Dell Hymes's Construct of “Communicative Competence”

Cazden reflects on theoretical and sociopolitical origins of Hymes's construct of communicative competence in events occurring just before and after 1960 in the U.S. She comments on Hymes's emphasis on competence not as abstract systemic potential of a language, but as capability located in individual persons; and she explores competence as both individual repertoire and group reservoir. She reminds us that Hymes's “appropriateness” is primarily about emergent, creative, non‐situationally determined use of language. [Dell Hymes, communicative competence, appropriateness, individual capability versus systemic potential]