Semantic Change of the Word “gambiarra” in Journalistic Materials
A Usage-based Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35699/2317-2096.2025.62587Keywords:
semantic change, gambiarra, usage-based linguisticAbstract
This article investigates the semantic change of the lexical item “gambiarra” in Brazilian Portuguese. The main objective is to trace the evolution of the term’s meaning, from its earliest occurrences in the 19th century to its contemporary use. The theoretical framework is grounded in usage-based approaches (Croft, 2000; Diessel, 2019), theories of semantic change (Koch, 2016; Traugott, 2017), and the historical-cultural perspective on the lexicon (Cambraia, 2013; Matoré, 1953). Methodologically, the study adopts a semasiological perspective, employing a diachronic and qualitativequantitative analysis of a corpus composed of lexicographic occurrences of the term in journalistic texts from the Hemeroteca Digital Brasileira. Data processing, supported by software tools such as Orange (Demsar et al., 2013) and Voyant Tools (Sinclair; Rockwell, 2016), classifies the uses into four semantic labels and maps the lexical networks. The results demonstrate a process of polysemy and generalization, in which the term shifts from its original concrete meaning of “object for lighting” to a more abstract sense of “an improvised solution to solve problems”.
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