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    © All Rights Reserved
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    3 views14 pages

    On Communicative Competence

    Uploaded by

    Levy

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 14
    Sociolinguistics Sect Reding led by JB, Pie and Janet Hes Penguin Books ee 18 D.H.Hymes ie (0m Communicative Competence xcept rom DH. tyme: On Commu Compe, Psd 1 “This papers theoretical Oneconnotaion of theoreticalis "programa"; {Trelaed onaotation that one kaows 00 litle abou he suet ay onmetung practic. Both connotation apply otis attempt oconebute {othe study of tho "language problems of disadvantaged biren’ ‘races! work, however st have an eye on the curen state of theory, for it san be plded or misguided, encouraged or discouraged, by what it | fakes that state to be. Moreover, the language development of ciren has atic petinence jst sow for theory. The fundamental theme ofthis Daperi tht the theoretical aod the practical problems converse Tr ix pot that there exits « body of linguistic theory that practical research sa tra to and fas only 1 apply ti rather that work mot- ‘ed by prota! needs may Delp build the theory that we seed. To a ‘est cxent programs to change the language situation of cen are an ‘rem to apply abuse science that does aot et ei. Let me review the present tage of nguisti heory 0 show why thi 30. ‘Conder reat safeent, ope that makes explicit end precise en assumption that as underiain moch of moder linguistics (Chomsky, 1968, p.3) Linguist tery contre pri with an eal speaker see, [9 & Let homens spac coms, who uoows is aigunaepeealy SSTENSEatnby sch gmstily eer condtons a reo Hit ‘To nests tie fenton and inert and eos (ngom oe cars OnaS ir apnvng hs Knowl oft lngvge i el penance sia Sims Aas Bans a ie Pt Ceuesege i wi to tune Dr tet Bale and Be Emad Gordo of DM tymes 28 —————————————————————Ee From the stndpoin of te children we sok to understand and el, such staterent may seem almost declaration of itlevance, All the Siiculies chat confront the hire and outeles sem sven om view ‘One's response fo sich an indeation of the sate of linguists theory sight bet fore Fundamental theory and to pick and choose amon ts Droduets, Modes f language siveture, fel can be wel in aye ot ‘nvsloncd inthe statement of ther auzor. Some linguist eg, Labon, Rowenbuum, Gletman) use earsformational generative grammar to tly some of the ways in wihich «speech comunity not homogeneous and Inwhich speaker istenes clay have eifeentil knowledge of suas Peshaps, then, one ough simpy te dstepard how lings deine the Scope of linguistic" theory. One could point to several avis dels of language - TragerSit-Joos,tagnemic, statifeationsl, transform tionalgeneratve in its MIT, Ponnsjvania, Harvard and ober varia), and, in Englind, ‘sjstemstrvctue" (Haliday and othr); remark that there are distinguished scholars uring each to analyse Engh eae! tat linguists are unable to agree on the analysis of Engh; and pick nd choose, according to ones problem and loca! susion, leaving ara ‘mayians otherwise o thar own devies “Todoso would tea mistake for two ressont on the one hand, the sort of theoretical perspective quoted above fetevant aways that ti impor- tant always fo have in mind; on the otber hand, tere ea body of lie ‘iste data and problens that would be lft withoot there isi, Hf such limited conception of linguistic theory were to rain in: callers “The speci relevance of the theoretical perspective ie expressed in it representative anecdote (to use Keaeth Burke's term) he lng tps bore our eyes. The images that of cil, born with the bility fo master ny language with almost miraelous ea and speed a child who hot merely molded by conditioning and reinforcement, but who actively proceeds withthe unconscious theoreti interpretation of the speech that comes its way, 0 that in few years ad with inte epeiene, Hi maser of an inte ably, that of producing and understanding in Principe any and all gammatcal sentences of langage, The image (or ‘heoreial perspective) expresses the essential equality cir jst Jnuman tengs. eis mole in that can spire one with the el hat ven ‘the mos espcing conditions canbe transformed; its an inispensabie ‘weapon aginst views thit would explain the communicative aflrences “mang groupe of cilren a labret, perhaps ri The limitations ofthe perspective appear whea the inege of the enol ing, mastering, Huet eff set Beside the zal ciiren in our schools “Thethcory mustseem,iTntiereeant, then at best a dotinco poigney 270 Acruiton ane Proteney pian, tc of he ene fewer wht oni 08 hat sect: pagram to, bee he hor so power inte ov fh Saat enters cope sith he ence To cope whe eis of Shien a conmuniening His reqres hry iin wc ecoe