competence and performance

competence and performance

(LINGUISTICS) the distinction between the ability to use language (competence) and the actual verbalizations made (performance). This distinction is made in PSYCHOLINGUISTICS in particular where ‘competence’ more specifically describes the linguistic knowledge and grammar which is necessary to understand and speak one's own language, and ‘performance’ describes the particular utterances that speakers and listeners actually produce and understand. See also COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE, CHOMSKY, TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR, LANGUAGE ACQUISITION DEVICE.