An Introduction to Speech Act Theory

Prof: A. Elhaloui

 Traditional truth-conditional semantics was interested only in declarative sentences that express a propostion which describes a state of affairs:

Theres a snake in the grass

The truth condition for the sentence: Theres a snake in the grass

However!
Utterances may have no proppsitional content describing the world (state of affairs):

1. Put it in the sack. 2. Is it poisonous? 3. What a beautiful color!

 Even declarative sentences like Theres a snake in the grass involve more than a description of the world:
The speaker could be: 1. guessing that there was a snake in the grass 2. claiming ... 3. warning the hearer that ... 4. expressing his surprize that ... 5. expressing his relief that there is ...

Language can be used not just for describing the thoughts and beliefs conveyed, but rather of the acts the speakers perform: the illocutionary forces of uttrances.
State Conclude Apologize Complain Reprimand Correct Offer Invite Greet Congratulate

1962

Meaning and Speech Acts (1962)

"What is a Speech Act? (1965)

J. Searle's Speech Acts theory is a development of Austin's analysis of performative utterances

Searle
1. reformulated Austins felicity condition, 2. classfied speech acts and

3. treated the indirectness issue.

A theory of language use will have to specify: 1. the conditions under which a particular kind of act is successful.

2. what types of acts can be perfomed b speakers and

In this lecture, we will consider Searles attempt to formulate the felicity conditions for speech acts and his attempt to classify them.

Consider the following example

Fill in this form, please!

Which speech act is performed by by saying this?

Request

I will make you a copy of this CD

Promise

Which speech act is performed by by saying this?

Felicity Conditions
1- Propositional content condition specifies the content of the utterance
Example

a REQUEST is about a future act by the hearer (H) a PROMISE is about a future act by the speaker (S)

I know that you have already opened the window, so will you open it, pls?

a REQUEST is about a future act by the hearer (H) a PROMISE is about a future act by the speaker (S)

Formulate an example of an utterance violating the Propositional Content Condtion of a promise.

I really dont expect you to tell me your age, but how old are you?

Whats wrong with this?

When you ask H a question, you expect a future act by H, namely the act of answering the question.

Felicity Conditions
2- Preparatory conditions
they specify the circumstances that must hold prior to the act
Example
REQUEST: S believes

1) that H can do the requested act and 2) that H would not do it without being asked PROMISE: S believes that H will like the promised act

REQUEST: S believes 1) that H CAN do the requested act

I know that you dont know where Japan is; but can you please tell me where it is?

Request

Preparatory Condition for a Request: REQUEST: S believes 1) that H CAN do the requested act

REQUEST: S believes 1) that H CAN do the requested act and 2) that H would NOT do it without being asked

Would you please mind feeling hungry whenever youre hungry?

Request
REQUEST: S believes
that H would NOT do it without being asked

Would you mind giving birth to your baby, Jane?

Request
REQUEST: S believes
that H would NOT do it without being asked

REQUEST: S believes 1) that H can do the requested act and 2) that H would not do it without being asked PROMISE: S believes that H will like the promised act

too honest to be a politician!

I promise I ll send your children to prison

Promise
PROMISE: S believes that H will like the promised act.

Felicity Conditions
2- Preparatory conditions
they specify the circumstances that must hold prior to the act
Example
REQUEST: S believes 1) that H can do the requested act and 2) that H would not do it without being asked PROMISE: S believes that H will like the promised act

Question
Whats the prepartory condition of threatening?

Felicity Conditions
3- Sincerity condition
it specifies the speaker's psychological state relevant to the act

REQUEST: S wants H to do the act PROMISE: S intends to do what he promises

 REQUEST: S wants H to do the act

I dont want you to lend me your car, but can I borrow it from you?

Request

 REQUEST: S wants H to do the act PROMISE: S intends to do what he promises

Of course I wont!

Ill lend you some money

Felicity Conditions
4- Essential condition
It specifies what the utterance counts as (speaker intention)
Example a REQUEST counts as an attempt to get H to do sth a PROMISE counts as a commitment of S to do sth

Ive already been (I complain) Ive already Ive already waiting within waiting three been weeks already been waiting three week threewaiting weeks for theacomputer, and weeks for the for for the the, computer, and been and I Ithree was told it would be I was Icomputer, was was told it would itand would told be delivered within a told it (so would be delivered computer within be a week. do sth perlocutionary delivered within a delivered week. Ive. about it!) force? week. illocutionary force? locutionary force?

utterance

utterance
locutionary f
utterance Illocutionary f

Perlocutionary f

Decide what are the illocutionary and the perlocutionary forces of in the following 1. Your teacher says: "For class tomorrow, please read pages twentyone through forty-seven."
2. While talking to a group of friends, you mention that you recently went to hear your favorite band play at a local club.

Decide what is the illocutionary and the perlocutionary forces of in the following 1. You and a friend are talking about a television show that you both watched the night before. You say: "what did you think about Luke's reaction to Laura's news?" 2. When you discover that the grade you got on your math exam is a "B", you let out a sigh of relief.

Classification of Speech Acts

Searle suggests a five-fold classification based on:

1. the type of illocution 2. (and psychological state of the speaker)

Speech act typology

Representatives
illocution: commit S to the truth of the proposition psychological state: S believes X

examples asserting claiming describing concluding

Speech act typology

Directives
illocution: count as attempts by S to get H to do something. psychological state: S wants H to do the act

examples

ordering requesting asking inviting

Speech act typology

Commissives illocution: commit S to future action psychological state: S intends to do sth (intention)

examples

promising guaranteeing offering

Speech act typology

Expressives
illocution: express inner state of S

examples
thanking congratulating apologising

Speech act typology

Declarations illocution: change the state of affairs in the world

examples

You're fired I appoint you chairman