Language and Communication

Knowing a LanguageWhat does it mean to know a language?

The answer to this question varies according to the perspective of the person who is being asked (academic linguist, a language user, a language learner).

In the Grammar-Translation method, it was thought that by only learning the grammar and vocabulary you will know how to use a language.

What is the problem with this method?

Do you think that the language learner would be successful in using the language?

Knowing a LanguageThere two types of language knowledge:

1.Linguistic knowledge2.Communicative knowledge

Linguistics Competence

There are two views of linguistics competence:

Grammar- Translation method (traditional language teaching)

Chomsky’s Universal Grammar

Linguistics Competence Grammar-Translation:

Isolating the formal systems of language (i.e. pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary) can be helpful as a first step.

However, the traditional language teaching method should not imply that this is the language learning there is.

An emphasis on correctness can be seen as a strategic staging of information.

Example: How do you learn to drive a car?

Linguistics CompetenceChomsky’s Universal Grammar:

Chomsky’s idea is that the human capacity for language, as illustrated by child acquisition of the language around them, it is not the product of general intelligence or learning ability, but an innate, genetically determined feature of the human species.

We are born with considerable pre-programmed knowledge of how language works.

Linguistics CompetenceProblems with Chomsky’s theory:

Language becomes more biological than social and similarities between languages outweigh the differences

Language is separated from other factors such as body language and cultural knowledge.

In applied linguistics, this theory can have a reductive and constraining effect, excluding those factors with which applied linguistics is most concerned.

Communicative competence

The communicative language theory developed by Dell Hymes in the 1960’s was a reaction to the theory of Universal Grammar and Linguistic competence.

Communicative Competence

According to Hymes, a person who linguistic competence doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she would be able to communicate using that knowledge.

Examples: Children abuse

Communicative competenceHymes suggests that in order to be able to

communicate language, a person should acquire four types of knowledge:

1.Possibility2.Feasibility3.Appropriateness 4.attestedness

PossibilityA competent speaker knows what is

formally possible in a language.Example:

“Me sleep now”It breaks the rules of the language and present

a structure that is not acceptable in the English language.

“I am going to go to sleep”Is the same expression but this time it follows

the rules.

FeasibilityA communicative competent person knows

what is feasible. This is a psychological concept concerned with limitations to what can be processed in the mind.

The rules of English grammar makes it possible to expand by adding a relative clause.

The cheese was green.The cheese the rat ate was green.The cheese that rat the cat chased ate was

green.The cheese the rat the cat the dog saw chased

ate the green cheese.The cheese the rat the cat the dog the man

beat saw chased ate was green.

The last two sentences are hardly ones to be used in communication.

It is not because its wrong but because they are difficult to process.

Look at this text:

“if a premium remains in default after the end of its grace period, any cash surrender value of the Policy will be used to continue the policy in force as paid up insurance or as extended term insurance, in an amount as determined below, and no further premiums will be due”.

Can you understand this???

AppropriatenessThis is the third kind of knowledge to

acquire to be able to be a competent language user.

Using language to suit the situation:

example: “calling a police officer darling”

AttestednessIt means “whether something is done”Example:

Chips and fish

It is possible, feasible, and appropriate.

However, people are used to saying:Fish and Chips

Influences of Communicative competence

It was applied in teaching as the communicative approach

However, people jumped to market the concept of using language into isolated teaching exercises.

Also, the issue of appropriateness was enforced to the teaching of American or British culture with no way for individual expression.

FinallyLanguage Knowledge is a combination of

the two theories.

There is no language without biology and social interaction.