Argumentative processes on a opinion article of the Portuguese Language Olympics

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the different types of arguments, considering them central parts of argumentative processes, in opinion articles of the Portuguese Language Olympiad written on the topic “Where I live.” To analyze the arguments in the selected articles we adopted the assumptions of the New Rhetoric (PERELMAN; OLBRECHTS-TYTECA, 2005), associated with the studies of Bakhtin (2003, 2010) and of Souza (2003, 2008, 2009), among others. We selected five articles awarded in different competitions (2008, 2010, 2012), which are in public domain, available on the official site of the Olympics. Most of the articles have their theses made by the arguments that support the actual structure, highlighting the relations of cause/effect and fact/consequence. Based on the established connection between the facts, speakers/ writers seek to understand these relationships and at the same time, explain and justify arguments and controversies involving issues related to their experience in the community.

Keywords

• Artigo de opinião
• Discurso argumentativo
• Nova Retórica
• Olimpíada de Língua Portuguesa