English 1: Oral Communication in Context
School Year 2021-2022
TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS
Important Vocabularies:
1. Utterance (Noun): a spoken word, statement, or vocal sound.
Sample Sentence:
His utterance was interrupted by frequent coughing; every sentence
came out with a struggle.
Student Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should:
Distinguish the different types of speech acts,
Reflect on their learning and apply it in their life, and
Demonstrate effective use of communicative strategy in a variety of speech
situations
SPEECH ACTS
Refers to an utterance that a speaker makes to achieve an intended effect.
Moreover, this also refers to the actions or acts performed by people after
saying those utterances.
We perform speech acts when we offer an apology, greeting, request,
complaint, invitation, compliment, or refusal.
Here are some examples of speech acts we use or hear every day:
GREETING
Good
Good
morning
morning
Eric! How
Tim!
are you?
REQUEST
Could you please
turn off the
television son?
Yes,
Mom!
COMPLAINT I’ve already been
waiting for three
weeks for the
computer, and I
was told it would
be delivered
within a week."
INVITATION
Sure! I’ll
be there.
It’s my
birthday
celebration
tomorrow and
I’d like you to
come!
COMPLIMENT Wow! Your
new haircut
looks good
on you.
Thank
you so
much!
REFUSAL
Oh, I’d love to see that movie
with you but this Friday just
isn’t going to work.
THREE TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS
According to J.L Austin (1962), a philosopher of language and the
developer of the speech act theory, there are three types of act in every utterance,
given the right circumstances or context. These are the following:
1. Locutionary Act
Refers to the actual act of
uttering
Example:
“Please do the dishes.”
2. Illocutionary Act
Refers to the social function of
what is said
Example:
By uttering the locution, “Please do
the dishes.” The speaker requests the
addressee to wash the dishes.
3. Perlocutionary Act
Refers to the resulting act of
what is said. This effect is
based on the particular context
in which the speech act was
mentioned.
Example:
“Please do the dishes,” would lead to
the addressee washing the dishes.
Additional Example:
1. Locutionary Act
Refers to the actual act of
uttering
Example:
“It’s raining outside. Make sure you
have an umbrella.”
2. Illocutionary Act
Refers to the social function of
what is said
Example:
By uttering the locution, “Make sure
you have an umbrella.” The speaker
requests the addressee to bring an
umbrella.
3. Perlocutionary Act
Refers to the resulting act of
what is said. This effect is
based on the particular context
in which the speech act was
mentioned.
Example:
“Make sure you have an umbrella,”
would lead to the addressee bringing
an umbrella.
PERFORMATIVES
Austin also introduced the concept of performative utterances.
Performative utterances
Refers to statements which enable the speaker to perform something just
by stating it.
A performative utterance said by the right person under the right
circumstances results in a change in the world.
Note that certain conditions have to be met when making a performative
utterance.
Example:
I now pronounce you
husband and wife
In this situation, since the statement, “I now pronounce you husband and
wife.” Is uttered by an authorized person such as a priest or a judge. This will
have an actual effect of binding a couple in marriage.
However, if the same statement is uttered by someone who is not
authorized to marry them. Then, there is no effect whatsoever, because a
condition was not met.
I now
pronounce
you husband
and wife
Additional Example:
GUILTY GUILTY
“The defendant is found guilty.” Is a “The defendant is found guilty.” Is
Performative Utterance since it’s NOT a Performative Utterance here
uttered by an authorized person like since it’s uttered by an unauthorized
the judge person like a doctor
SEARLE’S CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH ACTS
As a response to Austin’s speech act theory, John Searle (1976), a
professor from the University of California, Berkeley, classified illocutionary acts
into five distinct categories.
1. ASSERTIVE
o This is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses
belief about the truth of a proposition. Some examples of assertive
illocutionary acts are suggesting, putting forward, swearing,
boasting, and concluding.
Examples:
“No one makes better
pancakes than I do.”
“I think we should divide the
task among the members, so
we can finish it on time.”
“I believe Jena is a genuine
friend.”
2. DIRECTIVE
o This is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker tries to make
the addressee perform an action. Some examples of direct
illocutionary acts are asking, ordering, requesting, inviting,
advising, and begging.
Examples:
“Please close the door.”
“You should start doing your
homework by now.”
“You should go clean up your
room.”
3. COMMISSIVE
o This is a type of illocutionary act which commits the speaker to doing
something in the future. Some examples of commissive illocutionary
acts are promising, planning, vowing, and betting.
Examples:
“From now on, I will participate
in our group activity.”
“I promise I will be on time.”
“I will be present in your
birthday celebration.”
4. EXPRESSIVE
o This is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses
his/her feelings or emotional reactions. Some examples of
expressive illocutionary acts are thanking, apologizing, welcoming,
and deploring.
Examples:
“I am so sorry for not helping
out in our group projects and
letting you do all the work.”
“Thank you so much for being
such a good friend to me.”
“I need some alone time, I’m
feeling under the weather.”
5. DECLARATION
This is a type of illocutionary act which brings a change in the external
situation. Simply put, declarations bring into existence or cause the state
of affairs which they refer to. Some examples of declarations are blessing,
firing, baptizing, bidding, and passing a sentence
Examples:
“You are fired!”
“I now pronounce you
husband and wife.”
“I sentence you to six months
in prison.”
"Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.
Don't wish it were easier; wish you were better."
-- Jim Rohn
