Um certo vocabulário em cena:

"novas palavras" da academia brasileira de letras

Abstract

This article focuses on the lexicographical process initiated in the "New Words" project by the Brazilian Academy of Letters, which selects neologisms from contemporary discourses circulating on the web that will enter the VOLP (Vocabulário Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa). The distinctive aspect of this capturing endevour lies in the fact that it introduces categories not present in the VOLP—another instrument of the ABL—along with including clipped examples from circulating texts with their respective references. Grounded in the History of Linguistic Ideas with a materialist anchorage, we analyse the "New Words" project based on the categories of each entry, focusing primarily on definition, exemplification, and referencing. By delving into the lexicographical process engendered in "New Words," we aim to contribute to a reflection on the production of metalinguistic knowledge in relation to subject and society. To illustrate this movement of knowledge, we examine three entries from the letter A of the vocabulary, namely, aporofobia, afrofuturismo, and agrofloresta. Our analysis reveals a lexicographic practice that facilitates access to controversial discussions surrounding it; it effectively brings to light the tensions of our social formation.