Da língua indígena à língua geral – algumas reflexões sobre a formação da Língua Geral Paulista
From indigenous language to general language – some reflections on the formation of the General Language of São Paulo

Summary/Abstract: In Portuguese America, the general languages were the languages of indigenous origin used by the administration and the Church as an instrument of interethnic communication. These languages were spoken by everyone who was part of the colonial system. In the Brazilian territory, two general languageswere formed in very different linguistic contexts: the Língua Geral Paulista (LGP) and the Língua Geral Amazónica (LGA). Established in the 16th century, LGP emerged in the São Vicente region and was widely spread by the bandeirantes of São Paulo to other states in the 17th and 18th centuries. After a period of great expansion, and because of the political and social changes that took place in colonial society, this general language lost its hegemony in the 19th century and ceased to be spoken at the beginning of the 20th century. The article aims to analyse the socio-historical conditions that led to the formation, expansion, weakening and disappearance of the General Language of São Paulo.

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