Measuring human language proficiency

[Bernard Spolsky]

Briefly, no.  At more length, see Spolsky, Bernard. (1995). Measured words:
the development of objective language testing. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
For a programmatic explanation what would be involved in answering the
question, see Bachman, Lyle G. (2004). Building and supporting a case for
test use. Paper presented at the Language Testing Research Colloquium,
Temecula CA.
"Fairly good idea" is not the same as accurate measure.  
The belief in a scale was strongly urged by Thorndike (and of course it
pragmatically adapted by bureaucrats), but language scales have not been
validated.
Plurilingual proficiency, as the Common European Framework (Council of
Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages:
learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) makes
clear is a high complex matter, with variation on a great number of
dimensions.  While it does suggest a scale, it certainly does not try to
define a point at which someone is bilingual.
Bernard
 
 
.-----Original Message-----
From: owner-lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
[mailto:owner-lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu] On Behalf Of R. A. Stegemann
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 10:13 PM
To: lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
Subject: Measuring human language proficiency



Bernard,

Why does the scale have to be magic? I decided that I had become bilingual
in French and German, when Germans could no longer tell what part of the
Benelux I was from and the French always wondered, if I were not Swiss. Of
course, in Europe my physiognomy played an important role in my
interlocutor's ability to place me. An advantage that I have never had in
East Asia.

What concerns me is when you write that "human language proficiency" cannot
"be measured with any degree of accuracy". What is your take on
comprehensive written and oral examinations like those offered by the ILETS.
Do these examinations not accurately measure one's command of something one
might call international English? Obviously they are not perfect measures,
but certainly they can provide a perspective employers or schools with a
fairly good idea of what their getting, can they not?

Hamo

R. A. Stegemann
EARTH's Manager and HKLNA-Project Director
EARTH - East Asian Research and Translation in Hong Kong
http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/earth/
Tel/Fax: 852 2630 0349

On 29 Oct 2004, at 13:11, Bernard Spolsky wrote:



Joe
I agree, but as one who has spent a long time on language testing, I think
you are over-optimistic in assuming that human language proficiency can be
measured with any degree of accuracy. Which is why I am uncomfortable with
the notion that there is a point on some magic scale at which someone
becomes "bilingual." 
Bernard


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