The voice of Polish-Brazilians: a historical context in southern Paraná

Abstract

Considering the historical context of expressive Polish immigration in Paraná, this investigation initially seeks to draw reflections on from interviews with Polish-Brazilians from the south of this state. These sociolinguistic interviews are from two born and raised residents of Quedas do Iguaçu – PR (old “Jagoda”), and come from the VARLINFE database (from UNICENTRO – Irati campus). Polish – mother-tongue of the interviewees – is considered a minor language in Brazil, and many descendants have restricted their use for historical reasons of interdiction and silencing, which has triggered a linguistic and cultural erasure among many of them. Thus, the main objective of this article is to understand the difficulties by the subjects interviewed (and their ancestors) in their insertion in Brazilian society in the different social spheres in which they interact. For this, we analyze the historical silencing and the (non-)consideration of linguistic pluralism in Brazil. To do this, we based our readings on Altenhofen (2007, 2013), Calvet (2007), Delong and Kersch (2014), Doustdar (1990), Almeida and Zanini (2011), Gardolinski (2013), Nadalin (2001), Oliveira (2016), Polanczyk (2010), Wachowicz (1981, 2010), as well as other theorists dedicated to History and Language Policies. From a qualitative methodology, excerpts have been transcribed and analyzed in which the informants report situations of use of the Polish language, school initiation, ethnic cultural activities, as well as their relationship with subjects of other ethnic groups. Based on such interviews, it may be possible to think the strategies for the propagation of linguistic and cultural pluralism. We aim to contribute to the construction of their history and to promote the Polish language, because we believe that these silenced immigrants are so representative in Paraná and in Brazil.