Isntrumental language use
Francoise Herrmann (fherrmann who-is-at igc.apc.org)
Tue, 19 Dec 1995 08:36:33 -0800
Hi everyone, Yes, there is a meaning of the term instrumental
different from "instrumental motivation" and "mediation". There is
instrumental language use that is roughly speaking embodied
language use. In that sense it is "true communication" which you
may like to check out in Francoise Herrmann's book#1 "Instrumental
and agentive use of the computer: Their role in learning French as
a foreign language". (Edwin Mellen Press, 1992 ISBN
0-7734-9834-6). I cannot think of any non-communicative functions
of language use other than the pleasure of vocalisation, but think
that what is agentive and disembodied captures all that is talk
without real communication. This is quite clear when the "agent"
is a computer endeavoring to emulate human communication, and
perhaps also clear, as per observations of some contexts of
learning and teaching, where the transmission model, for example,
is high on the agenda. Nothing "vain" here, just what began as
intuition, then turned to obsession and finally makes a lot of
sense. Looking back, perhaps that isntrumental language use is
also "mother talk" as opposed to "father talk", but that would be
looking at it from yet another perspective. And I wouldn't want to
imply that "fathers" are disembodied! It was hard enough to tinker
with computer "agents".
Francoise Francoise Herrmann fherrmann who-is-at igc.org