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Speech Act: Purposive Communication

The document discusses speech acts, which are utterances that have a performative function in language and communication. There are three types of speech acts: locutionary acts involve simply uttering words, illocutionary acts involve the social function or intention of an utterance, and perlocutionary acts involve the effects or consequences of an utterance. John Searle classified five types of illocutionary acts: assertives express beliefs, directives try to get the listener to do something, commissives commit the speaker to future actions, expressives express emotions or attitudes, and declarations bring about changes through utterances like firing someone.

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Jane Magana
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169 views12 pages

Speech Act: Purposive Communication

The document discusses speech acts, which are utterances that have a performative function in language and communication. There are three types of speech acts: locutionary acts involve simply uttering words, illocutionary acts involve the social function or intention of an utterance, and perlocutionary acts involve the effects or consequences of an utterance. John Searle classified five types of illocutionary acts: assertives express beliefs, directives try to get the listener to do something, commissives commit the speaker to future actions, expressives express emotions or attitudes, and declarations bring about changes through utterances like firing someone.

Uploaded by

Jane Magana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SPEECH ACT

Purposive Communication
SPEECH ACT

 Utterance that has performative function in


language and communication.
 An action performed in saying something.
 A functional unit in communication.
TYPES OF SPEECH ACT

 Locutionary Act
 Illocutionary Act
 Perlocutionary Act
Locutionary Act

 The actual act of uttering


 Also known a locution or an utterance act
 The act of saying something in full normal
sense
Example: “Please do the dishes.”
Illocutionary

The social function of what is said.

By uttering the locution “Please do the dishes,” the


speaker requests the addressee to wash the dishes.
Perlocutionary

The resulting act of what is said. This effect is based on


the particular context in which the speech act was
mentioned.

“Please do the dishes” would lead to the addressee washing the dishes.
Searle’s Classifications of Speech Act

 Assertive
 Directive
 Commissive
 Expressive
 Declaration
Assertive

A type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses belief


about the truth of a proposition. Some examples of an assertive act
are suggesting, putting forward, swearing, boasting, and
concluding.

Example: No one makes better pancakes than I do.


Directive

A type of illocutionary act in which the speaker tries to make the


addressee perform an action. Some examples of a directive act are
asking, ordering, requesting, inviting, advising, and begging.

Example: Please close the door.


Commissive

A type of illocutionary act which commits the speaker to


doing something in the future. Examples of a commissive act
are promising, planning, vowing, and betting.

Example: From now on, I will participate in our group activity.


Expressive

A type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses his/her


feelings or emotional reactions. Some examples of an expressive act
are thanking, apologizing, welcoming, and deploring.

Example: I am so sorry for not helping out in our group projects and letting you
do all the work.
Declaration

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, passing a sentence, and
excommunicating.

Example: You are fired!


- By saying that someone is fired, an employer causes or brings about the
person’s unemployment, thus changing his external situation.

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