Considerações sobre atos de fala em Libras: um olhar sobre as marcações não manuais

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the participation of Non-Manual Markings (NMMs) in the construction and modulation of illocutionary force in speech acts in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), articulating Speech Act Theory, especially Austin (1962) and Searle (1969; 1979), with linguistic and pragmatic studies of Libras. The research is qualitative and exploratory descriptive and is based on data from the Corpus Libras/Inventário Libras Project at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). Initially, 40 videos were observed; 20 were downloaded, 10 were selected for in-depth analysis, and five occurrences were effectively analyzed, corresponding to representative, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative categories. The analysis considered manual signs and non-manual resources, such as facial expressions, head movements, gaze direction, and body posture, in articulation with the interactional context. The results indicate that NMMs participate in the construction and modulation of illocutionary force, but do not independently determine the speech-act category or its pragmatic value. In the analyzed occurrences, non-manual resources contributed differently to presenting information, guiding the interlocutor, projecting future actions, expressing attitudes, and constructing discursive positioning. The study concludes that the analysis of speech acts in Libras requires a multimodal, contextual, and relational perspective that considers the articulation among manual signs, NMMs, context, and other components of interaction.