Expressões Modalizadoras Epistêmicas em Artigos de Opinião do Vestibular da Unioeste/2023 e os Graus de Comprometimento com o Conteúdo Proposicional.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze epistemic modalizing expressions used in essays written by candidates in the Unioeste Entrance Examination, focusing specifically on opinion articles produced in the 2023 exam. It seeks to understand the relationship between epistemic modalization and the degree of commitment assumed by the text producer, considering the link between modalizing choices and the defended propositional content. The study is grounded in contributions from the field of Textual Linguistics, drawing on the works of Bakhtin (2011), Koch (2011, 2023), Koch and Elias (2017, 2022), and Marcuschi (2005, 2007, 2008). Discussions on linguistic modalization are based on Neves (2018, 2024), Castilho (2000), Castilho and Castilho (2002), Koch (2011), and Corbari (2008, 2013). This research is justified by its contribution to understanding how candidates construct stance and enunciative responsibility in an evaluative context, addressing a methodological gap through the proposal of a scale for grading epistemic commitment. This scale functions as an analytical tool that both refines linguistic analysis and provides practical support for the teaching of argumentative writing in school contexts. Methodologically, the corpus was defined by selecting the highest-scoring texts, specifically those achieving 90% or more of the total score. Epistemic modalizing expressions and markers of the writer’s presence were qualitatively identified through first-person verbal constructions, indicating enunciative responsibility, and their occurrences were systematized quantitatively. To support the analysis, a classification of the degree of commitment assumed by the text producer was developed, consisting of six levels: maximum, inferential, perceptual, assertive-personal, opinion-based, and conjectural. The analysis shows that epistemic modalizing expressions in the corpus follow discursive regularities conditioned by the opinion genre, with consistent patterns across the proposed levels. First-person modalizing expressions reveal that candidates strategically use modalization to express their commitment, adjust illocutionary force, and construct a balanced and critical authorial presence. This strategy aligns with the evaluation criteria of the examining board, which emphasize clarity of positioning and adequacy to the genre, indicating that the management of epistemic commitment levels contributes to higher performance in the writing task.