Sa oor uve an etl an onstrate Frenne msorteinsomatinletenent tor word tng ory har two part: Ingusie compere an thst perfomance Lingus competence i understood coed ihene koonde of nace ste tt, kote hats Toronly nt coscos or aie for spontaneous repr bu acs. ‘Sry ic nw te Gee serene on sy The rey Sine of leo to prone for an expt acoun of soc Knees, {Ehsan in tela to the fate ote on With mst depend Sista ens ofc know tt one on prod td vdestand In ene ht ngs on pk of ee ‘renege, Limits pestrmarc men eit undesioo oa- eal pen oen ered exe Sct they of compet pots el objects in absaon from ssc! eu tar mit ene nt ther iin, Aun SP SSacace hb sen ab onl ndoenent of Sosa Sarr ting on se seh neon of cl ‘Fas theny of perfomance the one sei tht might bute a Stouescocaara coment; bt mieeqted witha theory of lange Si ennsly comet hosing tien oe ‘aif grammar at; hoc teracton. As conse ‘Se forsecocatunlxtrnthesequtition conduct of eormanc, {he aultude wuld sum que meptve Lite or none sd nd ‘Srting rs one wou expt oe decry. Some specs STputomenc ars ras ers ving comic rl he Sheng rat beipsuign noes prop fo snes, bo 1 he ‘Slee gunel thous ead however, and be sans of Performance bentens he chape om which pssage comes ae ‘Sone, lfesea that he noe ck spre one ainiation, {For aay. When the notion of prformats node he {tae etaamge la cous stations sired sted that Ship onder the Teton sumed could pecormune dell reset ‘Spence end hati al fat eis oul oA std of Stunt cs sho numero se srs eviatons from rt Shropsopcn milous on: Onespeaksof rma Ings Stes tay dgeerate esi (chor, 168, p31), 0 ean of ‘butt peta at “olan of et compact a Dik Mymes or 1967,» 148). While performance” is someting of eid eatepory for the theory, ery is moe salen connotation is that of imperfet mani fesation of undetling stm, dot think the lar 1o provide an expic ple fo soeiostura fears to be aesidentl. The etiston of competence othe nations of 9 ‘homogeneous community, perfext knosledge, and independence of socio- tua ators does ol ser jut a simplifying escurmptio, te sort tha Soy siete theory mst mink. I that eres, then some remark oat ‘ect ight be mde; the ned to nce a sococultual dmenslon right be enone; the nature of such ieision might even be soegested. Nor ess the predominant asseition of performance with imperfection ecm scidental. Certainly, any sch of speech is an imperfect indication of the knowlege that uadetes it. For users that sare the Knowede, the rangement might be thought of as eficlent. Aad if one uses oas's uitlons 38 to speech, a8 well sto grammac, ove can see tit What to “Brammer is imperfect, or unaccounted fr, maybe the aul acomplish- “fpeut ofa soil act (Gari, in press), orth patterned, spontaneous ‘Bidens of probem solving and conceptual thougit Jobs, 1967, p. 5. “ese things might be acknowledged, even if at taken up. | Teisks the absence of place for sococultival factor, and te aking ‘of performance to imperfeton, 0 disclose an ideological aspect 0 the theoretical standpoint Is, iT may sy 0, rather a Garden of Eden view Hiuman life sums divided between grammatical competence, an ideal Inately-erved sort of power, and performance, an exaeacy rather kee the enting ofthe appl, thrusting the perfect speaker-earer out into a fallen world. OF this word here meanings may be won by the seat of the bow, and communication achieved sn labor (Ct. Boahoer, 1965, 368), litle i said. The controling image is ofan abst, isolated Individoa, elmost an unmotivated cogalve mechani, aot excep Ineidantly 2 prion i «soil world. ‘Any theoretical stance of couse hasan ideological aspect, and that spect of present ings theory stl inveation.A major characteristic fof moders linguists has boon tat i takes structre as primary end i island tends to depresnt se, while not relingushing any of it lit to the pes signlfcance tat attached to language. (Contrast claseal antguly, where sactre was « means tows, an the arammarian si ‘ordinate 1 the thetor) The result ean Sometimes sem a ery buppy one. ‘On the one hand, by narrowing concern 10 independently and ready stroturble dat, one cn enjoy the prestige ofan svoed senor on the oer hand, despite jgnoring the social dimensions of we, one els ‘e prestige of doling with something fundamental to human ie Tuas ist, Chomsky i quit oes whan be writes that is conception ofthe conestn of inguin theory seems 0 have been also the position of {he founders of modern genera! lngustes. Cel f mer stuctra linguistics msun, then a majo hrot of has ben te dee the subject tater of linguistic theory In tere of what imo, In de Saussure's Tinguisies as senealy interpreted, a langue ws the prvilee around oF sHrcture, and lr parle the residual rela of aration (among other Things. Chorsy ssosates ie views of competence and performance ‘vith the Savsrian coneeptioas of langue and parol, but ses his own ‘oncepons ae superior, ging beyond tbe conception of langue as "stemati avetory of lam fo renewal of the Humboltsn coneption ff underlying process. The Chomsky conception i suecor, aot only in ths eespot, bt allo inthe very terminology neous 0 mat he ‘ifrene. "Competence" and "performance" much more ruil sugsest ‘ovate persons, situation, and aeons. Inded, from te standpoint of the chase tadidon In stoctaral linguistics, Chomshy’s theoretical ‘andpoit isa once it reltlztion and is culmination. Ie cartes 10 it prtvtion the desire to dealin practice onl with what Is ineral to Tanguage, ye o find la that interatty that in theory is ofthe widest or ‘eepst human siniance, No modeen guise theory has spoken more profoundly of either the infernal strotae ofthe intasc human sini= fsance “This revitalization lowers while around it emerge the sprouts of ome ‘epton that before tbe end of te century msysucend I Isuch a succes Son occur, wil be bres, jut asthe teasformational theory could oor its predecestors and handle stoctra relationships beyond their frp, 20 new restonips, elaonships wih an ineradiable socal omponen, wll boom saint that will rogule 2 broader theory to tbsorb and hao therm sal er to this torial conjecture at the fd of this paper, Lette now sketch consiéerations that motivate & bronder theory. And let me do this by Sst puting forvard an additonal representative anecdote, " ‘As agaist heist speakerstne, here is Bloom's account of one ‘yours Menon be Knew (1927, . 395). ‘White Thunder, an around fr peaks ee agit than Meo nt {hata ston indemet for his Menon Is stacoae His vost) Is ‘ol hit lfton me ofa Srtaous: he conse setnces of fe {rsabare nul, He aye sid t pe no neue tlrab. Hs cc is ‘ot uneoamon sang ounse me, een when hey speak ut ile English Bloomfield aves onto sogest thatthe commonnes ofthe ese dun some inet way, 10 the impact of the conquering language. Tn set, D-H. Hymes 2 SEE cae hee hve eifeenal competence within a heterogeneous speech come mony, both andoubtedly shaped by accularatio. (The aleative 1 & onmittve role for the oovelrocigcltural factor ito assume that ttocoun Menon was common also before coutact. If taken seriously, the asumption sould sil impiate sococultaralfetor) Sov ie hes affected aot merely outeard performance, bu inner competence ise etme now review some ole iadiations of the need f transcend the otis of perfect competence, homenencous speech communis, ead independence of sociocultural Features Ther excelent utile reviewing eecent tae of subeulrldierences in language development In the United States, Caden (566, 9,19) vite that on hing is les: “The fins can te gic suranarie: on lhe meas, al he ae, {he appr ancoeconamie satus ren, however dened, are moe ava than loner socom suas ren. ‘The siferences reviowed by Cazden involve enabling fst for the upper status cidren ost s much a dssbing elt for the lower tts Chien. Moreover sven subeltraldifereaces in the pttrns and purposes of anguage se, chile of the over satus may actually excel a {spects of communicative competence not observed or measured in the tents summarized. And among the Menemini there were not oaly YOUNE fnen lke White Thunder, but alto those like Red Cloud Woman, sho sets enti ih ios Meno nd speaks Oba and FPoamaton fen. --- Linguistzly, she would corespood to a Bihy oon Acein wen wh spoke, ty, Pench at Kalin fe aon 0 {he ey bot pe of cuit, omae Englsh (loon, 1927, 398) “There at tribes ofthe nothest Amazon mong whom the normal scone {OT linguistc competence fa ontol of a Tes fou languages, 8 spur feive command coming during adolescence with repertoie and pesee- tion of competence continang to be aurneted throughout ie Here a8 Inmoch of our Work, the ideally Duet spenkerseneris miata (ven an idenly fest tonolingeal of course is master of funeional Sarit witha the one angus) In this connection fe should be noted that Auent members of com unite offen regard thelr languages, or functions! varieties, as not identical in communicative adequac. Te aot only tht one variety is ‘blignory ot prefered for some uses, other for others (asf offen the ‘ise, sy, 05 betwee pull osasons ad personal relationships), Sue invwsons cect experince and slF-valtion as to what ve cn in ft fo with a phen surety. This sort of eileen competence bos nothing to do wth ‘sinadvantage or dfsiney relative 1 ter norms members [the community. All of them may nd Kurdish, sy the median in Athich mst ngs can beat Be expressed, but Arabic the btr med or ‘Ripous tus uses of Berber may find Arabic superior to Berber for ll, Derposes ence intiate domestic conversation (Ferzson, 1956. “The combination of coramunsy

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