This thesis revisits the variation inherent to the French wh interrogative system. In La[urentien]F[rench], there are many ways to ask wh questions, all of which are said to have the same general interpretation. By looking at different types of data, historical as well as contemporary, this thesis puts forward three main findings/proposals: i. the high degree of variation is due to the use of wh est-ce que, which appeared in Old French as an interrogative cleft (Rouquier 2003); ii. between Old and Modern French, wh est-ce que has gone through a typical cycle of grammaticalisation (as described by Roberts & Roussou 2003, van Gelderen 2008a, b), while the free relative of the Old French cleft remained unchanged; iii. today’s LaF wh system is dominated by the wh est-ce que and variants (over 98 percent of use – Elsig 2009), which lack traditional wh movement. It is proposed that wh est-ce que and variants appear in a construction containing an atrophied clefted CP adjoined to a main clause containing a wh operator, whereas the variant traditionally called wh in situ is generated in a structure in which the wh element is interpreted and spelled-out in the position of Merge. In addition to its theoretical contribution, this thesis helps to bring together theoretical and applied linguistics, since it makes use of different types of data, both historical and synchronic (oral and written corpora, experimental studies and grammaticality judgements). Moreover, the conclusions raise important questions about the realities of diglossia in the French diaspora: wh interrogative variants are divided according to fundamental structural differences; some have wh movement (high, formal register) and others do not (vernacular and neutral register). Finally, this thesis also contributes to the theories of oralité (Gadet 1992), since it sheds light on a complex system of variants found exclusively in vernacular speech.

This thesis revisits the variation inherent to the French wh interrogative system. In La[urentien]F[rench], there are many ways to ask wh questions, all of which are said to have the same general interpretation. By looking at different types of data, historical as well as contemporary, this thesis puts forward three main findings/proposals: i. the high degree of variation is due to the use of wh est-ce que, which appeared in Old French as an interrogative cleft (Rouquier 2003); ii. between Old and Modern French, wh est-ce que has gone through a typical cycle of grammaticalisation (as described by Roberts & Roussou 2003, van Gelderen 2008a, b), while the free relative of the Old French cleft remained unchanged; iii. today’s LaF wh system is dominated by the wh est-ce que and variants (over 98 percent of use – Elsig 2009), which lack traditional wh movement. It is proposed that wh est-ce que and variants appear in a construction containing an atrophied clefted CP adjoined to a main clause containing a wh operator, whereas the variant traditionally called wh in situ is generated in a structure in which the wh element is interpreted and spelled-out in the position of Merge. In addition to its theoretical contribution, this thesis helps to bring together theoretical and applied linguistics, since it makes use of different types of data, both historical and synchronic (oral and written corpora, experimental studies and grammaticality judgements). Moreover, the conclusions raise important questions about the realities of diglossia in the French diaspora: wh interrogative variants are divided according to fundamental structural differences; some have wh movement (high, formal register) and others do not (vernacular and neutral register). Finally, this thesis also contributes to the theories of oralité (Gadet 1992), since it sheds light on a complex system of variants found exclusively in vernacular speech.

A investigação de variáveis sintáticas e morfossintáticas dentro do quadro da Sociolinguística Varicionista tem recebido, em geral, menor atenção do que o estudo de variáveis fonológicas. Este trabalho analisa a variação entreo quatro estruturas de Interrogativas-Q em amostras de fala e de escrita do português paulistano contemporâneo: (i) interrogativas-qu (\"Onde você mora?\"); (ii) interrogativas qu-que (\"Onde que você mora?\"); (iii)interrogativas é que (\"Onde é que você mora?\"); e (iv) interrogativas qu-in-situ (\"Você mora onde?\"). A equivalência semântica entre as formas interrogativas se estabelece através do conceito de pressuposição do falante (Stalnaker, 2002). Além disso, este trabalho propõe o conceito de competência comunicativa (Hymes, 1991[1979]) como critério para determinar o envelope de variação: diferentes estruturas são consideradas variantes se forem factualmente possíveis, factíveis, adequadas e empregadas nos mesmos contextos. A análise qualitativa com base nesses conceitos define dois envelopes de variação-e, portanto, duas variáveis: uma que envolve a alternância na posição do constituinte interrogativo (in situ ou não), e outra que encerra as três estruturas com constituinte interrogativo pré-verbal (-qu, qu-que e é-que). Os resultados das análises quantitativas mostram que interrogativas qu-in-situ são favorecidas principalmente por fatores morfossintáticos e discursivo-pragamáticos; fatores extralinguísticos, como sexo/genêro e a faixa etária do falante , também se correlacionam indiretamente através do emprego de diferentes discursivas. O uso de interrogativas qu-que, por sua vez, demonstra uma provável mudança linguística em progresso, uma vez que a análise em tempo aparente revela o favorecimento da estrutura por falantes mais jovens. Neste caso, a variação é influenciada principalmente por fatores sintáticos e prosódicos. Além de propor critérios para o estudo de variáveis morfossintáticas, este trabalho discute os resultados das análises quantitativas em perspectiva com outros níveis de variação linguística, com vistas a integra-los em um quadro mais amplo da Teoria da Variação. / The investigation of syntactic and morphosyntactic variables within the framework of Variationist ociolinguistics has received, in general, less attention than the study of phonological variables. This study analyses variation amaong four different structures of Wh-interrogatives in the speech and writing of native paulistanos: (i) \'simple\'wh-interrogatives (as in Onde você mora? \'Where you live?\'); (ii) wh-que interrogatives ( as in Onde você mora? \'Where-that you live?\'); (iii) cleft wh-interrogatives (as in Onde é que você mora? \'Where is-it that you live?\'); and (iv) wh-in-situ (as in Você mora onde? \'You live where?\'). Semantic equivalence among the four structures is established through the concept of speaker\'s pressupposition (Stalnaker, 2002). Further, this study proposes the concept of communicative competence (Hymes, 1991 [1979]) as a criterium for determining the envelope of variation: different structures are considered variants if they are factually possible, feasible, appropriate, and performed in the same contexts. The qualitative analysis based on these concepts defines two different envelopes of variation - hence, two variables: one which involves the alternation in the position of the wh-word (in situ vs. moved), and another which comises the three structures with a moved wh-word (\'simple\', wh-que and cleft -wh). Results of the quantitative analyses show that wh-in-situ is mostly favored by morphosyntactic and discourse-pragmatic factors, and that non-linguistic factor groups such as gender and age are also indirectly correlated with the variantion through the use of different discourse strategies. The use of wh-que, on the other hand, is probably undergoing change, as apparent time analyses show a avoring effect by younger speakers. Variation in this case is mostly influenced by syntactic and prosodic factors. In addition to proposing criteria to the study of morphosyntactic variables, this dissertation discusses the results of the quantitative analyses in relation to other levels of linguistic variation, aiming at their integration into a larger framework of Variotion Theory.

