The term, communication strategy, was first put forward by Selinker, and he thought the communication strategy is the skill that is used to overcome difficulties expressing some intent (102). But definitions adopted by the application of language scholars and foreign language teaching to what is the communication strategy is pergent. Corder (1978) pointed out that the communication strategy refers to systematic techniques used by the speakers when they meet some difficulties in expressing meanings (96). In this definition, the communication strategy has the characteristics of systematization, not a mess; and the reason of using communication strategy is that the speaker’s language knowledge is not enough and expression difficulties arise; Communication strategy is a skill, proficiency and frequency in the use varying from person to person.
Faerch and Kasper (1983) pointed out that the communication strategy refers to the subconscious plan adopted by someone to solve the difficulties in achieving the specific communicative purposes (166). This definition pointes out the tw concepts of communication strategy: one is the problem targeted and the other is awareness, namely people realize that there is a problem and consciously take some kinds of communication strategies. Ellis (1985) pointed out that the communication strategy is a kind of psychological language program and it has potential awareness. And as a part of the language communicative competence of the users, it can be used to replace an expression plan that just can’t be done (66). This definition clearly points out that the communication strategy is a part of communicative competence. From the above different definitions of communication strategy, we can find that: as a part of communicative competence, communication strategy is a set of skills that can be trained to master, having certain systemic and used when learners have difficulties in communication. For this set of skills, learners can choose to use according to master proficiency and communication aim. Because of the inconsistency of the definitions of communication strategy, there are differences on the classification of communication strategies. Tarone (1981) pided the communication strategy into five types according to the function of discourse (77): (1) paraphrased: Similar to expression, circuitous, coined words; (2) borrowed: translation from the native language, language transformation; (3) to avoid: avoiding topics, giving up contents; (4) for help: ask questions and queries; (5) sign language. Tarone’s classification lists the different means of communication, simply and clearly, and the classification also lays the foundation for a series of later study. Faerch and Kasper’s (1983) classification is relatively complete. First of all, they pided communication strategy into reduction strategy and achievement strategy. Learners have two choices in expression difficulties: to avoid or to try to solve. Avoidance method is to use reduction strategy, including the use of reduced form and reduced function; trying to solve is to adopt the achievement strategy, including compensation strategy and retrieval strategy. Compensation strategy includes code-switching, literal translation, foreign language, migration, alternative, paraphrased, coined words, restructuring, direct help, indirect help, nonverbal means, etc; Retrieval strategy includes waiting for the words appear, turning to a similar form word, semantic field retrieval, other languages retrieval, learning context retrieval, sensual way, etc. There is overlap in their classification and the meaning is not clear, but because their classification is mainly based on the roles of communication strategies on foreign language learning, so it still has certain rationality. Through the above analysis of the classifications of communication strategies, we can find that although the classification standards are different, throughout communication strategy of these classifications, they almost always include the following strategies: paraphrased, borrow, avoidance, for help, sign language, etc. 交际策略在中学英语口语教学中的应用分析(2):http://www.751com.cn/yingyu/lunwen_38324.html