SPEECH ACTS AND EVENTS
I. Speech Acts
• Speech act is a theory of a language developed
by J. L Austin (1962) followed by Searle (1975)
“How to do things with words.”
• Speech act are actions performed via utterances.
We perform speech acts when we offer an
apology, greeting, request, complaint, invitation,
compliment, or refusal.
Example:
“I’m hungry”
• Expresses hunger
• Request for something to eat
Here are some examples of speech acts we use or
hear every day:
- Greeting: "Hi, Eric. How are things going?"
- Request: "Could you pass me the mashed potatoes,
please?"
- Complaint: "I’ve already been waiting three weeks for
the computer, and I was told it would be delivered within
a week."
- Invitation: "We’re having some people over Saturday
evening and wanted to know if you’d like to join us."
- Compliment: "Hey, I really like your tie!"
- Refusal: "O h, I’d love to see that movie with you but
this Friday just isn’t going to work."
Three Types of Speech Acts
1. Locutionary Act
(Literal Meaning)
2. Illocutionary Act
(Communicative Meaning)
3. Perlocutionary Act
(Pragmatics Meaning)
1. Locutionary Act
▪ Locutionary act is a basic act of utterance,
or producing a meaningful linguistic
expression. (literal meaning of the words)
▪ What is actually said by the speaker?
(words that are spoken)
Example:
Speaker: “Please do the dishes.”
2. Illocutionary Act
In an illocutionary act, it is not just saying
something itself, but the act of saying
something with the intention of:
- Stating an opinion
- Making a promise or request
- Issuing an order or a decision
- Giving an advice or permission
Example:
Speaker: “Please do the dishes.” => request
3. Perlocutionary Act
Perlocutionary act is the effect produced on
the listener when they listen a locutionary act
or this is the hears response.
Example:
Speaker: “Please do the dishes.”
Example:
“It’s stuffy in here.”
• The locutionary act: There isn’t enough fresh air
in here.
• The illocutionary act: can be a request of the
hearer to open the window.
• The perlocutionary act: can be the hearer’s
opening or his refusal to do so.
Speech Act Classification
Representatives
Declarations
/Assertives
Expressives Directives Commissives
Declarations representatives
Statements that change What the speaker believe,
the world via their predict.
utterance.
Example: Example:
- Priest: “I now pronounce - “The earth is flat”
you husband and wife.” - “I call him a liar”
-Referee: You’re out!
Expressives Directives
Expressives are utterances The speaker trying to get
in which speaker someone to do something
expresses feelings and else. (command,
attitude. (apologies, invitation, request…)
complaint, thanks,
complements) Example:
Example: “Can you pass me the
“I’m sorry for being late.” salt?” => request
“The dress looks really
good on you.”
Commissives
The speaker commit themselves to doing
something. (promise, offer, threats)
Example:
“If you do it again. I’ll beat you.” => threat
“I’ll come to your birthday.” => promise
SPEECH EVENTS
Speech event is an activity in which participants
interact via language in some conventional way to
arrive at some outcome.
Him: “Oh Mary, I’m glad you’re here.”
Example: Her: “What’s up?”
Him: “I can’t get my computer to work.”
Her: “Is it broken?”
Him: “I don’t think so.”
Her: “What’s it doing?”
Him: “I don’t know. I’m useless with computers.”
Her: “What kind is it?”
Him: “It’s a Mac. Do you use them?”
Her: “Yeah”
Him: “Do you have a minute?”
Her: “Sure”
Him: “Great”
THANK YOU
