Full and apocopated forms in the imperative singular forms of Portuguese in the light of texts

Abstract

Some grammars accept two equivalent forms in the case of the imperative singular of Portuguese verbs ending in -zer/-zir, one with a thematic vowel, e.g. faze, and an apocopated form, faz, while in modern spoken Portuguese only the latter is used. According to some remarks in historical grammars, we can interpret the evolution of the standard form as a process of cyclic change: FACE > faz >> faze >> faz. In this article, after describing the apocope of the final -e as a general phonetic rule, and more specifically in Portuguese verb conjugation, we examine imperative singular forms of verbs ending in -zer/-zir in texts dating from different periods. Some observations are made on the formal relationship between the third person singular of present indicative and imperative singular, showing two tendencies: one of system congruency and one of iconicity.