The Communicative Competence - Chomsky vs Hymes

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26 Jan 202102:33

Summary

TLDRNoam Chomsky's concept of 'linguistic competence' is explored, emphasizing the innate ability to understand and generate language. He introduces 'linguistic performance' to address practical language use. Hymes expands on this with 'communicative competence,' encompassing linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competences, necessary for appropriate language use. Applied linguists like Canaly and Swain further refine these concepts, contributing to the development of communicative competence theories, which the Council of Europe later detailed in its Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Takeaways

📚 Chomsky defines language as a structured system of sentences built from a finite set of elements, emphasizing the importance of generative grammar in linguistics.
🧠 Linguistic competence, according to Chomsky, is the innate ability to understand, repeat, and produce new utterances in a language.
🌐 To address the issue of non-native or broken English, Chomsky introduces the concept of linguistic performance, which is the practical use of language in specific situations.
🤔 Delhimes challenges Chomsky's linguistic competence, arguing that it doesn't fully account for the actual rules of language use and is insufficient for explaining a native speaker's knowledge.
💡 In response to these criticisms, the theory of communicative competence is developed, which includes not only linguistic competence but also the appropriate use of language in context.
🔍 Communicative competence is broken down into four components: linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence, each contributing to effective language use.
📝 Linguistic competence encompasses knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, and writing rules, which are the structural elements of a language.
🌟 Sociolinguistic competence involves understanding the sociocultural rules of language use, including appropriateness in different social contexts.
🗣️ Strategic competence is the ability to recognize and repair communication breakdowns, using both verbal and non-verbal strategies.
📚 Discourse competence is the understanding of how to produce and comprehend coherent and cohesive oral or written texts.
🌍 The Council of Europe further develops these concepts of communicative competencies in 2001, contributing to the creation of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Q & A

What does Chomsky define language as?
-Chomsky defines language as a set of sentences made of a finite set of elements.
What is generative grammar according to Chomsky?
-Generative grammar is an explicit description of Chomsky's point of view on language.
What is linguistic competence in Chomsky's theory?
-Linguistic competence, in Chomsky's opinion, is the ability to understand, repeat, and produce new utterances.
Why did Chomsky introduce the concept of linguistic performance?
-Chomsky introduced the concept of linguistic performance to avoid the problem of 'broken English' and to explain the use of language in concrete situations.
What does linguistic performance refer to in Chomsky's theory?
-Linguistic performance refers to the use of language in a specific context or situation.
What did Dell Hymes argue against Chomsky's concept of linguistic competence?
-Dell Hymes argued that linguistic competence could not explain the actual rules of use and was not enough to explain a native speaker's knowledge.
What is communicative competence according to Dell Hymes?
-Communicative competence, according to Dell Hymes, is the ability to use language not only correctly based on linguistic competence but also appropriately based on sociocultural and strategic factors.
What are the four components of communicative competence as developed by Dell Hymes?
-The four components of communicative competence are linguistic competence, sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, and strategic competence.
What does linguistic competence encompass according to the script?
-Linguistic competence encompasses the knowledge of the language code, including grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, and writing rules.
What is sociolinguistic competence?
-Sociolinguistic competence is the knowledge of sociocultural rules of use within a language.
What is strategic competence?
-Strategic competence is the ability to recognize and repair communication breakdowns before, during, or after they occur.
What is discourse competence?
-Discourse competence is the knowledge of how to produce and comprehend oral or written texts, focusing on coherence and cohesion.
How did Canaly and Swain interpret communicative competence?
-Canaly and Swain interpreted communicative competence as a synthesis of an underlying system of knowledge and skill needed for communication.
What did the Council of Europe do in relation to communicative competencies in 2001?
-The Council of Europe developed in detail these communicative competencies to develop its Common European Frameworks of Language.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Chomsky's Linguistic Competence and Language Theory

This paragraph introduces Noam Chomsky's perspective on language as a structured system with finite elements that can generate infinite sentences. It discusses the concept of 'generative grammar' as a detailed description of his viewpoint. Chomsky's 'linguistic competence' is defined as the innate ability to understand, repeat, and create new utterances, which is distinct from 'linguistic performance,' or the actual use of language in specific contexts. The paragraph also touches on the limitations of linguistic competence in explaining the rules of language use and the development of 'communicative competence' by Dell Hymes, which includes sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competencies, as well as grammatical knowledge.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Language

Language, as defined by Chomsky in the script, is a structured system of communication consisting of a finite set of elements that can be combined to form sentences. It is central to the video's theme as it sets the foundation for discussing linguistic competence and performance. For example, the script mentions 'the English language' to illustrate the concepts of linguistic and communicative competence.

