A recent linguistic study focuses on the Pomerano language, a Low German variety spoken by descendants of settlers from Pomerania who arrived in Brazil between 1860 and 1880. The research examines existential constructions (Existenzverbkonstruktionen - EVK) used to express "existence" or "coming into existence."
Data was collected from spoken Pomerano recorded from speakers in Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina. The study analyzes variations in existential constructions with GÄWEN, SIN, and HEWWEN in Pomerano, considering morpho-syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic levels, identifying contact-induced variation through Brazilian Portuguese.
Results indicate that the Low German construction in Pomerano is relatively stable morpho-syntactically. Contact-induced variation by Brazilian Portuguese occurs in the HEWWEN-EVK. Speakers in Santa Catarina, competent in High German, use genuine German nominals or conventionalized loanwords in HEWWEN-EVK, while speakers in Espírito Santo, lacking High German competence, use lexemes or loan translations of Portuguese nominals, suggesting a regionally specific development of Pomerano in 2025.