A Hermeneutic Approach to Reconsidering the CEFR’s Overall Language Proficiency within the Context of Generative Artificial Intelligence

The Council of Europe’s (2001, 2020) internationally recognised framework (i.e., the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR) has been influential in language learning, teaching, and assessment. The CEFR characterises the overall language proficiency (OLP) through general and communicative language competencies, activities, and strategies. This study critically and systematically re-evaluates the CEFR’s overall language proficiency (OLP) framework in the context of generative artificial intelligence (GAI), aiming to clarify how the OLP components—general competences, communicative language competences, activities, and strategies—should be interpreted, operationalized, and assessed in GAI-assisted language education. Employing a conceptual analysis grounded in a hermeneutic approach, the study’s purpose is to bridge the existing gap between the CEFR and rapidly advancing GAI practices by offering an interpretive framework for both unaided and GAI-augmented language competences. The findings highlight the urgent need for dual competence assessment, the development of critical GAI literacy for learners and teachers, and institutional guidelines for transparent evaluation. This purpose-driven analysis aligns directly with the research aims stated in the Introduction and is further reflected in the study’s conclusions, ensuring a unified narrative and clear focus throughout. The recommendations remain interpretive and call for empirical corroboration.