Variação e função em aférese

Abstract

This article focuses on the aphesis of es- with the purpose ofinvestigating (a) why it is restricted to a very limited portion of thelexicon and (b) how a relationship between variation and functioncan be established regarding aphesis. The results show that suchvariation is controlled by principles of communicability. The moreformal the speech (such as non-spontaneous narratives) the morechances of retention of es-.