A investigação de variáveis sintáticas e morfossintáticas dentro do quadro da Sociolinguística Varicionista tem recebido, em geral, menor atenção do que o estudo de variáveis fonológicas. Este trabalho analisa a variação entreo quatro estruturas de Interrogativas-Q em amostras de fala e de escrita do português paulistano contemporâneo: (i) interrogativas-qu (\"Onde você mora?\"); (ii) interrogativas qu-que (\"Onde que você mora?\"); (iii)interrogativas é que (\"Onde é que você mora?\"); e (iv) interrogativas qu-in-situ (\"Você mora onde?\"). A equivalência semântica entre as formas interrogativas se estabelece através do conceito de pressuposição do falante (Stalnaker, 2002). Além disso, este trabalho propõe o conceito de competência comunicativa (Hymes, 1991[1979]) como critério para determinar o envelope de variação: diferentes estruturas são consideradas variantes se forem factualmente possíveis, factíveis, adequadas e empregadas nos mesmos contextos. A análise qualitativa com base nesses conceitos define dois envelopes de variação-e, portanto, duas variáveis: uma que envolve a alternância na posição do constituinte interrogativo (in situ ou não), e outra que encerra as três estruturas com constituinte interrogativo pré-verbal (-qu, qu-que e é-que). Os resultados das análises quantitativas mostram que interrogativas qu-in-situ são favorecidas principalmente por fatores morfossintáticos e discursivo-pragamáticos; fatores extralinguísticos, como sexo/genêro e a faixa etária do falante , também se correlacionam indiretamente através do emprego de diferentes discursivas. O uso de interrogativas qu-que, por sua vez, demonstra uma provável mudança linguística em progresso, uma vez que a análise em tempo aparente revela o favorecimento da estrutura por falantes mais jovens. Neste caso, a variação é influenciada principalmente por fatores sintáticos e prosódicos. Além de propor critérios para o estudo de variáveis morfossintáticas, este trabalho discute os resultados das análises quantitativas em perspectiva com outros níveis de variação linguística, com vistas a integra-los em um quadro mais amplo da Teoria da Variação. / The investigation of syntactic and morphosyntactic variables within the framework of Variationist ociolinguistics has received, in general, less attention than the study of phonological variables. This study analyses variation amaong four different structures of Wh-interrogatives in the speech and writing of native paulistanos: (i) \'simple\'wh-interrogatives (as in Onde você mora? \'Where you live?\'); (ii) wh-que interrogatives ( as in Onde você mora? \'Where-that you live?\'); (iii) cleft wh-interrogatives (as in Onde é que você mora? \'Where is-it that you live?\'); and (iv) wh-in-situ (as in Você mora onde? \'You live where?\'). Semantic equivalence among the four structures is established through the concept of speaker\'s pressupposition (Stalnaker, 2002). Further, this study proposes the concept of communicative competence (Hymes, 1991 [1979]) as a criterium for determining the envelope of variation: different structures are considered variants if they are factually possible, feasible, appropriate, and performed in the same contexts. The qualitative analysis based on these concepts defines two different envelopes of variation - hence, two variables: one which involves the alternation in the position of the wh-word (in situ vs. moved), and another which comises the three structures with a moved wh-word (\'simple\', wh-que and cleft -wh). Results of the quantitative analyses show that wh-in-situ is mostly favored by morphosyntactic and discourse-pragmatic factors, and that non-linguistic factor groups such as gender and age are also indirectly correlated with the variantion through the use of different discourse strategies. The use of wh-que, on the other hand, is probably undergoing change, as apparent time analyses show a avoring effect by younger speakers. Variation in this case is mostly influenced by syntactic and prosodic factors. In addition to proposing criteria to the study of morphosyntactic variables, this dissertation discusses the results of the quantitative analyses in relation to other levels of linguistic variation, aiming at their integration into a larger framework of Variotion Theory.

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