Communicative Competence Aspects of the Native Speaker
Davies continues to define what makes a native speaker in this chapter offering a look into what makes a speaker of a language "competent". By examining the differences between native and non-native speakers he draws conclusions about what truly places the native speaker into a separate category. Perhaps it is the native speaker's confidence that they will be understood the allows them to speak without clarifying everything they say, the way non-native speakers do. Maybe the non-native speakers lack of context for many cultural references which often leads to gaffes is what sets them a step behind the rest of society. After all, Davies says, being a native speaker is simply a leg-up in acting in a way that includes you in proper society. The native speaker's ability to spontaneously respond, understand context and cultural cues and fluidly combine thoughts and concepts into sentences. Non-native speakers are often stunted in these areas, as their limited cultural exposure tends to cause a kind of gap in their communicative competence that divides them from those within the society.
Davies' discussion on confidence builds nicely on what we saw in the Catalan example. The Castilian speakers are simply confident enough in their place in society, that they do not feel the need to question everything they say and do. This, Davies says, is one of the keys to acquiring total command over a language. The native speaker feels no need to search for the most appropriate word in a situation (97). This confidence allows the native speaker to rephrase and use more cultural idioms that draw them more closely into the societal norms (99). Because their command of the language and culture is so strong, they rarely gaffe as even the most fluent non-native speakers occasionally do (110). This ease of conversing builds up a perception of being unable to fail, while the occasional mistake or pause whilst searching for a word can hinder or decrease a non-native speaker's confidence. As we have seen again and again, one's perception of success and confidence are key factors in determining their true linguistic success.
Davies does, however, present a few arguments that bear close examination in terms of Frekko's article. He states that being a native speaker gives you context and societal cues that help to include you in society (110). How is it then, that being a native speaker of Castilian placed those students above the native Catalan speakers? It would be logical to assume that the native Catalan speakers are far more accepted in Catalan society because of their command over Catalan culture. In order to explain this phenomenon, it is important to recognize the limitations of Frekko's work. The language class is intended as Catalan as a second language, and takes place in Barcelona which places it in the heart of Catalan culture. Yet, the interactions between students indicate that the society of the students is not Catalan, but Castilian. Despite the prevalence of Catalan in Barcelona, it seems that the societal advantages of being a Castilian native speaker are still at large. This mirrors Davies' earlier claim that some minority languages will prefer another language over their own even if not one person in the society is fluent in the language. Even in the heart of Catalan culture and language, Castilians are still a cut above.
Davies, Alan. "Communicative Competence Aspects of the Native Speaker." The Native Speaker: Myths and Reality. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters LTD, 2003. 97-117. Print.