A Performance-Oriented Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence

The article proposes a model of intercultural communicative competence. The need for further reflection on this topic derives from two facts: existing models are not built on Dell Hymes' model of communicative competence (cc), although they use Hymes' term 'cc' is used; our discussion in this essay starts from a definition of cc in Hymes' tradition and studies what changes are needed to make it fit to describe intercultural cc; most models are, in fact, not 'models'. According to the theory of models, models aim at being universal, based on formal logic rather than empirical evidence, and this is extremely important in ICC studies where empirical research is always partial. The result is a new instrument to analyse, describe and teach ICC.