communicative competence: expectations in a ‘western’ context corrie b. macmillan, m.a....

Communicative Competence:

Expectations in a ‘Western’ context

Corrie B. MacMillan, M.A.Department of Applied English

macmilla@mail.sju.edu.tw

Communicative competence • ‘grammatical knowledge’

(syntax, morphology, phonology/phonetics)

• social knowledge about how and when to use utterances appropriately.

• Dell Hymes 1966

Noam Chomsky’s (1965)

competence and performance• In ESL/EFL, Communicative Approach

Canale and Swain (1980)

1. Grammatical competence: words & rules

2. Sociolinguistic competence: appropriateness

3. Strategic competence: communication strategies

4. Discourse competence:

cohesion & coherence (Canale 1983)

Canale and Swain (1980)

Sociolinguistic competence: appropriateness

Strategic competence: communication strategies

Intercultural Communication

AIMS/OBJECTIVES• To discuss Individualistic/Collectivist Cultures

and High/low Context Cultures • Apply these terms to ourselves• Understand the role of Intercultural

Communication in an English business setting• Discuss expectations in a ‘Western’ business

context

Individualism & Collectivism

Individualism & Collectivism

DisclaimerThese terms are to be treated as comparatives, like tall/short

eg. The giraffe is taller than the elephant.

They are not to be understood as implying positive of negative features, only a degree of difference

DisclaimerWe must also be very careful when describing any identity, especially that of a group

Must recognize that identities do not exist in any singular or static form

Within any groups there are different groups and various factors to take note of

age, gender, economic position, class etc.

Disclaimer

These concepts/terms are useful in understanding difference

Not for defining the Other

IndividualismTriandis traces origins to Greeks

(see the Illiad & the Odessey)

Concerned more with the Self, Individual value independence and ‘outside the box thinking’

The individual is responsible for his/her actions, is accountable

CollectivismConcerned more with the Group, the Collective value group goals, harmony, & interdependence

Tend to belong to less groups than those in individualistic cultures

Shared responsibility, collectively accountable

Emotionally connected to the in-group

Horizontal IndividualismThe *autonomous self is valued

*independent, makes own choicesBut the individual is equal in status to others

The self is independent but the same as others

Vertical IndividualismThe autonomous self is valued

But the individual is unequal in status to others

The self is independent and different than others

Horizontal CollectivismThe Individual sees the self as part of an in-group

Whose members are similar to each other

The self is interdependent and the same self of others

Equality is expected and practiced

Vertical CollectivismThe individual sees self as an integral (important) part of the in-group

Whose members are different from each other

Some having more status than others

The self is interdependent and inequality within the group is valued

High & Low Context Communication

High & Low Context Communication

High Context Communication“Because interactants in a high-context culture know and understand each other and their appropriate roles, words are not necessary to convey meaning”

One acts in accordance with one’s role

Communication is implicit (context dependent)

Low Context CommunicationThe spoken word is the primary source of information

While they may recognize non-verbal communication they focus on the verbal code

Rules and expectations are explicitly explained

There is a need to speak, meaning is explicit

Expected to act in a way consistent with their feelings

Canale and Swain (1980)

Sociolinguistic competence: appropriateness

Strategic competence: communication strategies

Intercultural Communication

Business English?

English is now understood as…

A Global Language

An International Language

A Lingua Franca

English is now spoken as a Second &/or Foreign Language more than by Natives

What can we expect in a Western Business context?

CLOSING REMARKS• Have discussed Individualistic/Collectivist

Cultures, in terms of both horizontal and vertical orientations

• Have discussed High/low Context Communication approaches

• Applied these terms to ourselves• Understand the role of Intercultural

Communication in an English business setting• Discussed expectations in a ‘Western’ business

context

And so it goes.

macmilla@mail.sju.edu.tw