Banca de DEFESA: FABIANA DA SILVA LIRA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
DISCENTE : FABIANA DA SILVA LIRA
DATA : 19/03/2026
HORA: 08:30
LOCAL: Google Meet
TÍTULO:

NEOLOGISMS ON INSTAGRAM: LEXICAL INNOVATION AND USES SOCIODISCURSIVES IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE

PALAVRAS-CHAVES:

Neologism; Lexical Innovation; Brazilian Portuguese; Instagram; Netnography.

PÁGINAS: 216
GRANDE ÁREA: Linguística, Letras e Artes
ÁREA: Linguística
SUBÁREA: Sociolinguística e Dialetologia
RESUMO:

This Doctoral Thesis, affiliated with the research line “Study of Processes of
Variation and Change” of the Stricto Sensu Graduate Program in Linguistics, aims to
investigate the neologisms that emerge on the social network Instagram, analyzing their
processes of formation, discursive uses, and linguistic implications in contemporary Brazilian
Portuguese. Among its main theoretical assumptions, the research is grounded in the studies of
Alves (2007), Correia and Almeida (2012), Villalva (2007), and Marcuschi (2002), as well as
other scholars in Linguistic Studies, with a focus on the Lexicon. In this context, the research
takes as its empirical object the posts and comments from the profile Otariano, known for
producing political, sports-related, and humorous content, as well as for its wide circulation and
high level of engagement among platform users. Based on the hypothesis that the creation and
circulation of neologisms on social networks constitute strategies of identity construction and
discursive positioning, it is assumed that such innovative forms reflect not only users’ linguistic
creativity but also social, cultural, and ideological transformations characteristic of the digital
environment. Additionally, the study raises the hypothesis that recurrence and engagement in
interactions contribute to the consolidation of these neologisms, expanding their potential
stabilization within the Brazilian Portuguese lexicon. The specific objectives of the study are to
analyze the neologisms present in the digital interactions of the aforementioned profile,
considering their contexts of use, linguistic features, and discursive functions; to classify these
lexical units according to their formation processes, with emphasis on morphology and lexical
innovation; and to examine, in light of theoretical frameworks and lexicographic materials, the
neological status of the identified terms, evaluating their originality and potential for
consolidation. From a methodological perspective, the research adopts a qualitativequantitative
approach, making use of direct observation, content analysis, and the application
of a questionnaire. The study is grounded in the netnographic approach proposed by Kozinets
(2014), which enables the understanding of discursive practices and social interactions in digital
environments. Data collection took place over one year, between September 2023 and
September 2024, with the monthly selection of comments from three posts on the analyzed
profile. As a complementary procedure, a survey was conducted through a questionnaire shared
on the researcher’s Instagram stories, following Tarallo’s (1997) guidelines, in order to
investigate users’ familiarity with, recognition of, and use of the identified neologisms. The
results reveal the occurrence of neologisms originating from different thematic domains, such
as politics, football, and digital culture, predominantly formed through morphological
processes, especially compounding and derivation. These findings confirm that Instagram
constitutes a privileged space for lexical innovation, in which Brazilian Portuguese is in
constant transformation. The research contributes to lexical studies by highlighting the
relationship between morphology, discourse, and linguistic innovation in contemporary digital
contexts, and by offering insights for reflections in the field of language and educational
policies aimed at inclusive communicative practices in digital environments.

MEMBROS DA BANCA:
Presidente - 627.501.519-53 - CRISTIANE SCHMIDT - UNEMAT
Interno - 127.949.268-61 - ANTONIO CARLOS SANTANA DE SOUZA - UNEMAT
Interno - 020.853.382-67 - RODRIGO DE SANTANA SILVA -
Interna - 82326001 - VALERIA FARIA CARDOSO
Externa à Instituição - IEDA MARIA ALVES - USP
Externa à Instituição - KAROLINA JOANNA ZAREMBA - UOS