8/10/2019 How Linguistic Competence Influence the Other Three Components of Communicative Competence

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How Linguistic Competence Influence the Other Three Components of Communicative Competence

Language is a vital means of communication. It is in fact, the most widely used medium since both oral

and written communication are adjacent with language and cannot do its intended purpose without it.

But Communication itself is not composed entirely of language. It has other components to considerwith. But how can linguistic competence really influence the entire streams of communication? First, let

us find out what linguistic competence was all about.

Linguistic Competence is the knowledge of the language code, i.e. its grammar and vocabulary, and

also of the conventions of its written representation (script and orthography). The grammar component

includes the knowledge of the sounds and their pronunciation (i.e. phonetics), the rules that govern

sound interactions and patterns (i.e. phonology), the formation of words by means of e.g. inflection and

derivation (i.e. morphology), the rules that govern the combination of words and phrases to structure

sentences (i.e. syntax), and the way that meaning is conveyed through language (i.e. semantics).

(http:/www.linguisticator.com, 2013)

As Dell H. Hymes observed, A normal child acquires knowledge of sentences not only as grammatical,

but also as appropriate. He or she acquires competence as to when to speak, when not, and as to what

to talk about with whom, when, where, in what manner. In short, a child becomes able to accomplish a

repertoire of speech acts, to take part in speech events, and to evaluate their accomplishment by

others. (Dell, 1972, 277)

In his book, Dell implied that grammatical knowledge are synonymous to a childs social interaction. He

observed that just as a child learns to use the common grounds of language, he or she is also learning on

how to interact with other people especially other children. The child learns how to make choice of

words depending on the situation not just to express Himself better but also to avoid offensive remarks.

He/she learns to use words through other means such as writing, talking, listening or even giving

response. With this, a person becomes considerate of the sociolinguistic, discourse and strategic

competence of communication. They may or may not be aware but the knowledge of linguistic

competence leads to the discovery of the three remaining component.

The one thing that everyone is certain about is the necessity to use language for communicative

purposes in the classroom. Consequently, the concern for teaching linguistic competence has widened

to include communicative competence, the socially appropriate use of language, and the methods

reflect this shift from form to function. (Paulston, 1992)

Teaching of the language should not just focused on the grammatical aspects but should take

considerations of intercultural factors which are diverse and dependent of time and place. Paulston

refers to the communicative competence by which a man considers his words with depending on whereor when he is and what methods should he appropriate. Form and function should go hand in hand in

order to achieve a successful conversation.