Communicative competence

There are rules of language use without which the rules of grammar are useless. (Widdowson, 1978)

Overview of the lecture

What is communicative competence Components of communicative competence Communicative competence and language teaching Communication strategies: Definitions, characteristics, taxonomies, teachability

The father of communicative competence Dell Hymes

Communicative competence also involves knowing what to say to whom in what circumstances and how to say it. (Hymes)
linguistic competence innately-derived power in the Garden of Eden intuition and linguistic knowledge of an abstract, isolated, ideal speaker-hearer internal to linguistic structure language form linguistic performance eating the apple thrusting the perfect speaker-hearer into a fallen world real speech of interlocutors in a social world external to linguistic structure language function & use

grammaticality as a criterion

acceptability as a criterion

The communicative competence of a native speaker (Hulstijn, 2006)

Core competence Hulstijn, 2006

2. Components of communicative competence. A) Canale & Swain (1980) 1. Linguistic competence the knowledge of the language code (grammatical rules, vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, etc.); 2. Sociolinguistic competence the mastery of the socio-cultural code of language use (appropriate application of vocabulary, register, politeness, and style in a given situation);

2. Components of communicative competence cont.

3. Discourse competence the ability to combine language structures into different types of cohesive and coherent texts (e.g. letter, political speech, poetry, academic essay, cooking recipe); 4. Strategic competence the knowledge of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies which can enable us to overcome difficulties when communication breakdowns occur and enhance the efficiency of communication.

B) Bachman (1990)

B) Bachman (1990)
I. Language competence

I.1. Organizational competence A. Grammatical competence B. Textual competence I.2 Pragmatic competence A. Illocutionary (functional competence) knowledge of functions e.g. ideational, manipulative, heuristic, imaginative B. Sociolinguistic competence dialects, varieties, register, cultural references etc. 2. Strategic competence: It helps determine communicative goals, assess one's resources to communicate one's message, plan communication and execute the communicative intention. 3. Psycho-physiological mechanisms: neurological and psychological processes involved in producing and understanding language (e.g. auditory, visual and neuromuscular skills).

Communicative competence and language teaching

Traditional language teaching: grammatical competence Modern language teaching: the whole of communicative competence Neglected area: strategic competence

Read the following paragraph and answer the question at the bottom:
The leading causes of amnesia are either physical or psychological. In antergrade amnesia, the subject is unable to recall the events that occur after a shock or an injury to the brain; however, past memories will not be lost. In retrograde amnesia, the patient is capable of recalling events that occur after the trauma; interestingly enough, information stored before the shock, is lost and cannot be retrieved. In paraamnesia, established memories are contorted. In psychogenic fugue, the subject may venture into a new lifestyle, trying to .repress memories which lead to trepidation.The eventshappening during psychogenic fugue are non retrievable. Nonetheless, the experiences that happened before the onset can be recovered. Among the most popular treatments for psychologically related amnesia are psychotherapy, the use of drugs, and hypnosis.

In line 8, the word "trepidation" could best be replaced by Anxiety /restrain / intimidation / self-denial

1) When did Mary _____ college? graduate graduate from graduating graduating from 2.) The American Good Samaritan Charity Organisation has established a shelter for the homeless next to your house. This has met with the disapproval of the neighbourhood. Since you are the most proficient speaker of English in the neighbourhood, you have been selected to write a letter of complaint of approximately 150-200 words to the head of the charity organisation in which you outline the situation and ask for immediate action.

Communication strategies - Definitions

1. devices used to compensate for lack of L2 knowledge: "CSs are potentially conscious plans for solving what to an individual presents itself as a problem in reaching a particular communicative goal" (Faerch & Kasper, 1983, p. 23). 2. meaning negotiation mechanisms: "CS relate to a mutual attempt of interlocutors to agree on a meaning in situations where requisite meaning structures do not seem to be shared" (Tarone, 1980, p. 420). 3. general problem-solving mechanisms in L2 communication: "every potentially intentional attempt to cope with any language related problems of which the speaker is aware during the course of communication" (Drnyei & Scott, 1997, p. 179).

Characteristics of CS
1. Problem-orientedness Resource deficit gap in the L2 learner's knowledge Own-performance problems uncertainty in the correctness of the message Other-performance problems problems processing the interlocutor's speech Processing time pressure problems in conveying the message fluently 2. Consciousness Consciousness as awareness of a problem: the L2 learner is aware of the fact that he/she is having a problem. This distinguishes CS from mistakes. Consciousness as intentionality: the speaker uses the CS intentionally to solve a problem.

Types of CS
1. Message adjustment strategies Message abandonment: giving up the message Message reduction: reducing the message to avoid certain structures or topics Message replacement: substituting the original message with a different one 2. Achievement strategies Paraphrase or circumlocution describing or exemplifying the target object or action whose name the learners do not know (e.g. the thing you open wine bottles with for corkscrew) Approximation using an alternative term which expresses the meaning of the target word as closely as possible: (e.g. ship for sailing boat) Use of all purpose words (e.g. thing, stuff) Restructuring (e.g. He looks he does not look interested)

Literal translation (e.g. cuckoo clock for pendulum clock) Word coinage: creating a non-existing L2 word (e.g. unrelevant for irrelevant) Non-linguistic means: mime, gestures, imitation, mumbling Appeal for help eliciting the word you are looking for from your communication partner by asking questions like Whats the word for 3. Time gaining strategies Fillers and hesitation devices to gain time (e.g. well, I mean, actually, as a matter of fact, what Im trying to say is that, now let me think, I see what you mean, to be quite honest)

Teachability of CS
Drnyei (1995): CS are teachable and should be taught The teaching of certain types of CS was successful as students used these strategies more frequently after instruction, and the participants' fluency also increased. Counter-arguments against the teaching of CS: CS can help fossilization

Summary
What are the components of communicative competence? What are communication strategies? How can they be characterised? List some CS.