Negotiated meaning...

One of the concepts that seemed to resonate fin both articles was the idea that all meaning must be negotiated. In Firth and Wagner's article, it's stated directly. On some level, I always knew this, but it didn't really sink in until I read Canagarajah's article. Between native speakers of any language the negotiation process is almost invisible, but it's there nonetheless. I think one of the main differences is that people may share similar connotations for certain words, and the process can be easier. For a native and a nonnative speaker, the process is complicated because the two don't share common background. (I find myself trying to think of the problem in terms other than deficits.... But it's strangely difficult.) If the two don't have a common background they must find other ways to negotiate for meaning. I think the Lingua Franca English community is a great example of this. Each person in the group knows that everyone else cones from a different background and must try to adapt their communication strategies to each interaction. I think that native speakers can sometimes take for granted the fact that not everyone has the same background as they do and/or they don't have to work (on a regular basis) to make themselves understand and be understood. This is extra work that can be thought of as a bother to some - especially in a culture where people try to do as little as possible sometimes.