Ali SoomroSajjad Ali TunioArif Ali bhatti

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Presentation Topic:

SPEECH ACT THEORY

SPEECH ACTSThis concept was proposed by John Langshaw Austin in 1962 one of the founders of pragmatic and later developed by John R. Searle in 1969, both philosophers of language, they believe that langauge is not only used to inform or to describe things, it is often used “to do things”, to perform acts. In other words actions performed via utterances are generally called speech acts.

John Austin Statement

He further distinguished three acts in one single speech act or event we perform.

1. illocutionary Act2. Locutionary Act3. Perlocutionary Act

iIlocutionary acts are the real actions which are performed by the utterance. We form an utterance with some kind of function in mind. This communicative force of an utterance is known as illocutionary force. (Intention/desire of the speaker)

ILLOCUTIONARY ACT

Locutionary act is the basic act of utterance, or producing a meaningful linguistic expressions. We can say performing an act of saying something or physical utterances of words.

LOCUTIONARY ACT

Perlocutionary act is the effect produced on the listner when they listen a locutionary act or this is the hears response.

PERLOCUTIONARY ACT

Theory of Speech Acts

DesireIllocution

EffectperlocutionPhysical

utterenceslocution

This theory was further classified by John Searle. He states that the taxonomy used by Austin is defective, especially in its lack of clear criteria for distinguishing one kind of illocutionary force from another.

Searle divides illocutionary acts into five basic types.

1. Directive2. Commissive3. Representative/Assertive4. Declarative 5. Expressive

It is conversation between 1st and 2nd person here the speaker tries to make the hearer do something, with such words as: ask, order, command, request, beg, plead, pray, entreat, invite, permit, advise, demand etc.Ex: Give me your pen.

Leave the town immediately.

DIRECTIVE

Here the speaker commits himself or herself to the future course of action, with verbs such as: guarantee, promise, swear, refuse, threating etc.Ex: I will repay the money.

I swear to tell the truth.

COMMISSIVE

Here the speaker asserts a proposition to be true, using such verbs as: affirm, believe, conclude, deny, report, state. etcEx: The earth is round.

I think, he is saying the truth.

REPRESENTATIVES

Here the speaker alters the external status or condition of an object, situation or context solely by making the utterance. Ex: Class dismissed.

You are fired. We find defendant not guilty.

DECLARATIVE

Here the speaker expresses an attitude to or about a state of affairs, using such verbs as: thanks, congratulate, apologize, praise etc.Ex: I am sorry for being late.

What a great day!Congratulation!

EXPRESSIVE