... associate language structure to a template common amongst all languages (which he called 'Universal Grammar') to prove that the existence of 'the language gene' (i.e.: that language utilisation is an inherent human attribute). As well as this, Chomsky wished to provide support for his ideas on 'Generative Grammar' by formulising a "fully explicit and mechanical outline of the rules governing the construction of the English language"1. Thus the following ideology was formed2: - Linguistic Performance - The individual interpretation of language in its usage. - Linguistic Competence - Cognitive skills necessary for the construction and understanding of meaningful sequences of words. This consists of: Grammatical Competence - Ability to utilise lexical & syntactic patterns. Communicative Competence - Ability to communicate with clarity. Creative Competence - Ability to exploit the others uniquely. Language in its primary mediums (namely that of speech and the written word) requires two forms of assessment to quantify its linguistic ...

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