TheIndependent has a slightly higher rate when main verbs and auxiliaries are put together.However, The Sun uses more auxiliaries. Only primary and modal auxiliaries are used in TheSun as well as in The Independent, no semi-auxiliaries were found in any of the newspaperheadlines. Another interesting fact was that The Independent has removed all auxiliaries in theforms of be. Then Sun too seems to prefer headlines without this particular auxiliary but therewere a few headlines which included forms of be.A comparison between the results presented in this study and a study carried out by Mårdhduring the late 1970’s shows similar results. The present study is far more limited in itsmaterial but the parts that could be compared shows that the verb use in newspaper headlineshas not changed much during the past few decades.

The aim of this essay is to find out which dictionary is the best for learners and how it can be improved even further, regarding delexical verbs.

This essay analysed how gender is established in students’ texts. The aim of the study was to find out if the students in a class in an upper secondary school were able to produce texts where female and male subjects were not influenced by prevailing gender roles. The analysis was based on Halliday’s Functional Grammar Theory. Furthermore, the results are interpreted in the light of the guidelines of the Curriculum and the Education Act. To fulfil the aim of this essay 32 texts were analysed from the extra linguistic factor of gender.                       The linguistic factors examined were verbs (dynamic/stative, transitive/intransitive), if the subjects function as actors or not were the factors used to establish if there is a difference between how females and males are represented in the texts. Furthermore the use of adjectives, nouns and predicatives modifying the grammatical subjects were also taken in consideration in the analysis. The hypothesis was based on a previous study made on the teaching book Blueprint A and the results from this current study were compared to the results from that study. The study finds that in the texts examined females are established as more stative than males and because of that it is possible to draw conclusions that the teaching book can influence the student in their writing but also that school not always uphold the goals of the Curriculum and the Education Act in the issue regarding gender equality.

This thesis aims to study the phenomenon of linguistic interference in the use of the verb ser in different marital status (single, married and divorced) in spanish spoken by catalans living in different territorial areas of Catalonia. Our theory is that individuals who reside in territorial areas where catalan is the most spoken language tend to use the verb ser + marital status rather than the verb estar + marital status due to the influence of catalan. We have used a quantitative methodology, i.e. we have collected data through a survey. The results of our study confirm our theory that individuals who reside in territorial areas where catalan is the most spoken language tend to use the verb ser + marital status rather than the verb estar + marital status due to the influence of catalan.

This corpus based diploma thesis takes stock of Finnish epistemic modal verbs voida, saattaa, taitaa and mahtaa and surveys their translational counterparts as they can be found in the parallel corpus InterCorp. The aim of the thesis is to find out what tendencies there can be found in the translation of the modals in question. In the theoretical part, there is, firstly, a description of both modality and modal verbs in Finnish and Czech, secondly, of the differences between the approaches to modality in both languages and, thirdly, of the features of translated language. In the analytical part, the translations are sorted out into categories based on the particular modal specifiers. The description of the different modal specifier categories follows.