weak competence
[/wiːk ˈkɒmpɪtəns/]
noun phrasepl: weak competences
competência fraca
1. In linguistics and cognitive science, the intuitive knowledge of language rules that speakers possess but may not be able to articulate or demonstrate consistently in performance
The child's weak competence in grammar was evident from occasional errors despite understanding most structures.
A competência fraca da criança em gramática era evidente pelos erros ocasionais apesar de compreender a maioria das estruturas.
2. Limited or underdeveloped ability or skill in a particular domain or task
His weak competence in public speaking hindered his career advancement.
Sua competência fraca em falar em público prejudicou seu avanço na carreira.
3. In generative grammar, linguistic knowledge that exists but produces imperfect or variable performance
The speaker demonstrated weak competence in distinguishing subtle phonetic differences.
O falante demonstrou competência fraca em distinguir diferenças fonéticas sutis.
This term is primarily used in academic, linguistic, and educational contexts in both Brazil and the United States. It reflects Chomsky's distinction between linguistic competence (abstract knowledge) and performance (actual use). In Brazilian educational settings, the term is increasingly used to describe developing language skills and competencies in second language acquisition and literacy programs.
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →