Le regolarità nascoste: aspetti comunicativi sottorappresentati nella didattica L2/LS

In this paper we reflect on the existence of hidden communicative regularities: functional phenomena that are recurrent in linguistic materials devoted to LS/L2 learners, but that for various reasons have not yet fully entered the scope of LS/L2 Italian teaching. The analysis is based mainly on a small sample of textbooks, with some comparisons conducted on foreigners’ syllabi and pedagogical grammars. Shedding light on these aspects is a priority for those involved in language education: on the one hand because metalinguistic reflection is an important factor in learning, and on the other hand because the regularities at issue do not only affect elementary conversations but also characterize more complex texts. Hence, gaining awareness of their existence at an early stage of the learning process makes it possible to start building an academic competence, within the frame of continuity between everyday communication and language for study.