FROM CINEMA TO LINGUISTICS: REFLECTIONS ON "ARRIVAL" AND BRAZILIAN SIGN LANGUAGE (LIBRAS)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.13405Keywords:
Arrival, Libras, Applied Linguistics, SimultaneityAbstract
The article analyzes the movie Arrival (2016) from a linguistic perspective, relating the fictional Heptapod language to human sign languages, especially the Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). The goal is to identify convergences and contrasts between science fiction and visuospatial linguistics realities. As metodology, the study combines the analysis of the actions of protagonist Louise Banks — from an Applied Linguistics perspective, with a focus on documentation, translation and second language acquisition — and the description of the grammatical properties of Libras, such as simultaneity, use of space and non-manual features. The results indicate that, even though both languages share visuals and simultaneous chacteristics, Libras does not change the temporal perception of its users, whereas the alien language, based on the strong version of Sapir-Whorf's hypothesis, redefines the experience of time for those who acquire it. In conclusion, Arrival (2016) articulates fiction and science coherently, valuing the study of sign languages and reinforcing the relation between language, cognition and worldview.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Emmanuel da Cunha Nogueira Nogueira, Isabela Carvalho Leite

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