From gaffes to aforizations in politics: theoretical-analytical issues

• Grant number: 13/17191-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Linguistics - Linguistic Theory and Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Leiser Baronas
• Grantee: Mayara Victor Gomes
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In this scientific initiation project, we aim to discursively analyze "text less phrases" (Maingueneau, 2012) that circulate through several different support media as gaffes made by several political actors. As such, we elected a file constituted by a set of 100 gaffes produced by several different political actors that circulated on several Brazilian media circles in the last decade. Our investigation seeks theoretical-methodological support in the contributions of the french researcher Dominique Maingueneau, mainly, in his research program about the "text less phrases". This research program initiated on 1984 (Grésillon & Maingueneau - Poliphonie, proverbe et détournement) that culminated with a book published "Les phrases sans texte", Armand Colin, 2012, seeks to explain among other epistemological questions that the text is although is a study basic unit for linguists since the last century seventies, is not immune to questioning when the subject that is being investigated are the discursive practices of the media, the communication circle on which short enunciates are ubiquitous, usually constituted of a single phrase and that circulate outside the text. Maingueneau (2010) call these little phrases "detached enunciates", including slogans, maxims, proverbs, press articles titles, intertitles, famous quotes. Based on the study of these detached enunciates, that are intended outside the original co-texts, Maingueneau (2010) proposes two enunciation orders: the textualizing enunciation and the aphorising enunciation. The aphorizing enunciation, on its turn, organizes itself on aphorizing enunciation detached by nature and aphorizing enunciation detached from a text. Those differentiates themselves from textualizing enunciation is several aspects: while the textualizing enunciation surpasses the properly verbal dimension, the aphorizing intends to be pure speech. If the textualizing enunciation disfavors memorization, the aphorizing "implicates the utopia of a living speech always available" and repeatable. We believe that the theoretical relevance of our investigation lies on the possibility of on one side, contribute to the advances of the studies related to gaffes on the discourse study domain, up until now seldom analytically treated in the scope of discursive reflections and, on the other side, to contribute with the studies on social communication, seeking to understand to what extent the detachment and circulations of political actors' gaffes engenders certain interpretation paths to the readers. (AU)