PROOFREADERS' BELIEFS ABOUT NORMATIVE GRAMMAR

Abstract

Studies in Language Policy (LP) focused on understanding the practice of proofreading as well as the professional tasked with this activity – the proofreader – are still relatively scarce. Thus, with the aim of delving deeper into this topic, the objective of this study is to analyze the linguistic beliefs of proofreaders about normative grammar (NG). As a theoretical basis, we use the Language Management Theory (SPOLSKY, 2005; 2009; 2021), to understand how this aspect of LP interferes in the language management carried out by the text professional, which is, essentially, their job (NASCIMENTO; SOUSA, 2024). As this is a qualitative research with an interpretative nature (LIN, 2015), we developed an online questionnaire, consisting of six subjective questions, of which we selected only one for this study: “What is the role of normative grammar in proofreading process?”. The data collection instrument was answered by 46 proofreaders, most of whom with a degree in Language and Literature, with professional experience ranging from less than one to more than 40 years. From the data analysis, it was possible to verify three beliefs favorable to normative grammar: i) NG is the main instrument guiding the work of the proofreader; ii) NG is a tool that makes the text accessible to readers; iii) NG is an indispensable reference material for language professionals. We also found a belief that reflects a cautious stance among the proofreaders: normative grammar is not an absolute law. The identified beliefs allow us to attest that the proofreader's work is influenced by the discursive domain, especially the academic one, as well as by normative compendia, understood as LP mechanisms, which determine the standard norm to be followed. This makes it so the language management carried out by these professionals contributes to the maintenance of this norm in written linguistic practices.