Brief Remarks on the expansion of the personal pronoun system in vernacular Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

In this article we analyze how the personal pronouns in the Portuguese language system have evolved from a basic and prescriptive use recommended by the major grammar handbooks to a richer, more complex and fluent performance by its more than 250 million users, adapting itself to their differences and needs. We will focus mainly on the Brazilian Portuguese functional usage approach concerning how the non-traditional implementation of a differentiated personal pronoun system in Brazil abides by sociolinguistic laws and establishes a new form towards fulfilling new and meaningful demands arising in the Brazilian society.