Benveniste’s enunciation and the Portuguese language teaching

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to discuss the importance of enunciation studies to the Portuguese language teaching. The issue has arisen due to the fact that there is almost an exclusive use of the normative grammar in the grounds of language studies during basic education. It is known, however, that this prioritization has not made students proficient readers or writers, and it goes against the content of PCNs (National (Brazilian) Curricular Parameters), whose recommendations for the Portuguese language teaching are defined by the focus on developing skills and abilities for the concrete use of language. Thus the language, understood here through its use, in the interaction between interlocutors, gains the status of producing new meanings, and, therefore, gains an enunciation “view” and must be considered and taught by this principle. Finally, Emile Benveniste’s Theory of Enunciation, which is considered fundamental in enunciation studies about the language, provides the principles for the treatment of language in use, or better, in a given situation that requires the categories of subject, time and space. Therefore, the theoretical foundations of Benveniste’s enunciation respond to what the PCNs recommend concerning the Portuguese language teaching.

Key words: enunciation, teaching, language.