LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE is a term used by speech experts and anthropologists to describe how language is defined within a community of speakers. This term applies to mastering the combination of sounds, syntax and semantics known as the grammar of a language. People with such competence have learned to utilize the grammar of their spoken language to generate an unlimited amount of statements. This term is distinct from the concept of communicative competence, which determines what is socially appropriate speech.
The core components of the grammar are included in the speaker's linguistic competence and these components corresponds to five of the major subfields of linguistics:
Phonetics: The physical production and perception of the inventory of sounds used in producing language.
Phonology: The mental organization of physical sounds and the patterns formed by the way sounds are combined in a language, and the restrictions on permissible sound combinations (E.g.: slip vs *slib and *sbill).
Morphology: The identification, analysis and description of units of meaning in a language. One will know the inflectional and derivational morphology present in the language, such as the affixes of words (E.g.: re-cuddle can be derived but not *re-rich).
Syntax: The structure and formation of sentences. One can distinguish between grammatical sentences and ungrammatical sentences (E.g.: My hair needs washing is acceptable but not *My hair needs wash).
Semantics:Understanding the meaning of sentences. This is also how a user of the language is able to understand and interpret the non-literal meaning in a given utterance. They are three distinctions drawn here:
(iii) Different structures and still be able to relate the meanings (E.g.: The police examined the bullet; The bullet was examined by the police).
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE is a linguistic term which refers to learner’s ability to apply and use grammatical rules, to form correct utterances, and know how to use these utterances appropriately in the use of language for communication.
The core components of the grammar are included in the speaker's linguistic competence and these components corresponds to five of the major subfields of linguistics:
Phonetics: The physical production and perception of the inventory of sounds used in producing language.
Phonology: The mental organization of physical sounds and the patterns formed by the way sounds are combined in a language, and the restrictions on permissible sound combinations (E.g.: slip vs *slib and *sbill).
Morphology: The identification, analysis and description of units of meaning in a language. One will know the inflectional and derivational morphology present in the language, such as the affixes of words (E.g.: re-cuddle can be derived but not *re-rich).
Syntax: The structure and formation of sentences. One can distinguish between grammatical sentences and ungrammatical sentences (E.g.: My hair needs washing is acceptable but not *My hair needs wash).
Semantics:Understanding the meaning of sentences. This is also how a user of the language is able to understand and interpret the non-literal meaning in a given utterance. They are three distinctions drawn here:
(i) Meaningful and non-meaningful sentences (E.g.: The accident was seen by thousands is meaningful but not *The accident was looked by thousands).
(ii) Same structure but different meanings (E.g.: The cow was found by the stream but not *The cow was found by the farmer).
(iii) Different structures and still be able to relate the meanings (E.g.: The police examined the bullet; The bullet was examined by the police).
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE is a linguistic term which refers to learner’s ability to apply and use grammatical rules, to form correct utterances, and know how to use these utterances appropriately in the use of language for communication.
In my understand and personal point of view, I see that Linguistic Competence is related with the depth study of the language because it study and analyze all the components of it, and of course, also deals with the proper usage of a language.
Instead, Communicative Competence is more concerned with how people use language to communicate with each other in a meaningful way, it has to do more with "being able to use the language for meaningful communication"; Its major interest is the language accuracy and fluency and is the society which determines this. I think the linguistic competence is more necessary and useful in translation works.
Instead, Communicative Competence is more concerned with how people use language to communicate with each other in a meaningful way, it has to do more with "being able to use the language for meaningful communication"; Its major interest is the language accuracy and fluency and is the society which determines this. I think the linguistic competence is more necessary and useful in translation works.
Ivan, linguistic competence is part of communicative competence. It is concerned with grammar, phonology, orthography, vocabulary and semantics. The other components of Commnicative competence are: sociocultural, strategic and discourse competences. You will study them in your next modules. Keep up your excellent work!
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