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Speech Act Theory

The document discusses speech act theory, which examines utterances that perform actions when said. It notes that J.L. Austin originated this theory in 1955-1962 by distinguishing between constative utterances that report facts and performative utterances that perform actions through saying them. Examples of different types of illocutionary speech acts are provided, such as offers, greetings, condolences, apologies, permissions, orders, requests, admissions, recommendations, leave-takings, and more.

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278 views2 pages

Speech Act Theory

The document discusses speech act theory, which examines utterances that perform actions when said. It notes that J.L. Austin originated this theory in 1955-1962 by distinguishing between constative utterances that report facts and performative utterances that perform actions through saying them. Examples of different types of illocutionary speech acts are provided, such as offers, greetings, condolences, apologies, permissions, orders, requests, admissions, recommendations, leave-takings, and more.

Uploaded by

amira miro
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Linguistics: Pragmatics Groups C.D. E.f.G.H Ms.

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Speech Act Theory: Austin (1955-1962) & Searle (1967)

Speech acts: Utterances which, in saying, do things. The sentence Leave, for instance, is a
directive whose purpose is to get someone to depart.

Speech act theory originated in the work of the philosopher J. Austin (1962) and was further
developed by J.R. Searle (1969).

Austin (1962) made an initial distinction between constative utterances, such as ‘The cat sat
on the mat’ which is a statement of fact and could be seen either true or false; and
performative utterances, such as ‘I warn you not to touch that’ which performs the act of
warning. Warn is a performative verb.

Austin distinguished between three types of act:

1. A locutionary act: refers to the act of uttering itself.


2. An illocutionary act: is the act performed by the speaker by producing the utterance.

3. A perlocutionary act: refers to the effect on the listener.

What of interest is the illocution of the utterance.

Examples

1. ‘Would you like a cup of coffee?’ the illocution (the act performed by the speaker) :

Offer

2. ‘Good evening’ Greeting

3. Neighbour to recently bereaved widow: ‘I was so sorry to hear about your loss.’

Condoling

4. ‘ I’m awfully sorry I wasn’t at the meeting this morning’ Apology

5. ‘You can play outside for half an hour’ Permission

6. ‘Please leave’ Order

7. ‘Could you get me another cup of coffee?’ Request

8. One chess player to another: ‘I just made a bad move’ Confessing / admission

1
9. Lecturer to student: ‘ You will find the book on Swahili infinitives quite fascinating’

Recommending

10. ‘Good night’ Leave-taking

11. ‘after you’ (said to someone wishing to go through the same door as the speaker)

Giving a way

12. Lady at ticket office in railway station: ‘I’d like a day return to Morecambe, please’

Request

13. Mother to child who is eating untidily: ‘Look at the mess you’ve made under your

chair’ Asserting

14. ‘I hereby command you to teach first-year semantics’ Commanding

15. ‘I name this ship Titanic’ Naming

16. ‘ I admit I was hasty’ Admission

17. ‘ I hereby inform you that you are sacked’ Informing

18. Man helping a blind man across a road: “Watch the step” Warning

19. “This court sentences you to ten years in jail.” Sentencing

20. “I promise to repay you tomorrow.” Promise

21. “ Stop shouting” Order

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