Question

If a child understands complex grammatical structures but struggles to produce them in speech, this shows a difference between:

• A. Phonetics and phonology
• B. Langue and parole
• C. Competence and performance
• D. Syntax and semantics

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Competence and performance

If a child understands complex grammatical structures but struggles to produce them in speech, this shows a difference between linguistic competence and linguistic performance.

• Linguistic competence refers to a speaker's internal knowledge of the rules of language, including grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. The child's ability to understand complex grammatical structures indicates strong competence.

• Linguistic performance is the actual use of language in real-life situations, which can be affected by cognitive limitations, speech development, nervousness, or other external factors. The child's struggle to produce complex structures suggests performance issues rather than a lack of competence.