A metaforização na constituição dos sinais na libras

This research work defines itself by a descriptive study about the metaphoric nature of the constitution of signs from Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), starting from its inner resources (patterns). This research bases itself on Cognitive Linguistics perspective (LANGACKER, 1991) and Conceptual Metaphor Theory (LAKOFF, JOHNSON, 1980), on descriptive studies about metaphor on American Sign Language, developed by Taub (2004) e Wilcox (2000) and Faria-Nascimento study (2003) on metaphors in Libras and Portuguese. The metaphor process is a human cognitive ability and thereat it is present in all kinds of oral or sign languages. The aim of this research is to show how the constitution of metaphor in Libras works and what kind of metaphors are more productive. It is a Qualitative Research and have as method a case study of four free narratives about different themes that came from the Internet. The analysis of narratives revealed that, as in other languages, the Libras presents orientation, conceptual and ontological metaphors. The research notices that the constitution of most metaphors in Libras are acquainted related to iconicity present in signs languages, and pivot point and movement are the detaching patterns to the constitution of these metaphors. In a distinguished way from oral languages, in which the metaphoric showing is only in syntactic level, in sign languages, it shows metaphors on morphologic level. This research contributes to description studies in sign languages, specially Libras, and for teaching purposes in sign language as mother language (L1) and second language (L2), regarding to constitution of metaphor in this language.