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This study investigates the use of strategic competence (SC) by L2 learners in referential communication within the framework of "IL-conformity", a process which is believed to be partly responsible for SLA. It explores the extent to which IL SC conforms to the similarities of this competence in the performance of speakers of different native languages (Lls). It also examines whether the IL-conformity, if any, is task-in/dependent and relates to L2 proficiency levels. Strategic competence refers here to the knowledge/ability to use compensatory (problem-solving) strategies to solve communication problems and to achieve the intended goals. Although studies on SLA have shown that IL conforms to the general (universal) properties of human language, they have focused on the grammatical aspects of language. The communicative aspects of language, particularly SC, have not been touched upon within this framework to date. In this study, as a point of departure, two hypotheses are tested: (1) IL SC will conform more or less to the general properties (or similarities) of SC observed in the performance of speakers of different Lls across various tasks. That is, if particular strategies are used similarly by the speakers of different Lis in performing a given task, such strategies will be used by IL speakers for the same task to a certain extent, and if task variability causes various performance of SC, IL-conformity will occur across various tasks. (2) Degree of IL-conformity corresponds to the degree of L2 proficiency level. The performance of SC of 30 English and 30 Persian adult L1 speakers, and two groups of 30 Farsi-speaking ESL university students of different L2 levels was studied. The subjects communicated three different tasks to their interlocutors. The results appeared to be in support of the hypotheses. The possible reasons for the speakers' strategic language behaviour are discussed along with the theoretical and pedagogical implications for instructed SLA.

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I This thesis is an investigation of the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis. This hypothesis is founded on the assumption that second language learners tend to transfer their native language structures when learnIng a, second language. In its strong version, this hypothesis claims that by contrasting two or more languages, it is possible to predict probable areas of difficulty and hence errors on part of the foreign language learner. Contrastive analysis yields two types of prediction: (i) second language learners will transfer their isomorphic Ll structures into the second language and thus produce correct target constructions, and (ii) they will transfer the anisomorphic structures of their mother tongue thus producing erroneous structures which reflect those of their mother tongue. The second hypothesis which I seek to verify in the present work claims that the more advanced the second language learner is, the more successfully he/she will perform in the second language. Long exposure to the new language will enable the learner to improve his/her linguistic competence in this language and as a result, he/she will utilise more positive transfer and less negative transfer than the less advanced learner. The validity of the two hypotheses will be investigated with reference to Syrian learners of English. The two languages under focus are English and Modern Standard Arabic. I focus exclusively on one syntactic structure viz., the noun phrase. My contrastive analysis of English and Modern Standard Arabic noun phrases is based on their description in terms of the general framework of the theory of Government and Binding. The predictions yielded by contrastive analysis were empirically tested by carrying out a small scale empirical investigation which consisted of three tests: a Completion Test, a Translation Test and a Judgment Test. The three tests were administered to two groups of Syrian students studying English at the University of Tishrin, Latakia, Syria. The first group comprised 25 first year students, and the second group included a similar number of fourth year students. I then carried out an error analysis of the data obtained in order to determine the source of each error and separate transfer from non-transfer errors. Quantificational measures were applied to the results in order to determine the relative frequency of each prediction in percentages. iii The degree of success of the predictions were taken as measures for the validity of the hypothesis on which they were based viz., the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis. In order to verify the second hypothesis, I compared the mean percentages of transfer scored by both groups for each prediction in each test. Conclusions as to whether there were significant differences between the two groups in the degree of transfer were drawn by using the T-Test, which is statistical measure used to assess the significance of the differences between two given average scores.

The following thesis is an attempt to explore the relationship between translating and language learning. Chapter one is an attempt to relate the theory of Translating with that of Second Language Teaching. In the second chapter a review will be given of the history of translating within language teaching methodology, particularly noting the reasons why translating as a language teaching activity fell into disfavour. It will isolate and evaluate the criticisms which have been levelled at translating as a pedagogical device. Chapter three will look at the notion of Communicative Competence and this will include an investigation of the pragmatic and strategic dimension to language teaching. This will lead to a discussion of translating within the framework of developments along this dimension. The argument will centre around the point that within a discourse framework translating as a teaching method is much more relevant and that the criticisms and arguments against it discussed in chapter two therefore no longer apply. In chapter four the relationship between Translating Strategies and Interlanguage Strategies will be examined. This chapter will look at and compare the kind of processes at work within pidgins and creoles and first and second language acquisition with those used in Translating. Chapter five will follow on from the previous chapter with an empirical study of translating strategies and will test the hypothesis that translators and language users make use of similar strategies; and will include a description of data collection, a statistical study and conclusions. In chapter six the relationship between translating and communicative methodology will be examined. I will look particularly at how translating relates to questions of syllabus design and the polarities of accuracy and fluency Chapter seven will contain specific proposals for pedagogy looking at particular areas within linguistic, pragmatic and strategic competence. This chapter will include materials which have been piloted both with Arab learners of English and English learners of Arabic. Chapter eight concludes the thesis arguing that translating does have a vital role to play within a broader communicative approach to language teaching and looks at a number of potential areas for further research.