ASSIGNMENT ON TALK AND ACTION

Submitted by:

Name: Shahryar
Roll no: 107710 (339)
Subject: Sociolinguistics

Submitted to:

Name: Mam Bushra

Designation: Lecturer

GOVT. TALEEM-UL-ISLAM COLLEGE

Speech Acts
Speech acts refer to the actions performed by speakers when they use language. Beyond conveying
information, speech acts serve various functions in communication.

Analysis of Speech Acts:

An analysis of speech acts looks at how we use language to do things like make promises, give orders,
or ask questions. It involves three main types:
1. Locutionary Acts: The actual utterance and its apparent meaning.
2. Illocutionary Acts: The intention behind the utterance (e.g., to promise, to warn).
3. Perlocutionary Acts: The effect the utterance has on the listener.
Understanding speech acts helps us grasp not just what is said, but also what is done through language
in various contexts.

Kinds of Speech Acts:

1. Assertives:
o These speech acts convey information or make claims about the world.

o Example: “The sun rises in the east.”

o Illocutionary Force: Assertion (stating a fact).

2. Directives:
o These speech acts request or command the listener to do something.

o Example: “Please pass the salt.”

o Illocutionary Force: Request (asking for an action).

3. Commissives:
o These speech acts commit the speaker to a future action.

o Example: “I promise to be there on time.”

o Illocutionary Force: Commitment (pledging to do something).

4. Expressives:
o These speech acts express the speaker’s feelings, emotions, or attitudes.

o Example: “Congratulations on your promotion!”

o Illocutionary Force: Expression (conveying emotions).

5. Declarations:
o These speech acts change the external world by the mere act of uttering them.
 o Example: “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

o Illocutionary Force: Declaration (making something happen).

6. Exercitives:
o These speech acts bring about a change in the listener’s mental state.

o Example: “I advise you to study harder.”

o Illocutionary Force: Advice (influencing the listener’s thoughts).

7. Verdictives:
o These speech acts express an evaluation or judgment.

o Example: “The defendant is guilty.”

o Illocutionary Force: Verdict (making a judgment).

Austin divides performatives:

John Langshaw Austin:

John Langshaw Austin (1911–1960) was a British philosopher known for his work on the philosophy
of language. His most influential work is "How to Do Things with Words," where he introduced the
concept of speech acts. He categorized speech acts into locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary
acts, which analyze the different dimensions of language use. Austin's ideas have had a significant
impact on fields such as linguistics, philosophy, psychology, and sociology.

Austin, in his theory of speech acts, categorizes performatives into three main types: locutionary
acts, illocutionary acts, and perlocutionary acts.

1. Locutionary Acts:
These are the basic acts of saying something with meaning. It refers to the literal meaning of the
uttered words, including their grammar and vocabulary. For instance, when someone says, "It's
raining," the locutionary act is simply the act of uttering those words with their linguistic meaning.

2. Illocutionary Acts:
These are the acts performed in saying something, such as stating, promising, requesting,
commanding, etc. Illocutionary acts are the primary focus of Austin's theory of speech acts. They
involve the speaker's intention and the effect the utterance has on the listener. For example, when
someone says, "Please close the window," they are not merely making a statement about the
window being open but also performing the illocutionary act of making a request.

3. Perlocutionary Acts:
These are the effects that the utterance has on the listener or recipient. Unlike illocutionary acts,
which focus on the speaker's intention, perlocutionary acts focus on the listener's response or
reaction to the utterance. For example, if someone says, "The movie starts at 8," and the listener
then goes to see the movie at 8, the perlocutionary act of the utterance is successful in influencing
the listener's behavior.

Cooperative Principle:

The Cooperative Principle is a concept in pragmatics proposed by philosopher H.P. Grice in his work
"Logic and Conversation" (1975). It outlines the implicit expectations that govern communication
between speakers and listeners to ensure effective and efficient conversation. The principle states:

"Make your contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose
or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged."

In simpler terms, the Cooperative Principle suggests that in a conversation, participants are generally
expected to be cooperative and contribute information that is relevant, truthful, informative, and
clear. Grice identified four conversational maxims that underlie the Cooperative Principle:

1. Maxim of Quantity: Provide as much information as is needed for the conversation, but
not more or less than necessary.

2. Maxim of Quality: Be truthful and do not provide false or misleading information.

3. Maxim of Relation: Be relevant and keep your contributions pertinent to the topic of
conversation.

4. Maxim of Manner: Be clear, concise, and avoid ambiguity or obscurity in your

communication.

While the Cooperative Principle is not always followed explicitly, violations of these maxims can lead
to misunderstandings or breakdowns in communication. However, Grice also noted that sometimes
speakers may intentionally violate these maxims for rhetorical effect, humor, or other communicative
purposes, a concept he termed "flouting" the maxims.