A classe gramatical substantivo sob a ótica das gramáticas normativas, científicas e pedagógicas

Abstract

This article aims to verify how grammars conceptualize the word class noun. Therefore, we used normative grammars, a functional grammar and also a textbook inserted in Portuguese classes in a middle school in Vitória da Conquista, BA. We start with the hypothesis that, within normative grammars, there's no consensus when it comes to defining noun and, furthermore, when there is a definition, it is not enough to explain the complexity behind the functioning of this word class in the linguistic system. Therefore, we discuss the different grammatical models from the works of Travaglia (2008), Manini (2009) and Nóbrega (2012). In the results, it was verified that prescriptive grammars all conceptualize noun as “word that names things”. Having that in mind, we see that that definition is not enough to escribe the complexity and dynamism of the noun, because other word classes can migrate and become nouns themselves, as demonstrated by the functional grammar. The textbook summarizes the classifications and generalizes the definition of noun. Our hypothesis was then confirmed, for we anticipated that the definitions presented in normative grammars were, in some points, incoherent and that they would be insufficient to explain the complexity of the word class under study.