The [n + a/eria] construction in Brazilian Portuguese according to Cognitive Gramma

Abstract

From a usage-based model, Cognitive Grammar, this article aims to describe and explain the formation of words such as “açaiteria”, “esmalteria” and “hamburgueria”, used to designate commercial establishments in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). The model predicts that word acquisition by native speakers involves grasping the schemas behind words, allowing for both the identification of other words that share the same schema and the creative use of the schema. Thus, the schema at issue appears to be [N + a/eria], and our working hypotheses are that (i) this schema was gleaned from older words in the language, such as “padaria”, “drogaria” and “lavanderia”, and (ii) the formation of words like “açaiteria”, “esmalteria” and “hamburgueria” can be considered evidence of the schema’s productivity. We adopt Cognitive Grammar (CG) for this is the model of Cognitive Linguistics that most extensively addresses the relationships between lexicon and grammar. Our conclusion is that the schema [N + a/eria] is productive in BP, which means, according to CG, a usage-based model, that such a schema is a template.