What is literacy? Response to D2L discussion

Surprisingly, literacy encompasses a lot more than being able to read and write at the proficient level.  My definition of literacy has been pigeon-holed to the realm of English education of reading and writing.  Through the D2L discussion, my classmates have pushed me to consider other definitions of what literacy entails.  Although I believe it is extremely important to be literate in reading and writing, those two skills are not required to learn another activity.  For example, an individual does not need to be literate in reading and writing to become literate in kickboxing.  Reading and writing literacy essential (or helpful at the very least) to learn another skill such as cooking.  In this way, various types of literacy intersect with achieving literacy in another activity.

While reading through the discussion, I kept wondering how people decide that they are literate.  Is literacy achieved when a person simply knows how to do an activity? Or are there standards and criteria that must be achieved?  I also found myself wondering if the ability to communicate about a specific skill or activity contributes to an individual's literacy. To me, the ability to communicate or teach another individual about a subject enhances literacy. It seems to me that discussions about a given topic are helpful because they allow the individual to articulate their knowledge of the subject while teaching someone else about it.  If while discussing a topic the individual mistakes or forgets something, then they know where they need more practice or  where to refresh their memory.