Competence and Performance through the Lens of a Psycho-cognitive Analytical Approach: Kurdish Folklore Vocabularies as Case Study

Abstract

Effective communication demands heightened linguistic proficiency, particularly in the vocabulary used in today's interconnected world. This study, rooted in cognitive psychology, investigates how young native Kurdish speakers process and perform traditional Kurdish folklore words in their daily communication with a focus on mental functions such as perception, memory, and the systematic understanding of language rules that underpin effective communication. A critical issue arises from the disconnect between linguistic competence and performance among young native Kurdish speakers: while they may recognize and understand folklore words, they often choose not to use them in everyday communication. The research employs a qualitative descriptive analysis, involving 100 participants under the age of 30 in the Garmian district, focusing on their recognition and production of folklore words. The core assumption of this study refers to analyzing the way young native Kurdish speakers process original folklore Kurdish words and develop them in their communicative competence, and whether to perform them in their daily life communications. Findings reveal a significant cognitive competence among participants, with high levels of recognition and understanding of folklore words stored in long-term memory. However, actual usage in daily communication shows a notable gap, as participants reported using only a subset of these words.