On Individual Differences in Language Competence and Performance1
The term &dquo;competence&dquo; has two meanings. In the more general and familiar meaning, competence is &dquo;the quality or state of being functionally adequate&dquo; (Webster’s Third International). In his article &dquo;Social Structure and the Socialization of Competence,&dquo; Inkeles defines competence in this sense as &dquo;the ability to attain and perform in valued social roles&dquo; (1966,