A linguagem figurada no âmbito escolar: uma análise sobre expressões idiomáticas ligadas ao corpo em tirinhas à luz da teoria da metáfora conceptual

Abstract

Recognizing figurative language as a product of our existing conceptual system in our everyday linguistic exchanges, the present research titled Figurative Language in the School Context: An Analysis of Idiomatic Expressions Related to the Body in Comic Strips in Light of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory aims to analyze, in light of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the understanding of idiomatic expressions related to the body by the authors of the four volumes of the Araribá Conecta - Portuguese collection, aimed at the last four years of elementary education. To this end, we rely on the postulates of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (TMC) (Lakoff; Johnson, 2002 [1980]; Gibbs, 1994; Siqueira et al., 2017; Batoréo, 2018; Littlemore; Low, 2006), especially the concepts of metaphor, metonymy, metaphorical competence, and idiomatic expressions, in addition to the concept of comic strip (Travaglia, 1989; Mendonça, 2002; Ramos, 2010; Possenti, 2010; Cardoso; Xavier, 2019; Figueiredo, 2012) and multimodality (Forceville, 1996; 2008; 2009). Using a qualitative descriptive-interpretative research methodology, we collected eight comic strips with ten idiomatic expressions related to the body extracted from the aforementioned didactic material to be analyzed based on their internal environment (context, author’s intent, relationship between verbal and non-verbal language) and external environment (activities created by the authors of the Araribá Conecta - Portuguese collection to aid in the comprehension of the comic strips). The results of the analysis indicate, based on the analysis of the elements constituting the internal environment of the comic strips, a systematic relationship between body parts and the production of figurative meanings and, consequently, the relevance of adopting metaphorical competence in the set of competencies addressed in the teaching of Portuguese in Brazil in the last four years of elementary education. Based on the analysis of the elements constituting the external environment of the comic strips, we conclude that, although the authors formulated at least one question related to the metaphorical meaning of the idiomatic expressions to address the process of comprehension, metaphorical competence was not systematically worked on as a unit of teaching, since such comprehension is mostly explored in sections focused on formal aspects of the grammatical system of the Portuguese language in Brazil