Construcionalização de [V mov por terra] como marcador aspectual do português

Abstract

This research investigates the process of constructionalization of the expression [Vmov por terra], formed by the combination of a motion verb and the fixed phrase “por terra”. The study demonstrates that this sequence, initially associated exclusively with real spatial displacements, underwent a process of semantic and functional change, coming to indicate a resultative state of failure, ruin, or definitive termination—thus acquiring aspectual properties. The analysis is grounded in Usage-Based Functional Linguistics (Bybee, 2016, 2020, 2023; Langacker, 1987, 2008; Diessel, 2017, 2019, 2023), Construction Grammar (Goldberg, 1995, 2006, 2019; Traugott & Trousdale, 2021 [2013]; Traugott, 2022), and Frame Semantics (Fillmore, 1982; Croft, 2009). The corpus analyzed comprises data from the “Corpus do Português”, allowing for a panchronic approach (14th–21st centuries). The results show that, from the 14th to the 18th century, the construction predominantly exhibited referential interpretations related to movement across a terrestrial surface or to physical falling. However, some innovative uses were observed, associated with pragmatic inferences and abstraction processes, marking the onset of constructional change. In the 19th century, we identify the first occurrence of [Vmov por terra] whose meaning is completely detached from any physical reference to displacement. From the 20th century onwards, a conventionalized metaphorical reading becomes consolidated, characterizing a new form–meaning pairing, in the terms of constructionalization (Traugott & Trousdale, 2021 [2013]; Barðdal & Gildea, 2015). The study showed that the conceptual metaphors BAD IS DOWN and TIME IS SPACE played a crucial role in the reinterpretation of the expression, as por terra ceases to indicate a specific spatial point and comes to denote the culmination point of temporal processes, carrying a strong negative connotation.The collostructional analysis (Stefanowitsch & Gries, 2003) revealed that the verbs “cair” and “deitar” are the most strongly attracted to the verbal slot of the construction, while abstract nouns (such as “aspiração”, “argumento”, “teoria”) typically occupy the position of the affected entity within the clause structure.