Subsistente Normen und Sprachkompetenz : ihre Bedeutung für den Deutschunterricht

As opposed to explicit norms, implicit (= subsistent) norms mirror non-conscious language use, i.e. language use that emerges informally through day-to-day interactions and forms an important resource for inter- and intrasituative language variation. Despite their importance for the adaption to communica-tive and situative needs, subsistent norms are not in the focus of language learning, be it in the context of L1 or L2. Rather, language norm authorities (e.g. teachers) regard subsistent norms as deviations from the standard and as such as indicators of language decay. Against this wide spread attitude or rather ideology, I will claim that integrating subsistent norms in the language curriculum will not only improve language awareness (= sociolinguistic knowledge) but also facilitate language variation (= linguistic skills and communicative abilities). Drawing on quantitative data regarding the synchronic and diachronic realization of the indefinite article not only the increasing role of subsistent norms in collo-quial standard usage is demonstrated but also the question is raised as to what kind of German is aimed at in language instruction.