[fora que] as an argumentative operator: addition and emphasis strategies in Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

This article aims to describe and analyze the functioning of the microconstruction [fora que] in contemporary Brazilian Portuguese, observing it as an argumentative operator with additive value capable of not only establishing a connection between textual segments but also conferring positive prominence to the argumentative orientation. The study is grounded in the principles of Usage-Based Functional Linguistics (LFCU), which conceives grammar as a dynamic inventory of constructions emerging from use, and Text Linguistics (LT), which examines factors of textuality and levels of articulation between utterances. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative and synchronic approach, based on occurrences collected from the Corpus do Português (NOW subcorpus), in opinion-oriented genres. The analyses reveal that [fora que] operates predominantly at the microstructural and intermediate levels, fulfilling the additive macrofunction, but with reinforced argumentative value: it introduces arguments presented as essential for textual progression, functioning as a resource for focalization and persuasion. The analysis further demonstrates that observing [fora que] through a combined perspective reveals dimensions of the phenomenon that would remain invisible under isolated approaches. Rather than treating the connector solely as a lexical item or as a cohesive link, the articulation between form, use, and discourse organization shows how emerging constructions can perform complex argumentative functions in textual architecture. The study indicates, therefore, that investigating non-prototypical operators through the lens of this interface expands the explanatory scope of the theories and contributes to a more refined understanding of the strategies of progression and prominence that structure textual organization in Brazilian Portuguese.