Comparative analysis of the use of address forms in Spanish and Portuguese schools

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze how students in primary and secondary education in Spain and Portugal currently use address forms when speaking to teachers. Additionally, the study examines how these practices have evolved over the past thirty years by comparing present-day usage in both countries. Drawing on variationist sociolinguistics, the study demonstrates that the distinct differences in address forms between Spain and Portugal reflect differing perceptions of the hierarchical position that teachers occupy in each country. The fieldwork involved administering 150 written surveys to students aged 12 to 16 from three Spanish secondary schools and another 150 comparable surveys to students of the same age from three Portuguese secondary schools.