SPEECH ACTS

SPEECH + ACT
Speech acts are done by saying them. It is a term coined by John Austin in his book
How To Do Things With Words.
We perform speech act when we offer an apology, greeting, request, complaint,
invitation, compliment, or refusal.
ASPECTS OF SPEECH ACTS:
 Locutionary act occurs when the speaker performs an utterance (locution).
This is simply the speaking part of the speech act.
What is required for the utterance to be Locutionary act is that
is has sense, and has the same sense to both the speaker and
the listener.
 Illocutionary act is the performance of an act of saying something with a
specific intention. This is the acting part of the speech – the very action done
by saying something.
Intentions of stating an opinion, confirming, or denying
something, making prediction, a promise, a request, issuing
an order or a decision, giving advice or permission.
Two Kinds of Illocutionary Acts
 Constantive – making true (or false) by saying it. This is usually
done by someone in authority or position to do such as a judge,
a policeman, congress through the speaker, the president, or
anyone in a position to make something true by saying it.
Examples:
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You are under arrest.
I declare you the winner.
I declare Martial Law.
Go do your homework.
 Performative – doing something by just saying it. Note that it
is possible to do something just by saying it.
Examples:
I nominate _______ for class president.
I accept the nomination.
I move the nominations to be closed.
I second the motion.
I challenge you for a game of chess.
Obviously, there are actions that cannot be done by just saying them.
Note the following:
I sleep now.
I help you clean the house.
I love you.
JOHN SEARLE’S CATEGORIES OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS
o Assertives commit the speaker to truthfulness of a condition or situation such as
when he or she asserts, concludes, deduces, or swears that something is true.
o Directives are attempts by the speaker to make the listener do something. This
includes when a speaker commands, requests, begs, invites, entreats, pleads, and
insists that listener do something.
o Commissives commit the speaker to a future action such as when a speaker
guarantees, pledges, assures, swears, or promises to do something.
o Expressives show a speaker’s attitude toward a situation. This includes
apologizing for a wrong that was committed, congratulating, thanking, or
comforting someone.
o Declaratives make something true by saying it (constantive) or make the speaker
do something by saying it (performative).

 Perlocutionary acts refers to the effect of the speaker’s utterance on the

listener. It can be multiple because there are many ways of responding to it.
In order for an utterance to be a speech act, the speaker must not be joking,
speaking figuratively.

For example, the phrase "Don't go into the water" (a locutionary act with distinct
phonetic, syntactic and semantic features) counts as warning to the listener not to go
into the water (an illocutionary act). If the listener heeds the warning the speech-act has
been successful in persuading the listener not to go into the water (a perlocutionary act).
ILLOCUTIONARY AND PERLOCUTIONARY FORCE
When the perlocutionary force does not coincide with the illocutionary force, that
is, when the effect on the listener is not the same as the intent of the speaker, a
breakdown in communication occurs.
Example:
Employer: Are you doing anything?
Employee: I’m sorry. I will do something now.
Employer: No, what I mean is if you are not doing anything, then you can go home
and take a rest now.

Understanding proper behavior in a specific context of communication, knowing

the difference between formal and informal situations, using the appropriate style, and
understanding speech acts are very helpful in improving our ability to communicate.