COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

STRATEGIES IN VARIOUS SPEECH SITUATIONS

“Speaking WHAT to WHERE and WHEN?”

 TYPES OF SPEECH CONTEXT

Speech CONTEXT is the SITUATION that brings people to start a conversation or a speaking event. It is
important for people who communicate to understand the situation or the environmental context of the
speech they are about to listen or deliver.
 TYPES OF SPEECH STYLE

Good communication skills require appropriate word choice of speaker as well as his/her structure
of sentences (Dapat, et.al, 2016). As we are tagged as ‘social beings’ we need to be creative in
several ways as to how we express our messages. At this, we need to learn the different types of
speech styles. Speech style refers to the distinctive way of communicating to others. It consists of
particular pattern of linguistic, vocal and nonverbal behaviors. It refers mainly to the way one
communicates than the meaning of the communication.
Five Types of Speech Styles
1. Intimate – this style is private, which occurs between or among close family members or
individuals. The type of language used in this style may not be shared publicly.
2. Casual – this style is common among peers and friends. Jargon, slang, or vernacular language
are used. This style is usually seen in the streets, during lunch time with friends and the like.
3. Consultative – the consultative style of speech is a standard one where professional or
mutually acceptable language is a must. Examples of this are situations that show communication
between teachers and students, employers and employees, doctor and patient, judge and lawyer,
or president and his/her constituents.
4. Formal – This style is used in settings that places formal procedures. This speech style is one-
way in nature. Examples of this are sermons by priests and pastors, state of the nation address of
the president, formal speeches or pronouncements by the judges.
5. Frozen – this style is ‘frozen’ in time and remains unchanged. It mostly occurs in ceremonies.
Common examples are the Preamble of the Constitution, Lord’s Prayer and Allegiance to the
country or flag.

TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

Speech Act is an utterance that the speaker intends to affect his/her audience. Speech acts happen when we
apologize, greet, request, complaint, invite and etc. Speech acts have real-life interactions and require not only
knowledge of the language but also appropriate use of that language within a given culture.

Speech Acts has three types

In speaking, there are three types of speech acts by J. L. Austin (1962), a language philosopher and the formulator of
the Speech Act Theory.

1. Locutionary act is the phrase or sentence being uttered. “Can you submit your project today?”

2. Illocutionary act is the purpose of the person saying such words. The one saying “Can you submit your project
today?” is requesting the listener to submit his/her project today.

3. Perlocutionary act is having the hearer recognize the intention of the speaker. “Can you submit your project
today?” The listener gets the point, therefore he/she would submit his/her project on that day.

Aside from these three speech acts, let us also learn about indirect speech acts. They come about when the function
of the utterance does not have a direct relationship with what the speaker actually means in his/her statement.
Please consider this utterance:

“The door is still open!” (Implied speech act: Are you capable of closing the door?)

- Here, the speaker literally questioned somebody if he or she has the ability to close the door, this indirectly
requests the addressee to close the door in behalf of the speaker.

A special type of speech act is the performative. Performative utterances are statements with verbs to execute the
speech act that intend to affect. Performative speech acts only “work” when uttered by a person in authority. For
instance, in a wedding, the priest would say “I now pronounce you man and wife” and right then then and there the
couple becomes officially husband and wife.

Searle’s Classification of Speech Act

In addition, John Searle (1976) a university professor of California, Berkeley has five general classifications of speech
act:

1 Assertive – this speech act grants the speaker to convey his/her view that the proposal made is correct. The
examples are suggesting, putting forward, swearing, boasting and concluding.

 He’s always telling us that he owns the modernistic house in town.

2 Directive – In this speech act, the speaker attempts at making the addressee to do on what is being asked. Some
examples of these include asking, ordering, requesting inviting, advising and begging.

 Your paragraph is good, but the last sentence is too long.

3 Commissive – this speech act compasses the speaker to make future actions, e.g. promises and oaths.

 I promise to be careful next time.

4 Expressive – This speech act allows the speaker to speak up attitudes and feelings. These are words that express
gratitude or thanks, congratulating, apologizing, welcoming and deploring.

 Thank you so much for having you in my life.

5 Declaration - This speech act can twist reality e.g. baptizing, bidding, wedding and blessing.

I now pronounce you husband and wife.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATIVE STRATEGIES

Engaging in a conversation is bound by implicit rules and regulations. Cohen (1990) stated that "strategies must be
used to start and maintain a conversation. Knowing and applying grammar appropriately is one of the most basic
strategies to maintain a conversation. The following are some strategies that people use when communicating."

Types of Communicative Strategies

Nomination Speaker carries to establish a topic collaboratively. Basically, when you use this strategy, you try
to introduce a topic with the people you are talking to.

Example: “Hey, how are you? I missed you!”

Restriction It refers to any limitation you may give or create as a speaker. On some cases of communication,
there's instructions that must be followed. Those instructions confine you as a speaker and limit what you
can say.

Example: “Before we start our discussion, let me remind you again of our house rules.”

Turn-taking This points to the process by which individuals decide who take the conversational floor.
Primarily, the idea is to give all communicators a chance to speak.

Example: “Now, it’s your turn to ask questions.”

Topic Control Topic Control takes how the procedure of formality or informality affects the progress of topic
in conversation

Example: “Well, just go on.”

Topic Shifting Involves moving from one topic to another, where one part of a conversation ends and where
the other begins.

Example: Anyway, have you heard the news last night?

Repair Refers to how speaker address the problems in speaking, listening and comprehending that they may
encounter in a conversation.

Example: I’m sorry for what I’ve done, how can I make it up for you?”

Termination Refers to the conversation participants’ close initiating expressions that end a topic in a
conversation.

Example: “Well then, I think we’re good. See you!”