THE CONSTRUCTION “BE LIKE” AS FICTIVE INTERATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70860/ufnt.entreletras.e19597Keywords:
be like, linguistic change, cognitive-functional approachAbstract
The construction “be like,” used to introduce direct speech, has been investigated from a sociolinguistic perspective as common use among young people. This study, using a cognitive-functional approach, aims to examine this construction as a marker of fictive interaction. It analyzes data from the 20th and 21st centuries from the COCA corpus according to morphic and semantic-discursive variables. Results show an increase in usage frequency in the 21st century, especially in speech, predominantly in the first person, past tense, and expressing thoughts. This suggests a change in quoting styles and reveals nuances in expressing thoughts and emotions.
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