Difusão lexical e variação fonológica: o fator semântico

Abstract

This article presents evidence for the Lexical Diffusion model in the vocalization of [lh] in the speech of informants from Belo Horizonte. A set of words in which the vocalization seems to be introduced in the middle-class group is restricted to informal speech styles. Moreover, as far as semantics, is concerned the actuation of Lexical Diffusion is focused regardless of variation, this being seen as an ulterior hypothetical step in the process. This enables us to distinguish social groups internal and external changes in terms of the implementation of lexical diffusion.