Communication Strategies (adapted from Dornyei 1995) Avoidance Strategies
1. Message abandonment : 2. Topic avoidance avoidan ce
:
Leavin Leaving g a messag messagee unfini unfinish shed ed becaus becausee of langua language ge difficulties Avoiding topic areas or concepts that pose language difficulties.
Compensatory strategies
3. Circumlocution
:
Describing or exemplifying the target object of action ( exam exampl ple: e: the the thin thing g you you open open bott bottle less with with for corkscrew)
4. Approximation
:
Using an alternative term which expresses the meaning of the the targ target et lexi lexica call item item as clos closel ely y as poss possib ible le (example: ship for sailboat sailboat )
5. Word coinage coina ge
:
Creating a nonexisting L2 word based on a supposed rule (example: vegetarianist for vegetarian )
6. Prefabricated patterns :
Using memorized stock phrases, usually for “survival” purposes (example: Where is the …… or Comment allez-vous ), where the sentences are not known to the learner)
7. Nonlinguistic signals
:
Mime, gesture, facial expression, or sound imitation. Literal translation: Translating literally a lexical item, idiom, compound word, or structure from L1 to L2
8. Code-switching
:
Using a L1 word with L1 pronunciation or a L3 word with L3 pronunciation while speaking in L2.
8. Appeal for help
:
Asking Asking for aid from from the interlo interlocut cutor or either either directly directly (example: What ……..?) or indire indirectly ctly What do you you call call ……..?) (exa (examp mple le:: risi rising ng into intona nati tion on,, paus pause, e, eye eye cont contac act, t, puzzled expression)
Avoidance Strategies
1. Le Lexi xica call avoi avoida danc ncee
Second language learners avoid a certain lexical item when they don’t know the word.
Example
Mr A: I lost my road Mr B: You lost your road? Mr A: Uh, I lost. I lost. I got lost
2. Mess Messag agee aba aband ndon onme ment nt
The learner begins to talk about a concept but is unable to continue and stops in mid-utterance.
Example
A learner says “he took the wrong way in mm…” (He/she does not continue his/her utterance).
3. Topic opic avoi avoida danc ncee
The learner simply tries not to talk about concepts for which the TL item or structure is not known. A whole whole type of conversation (say, talking about what happened yesterday if the past tense is unfamiliar) might be avoided entirely.
Compensatory Strategies
1. Pref Prefabr abric icate ated d patte patterns rns
Prefabricated patterns are memorized chunk of language which is often found in pocket bilingual dictionary such as “How are you?" or "Where is your hotel?". A learner may use these without any knowledge at all of their internal structure. These are partly "creative" and partly memorized wholes; they consist of sentence frames with an open "slot" for a word or a phrase, such as "That's a _____" (pen, knife, banana),
2. Dir Direct ect ap appeal peal
Learners may, if stuck for a particular word or phrase, directly ask a native speaker or the teacher for the form (“how do you say ……”). Or they might venture a possible guess and then ask for verification from the native speaker of the correctness of the attempt.
3. Code Code switc witchi hing ng
It is a term in linguistics referring to using more than one language or variety in conversation. Bilinguals, who can speak at least two languages, have the ability to use elements of both languages. Code-switching can occur between sentences or within a single sentence. Sometimes the learner slips in just a word or two, in the hope that the hearer will get the gist of what is being communicated. Others defined it as 'The alternative use of two languages.'
Example
Ali: No, ask from Fendi. Takkan Takkan tak ada? Spanish/English: Have aqua please.