💡Generative Grammar

Generative grammar is an explicit description that underlies Chomsky's view of language. It is a set of rules that allows for the generation of an infinite number of sentences from a finite set of elements. In the video, it is used to explain how language users can understand, repeat, and produce new utterances, highlighting its importance in linguistic competence.

💡Linguistic Competence

Linguistic competence, according to Chomsky, refers to the innate knowledge of the structure of a language that enables a person to understand and produce sentences. It is a core concept in the video, emphasizing the cognitive aspect of language use. The script illustrates this by discussing the ability to 'understand, repeat, and produce new utterances'.

💡Linguistic Performance

Linguistic performance is the actual use of language in specific situations, introduced by Chomsky to address issues like 'broken English.' It is a key term in the video that differentiates the theoretical knowledge of language (competence) from its practical application. The script uses this concept to show how language is used in concrete contexts.

💡Communicative Competence

Communicative competence is a broader concept developed by Dell Hymes, which includes not only linguistic competence but also the ability to use language appropriately in social contexts. It is a central theme in the video, expanding on Chomsky's ideas by incorporating sociolinguistic and strategic competence. The script explains it through the 'e4 components' which include linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence.

💡Sociolinguistic Competence

Sociolinguistic competence is part of communicative competence and refers to the knowledge of sociocultural rules governing language use. It is essential to the video's message as it highlights the social aspects of language beyond grammar and vocabulary. The script mentions it as one of the 'e4 components' of communicative competence.

💡Discourse Competence

Discourse competence is the ability to produce and comprehend coherent and cohesive oral or written texts. It is a key component of communicative competence discussed in the video, emphasizing the structure and flow of language beyond individual sentences. The script describes it as knowledge of 'how to produce and comprehend oral or written texts'.

💡Strategic Competence

Strategic competence is the ability to recognize and repair communication breakdowns, which can occur before, during, or after they happen. It is a vital part of the video's discussion on communicative competence, showing the dynamic and interactive nature of language use. The script defines it as part of the 'e4 components' and includes both verbal and non-verbal strategies.

💡Language Acquisition

Language acquisition is the process of learning a language, which is a significant interest for the applied linguists mentioned in the script. It is relevant to the video's theme as it connects to the development of both linguistic and communicative competence. The script refers to the valuable contributions of applied linguists to the concept of communicative competence in the context of language acquisition.

💡Language Testing

Language testing is the assessment of a person's proficiency in a language, which is another primary interest for the applied linguists discussed in the video. It is connected to the theme as it measures the outcomes of language acquisition and the development of communicative competence. The script notes the contributions of linguists with an interest in language testing to the further development of communicative competence.

💡Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

The CEFR is a guideline developed by the Council of Europe that details various levels of language proficiency. It is mentioned in the script as having developed communicative competencies in detail, showing its relevance to the video's discussion on language proficiency and the ability to communicate effectively in different languages.

Highlights

Chomsky defines language as a set of sentences made from a finite set of elements.

Generative grammar is an explicit description of Chomsky's perspective on language.

Linguistic competence is the ability to understand, repeat, and produce new utterances.

English is used as an example to illustrate the concept of linguistic performance.

Linguistic performance refers to the use of language in a concrete situation.

Chomsky believes linguistic competence precedes linguistic performance.

Delhimes challenges the sufficiency of linguistic competence to explain actual language use.

Communicative competence is introduced as a theory to explain appropriate language use.

Communicative competence includes four components: linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence.

Linguistic competence encompasses knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, and writing rules.

Sociolinguistic competence involves knowledge of sociocultural rules of language use.

Strategic competence is the ability to recognize and repair communication breakdowns.

Discourse competence pertains to the production and comprehension of coherent and cohesive texts.

Applied linguists in the 1970s and 1980s contributed to the development of communicative competence.

Kanaly and Swain view communicative competence as a synthesis of knowledge and skill for communication.

The Council of Europe in 2001 detailed communicative competencies for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Strategic competence includes both verbal and non-verbal strategies for effective communication.

Communicative competence is essential for language acquisition and testing theories.