Result expression of the conector Daí Que: linguistic change in usage-based functional perspective

Abstract

In this article, we focus on thelinguistic change of daí que into a connector in Portuguese, taking it as a new linguistic
sign, that is, as a specific pairing of meaning and form, a micro-construction. Its subparts are symbolically linked, and daí que
emerges as a new element of the Portuguese grammar’s connector class. This study is part of a larger research in progress that
investigates the construction of the network ResultConect, analyzing different forms of connection in different sentences levels by
means of a group of connectors that articulate the expression of result in Portuguese. We assume Usage-Based Functional
Linguistics theory, considering as well studies of type and token frequencies (BYBEE, 2003) as auxiliary resources in the recognition
of the productivity of daí que and its usage patterns as a conclusion connector. The corpusis formed by written texts from the archaic,
modern and contemporary periods of Portuguese language.