Three views about the nature of language

Three views about the nature of language There are many possible theoretical positions about the nature of language. Here are three different views which explicitly or implicity are reflected in current approaches to language learning · The structural view of language · The communicative view of language · The interactional view of language The structural view of language The structural view of language is that language is a system of structually related elements for the transmission of meaning. These elements are usally descibed as phonological units (phonemes) grammatical units (phrases, clauses, sentences) grammatical operations (adding, shifting, joining or transforming elements) lexical items (function words and structure words) Areas of research drawn on Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language: linguistic analysis textual discourse analysis Target of language learning The target of language learning, in the structural view, is the mastery of elements of this system. Methods based on this view Some of the language learning methods based on this view of language are: the Audiolingual method Total Physical Response the Silent Way The communicative view of language The communicative, or functional view of language is the view that language is a vehicle for the expression of functional meaning. The semantic and communicative dimensions of language are more emphasized than the grammatical characteristics, although these are also included. Areas of research drawn on Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language: sociolinguistics pragmatics semantics Target of language learning The target of language learning is to learn to express communication functions and categories of meaning Approaches and methods based on this view Some of the language learning approaches and methods based on this view of language are: communicative approaches functional-notional syllabuses The Natural Approach The interactional view of language The interactional view of language sees language primarily as the means for establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships and for performing social transactions between individuals. Areas of research drawn on Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language: interactional analysis conversational analysis ethnomethodology Target of language learning The target of language learning in the interactional view is learning to initiate and maintain conversations with other people. Approaches and methods based on this view Some of the language learning approaches and methods based on this view of language are: Strategic interaction communicative approaches Source Adapted from Richards and Rodgers 1986