Speech Acts

Communicative strategy has 3 parts:

SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH
CONTEXT ACT
STYLES
(intrapersonal, (frozen, formal,
interpersonal, consultative,
public, mass
communication)
casual, intimate) ?
What is speech act?

Speech acts are the speaker’s utterances

which convey meaning and make listeners
do specific things (Austin, 1962).
According to Austin (1962), when saying a
performative utterance, a speaker is
simultaneously doing something.`
What is speech act?
Example:

“I am hungry.”
• expresses hunger
• requests for something
to eat
There are three types of speech act:
1.A locutionary speech act occurs when the speaker performs an
utterance (locution), which has a meaning in the traditional sense.

2.An illocutionary speech act is the performance of the act of saying

something with a specific intention.

3.A perlocutionary speech act happens when what the speaker says has
an effect on the listener.
Locutionary Speech Act
• This act happens with the
utterance of a sound, a word, or
even a phrase as a natural unit of
speech.
• What is required for the utterance
to be a locutionary act is that is
has sense, and has the same
meaning to both the speaker and
the listener.
• Example: “What?” (when someone
is surprised)
Illocutionary Speech Act
• In an illocutionary speech act, it is not
just saying something itself, but the act of
saying something with the intention of:
• stating an opinion, confirming, or denying
something
• making a prediction, a promise, a
request
• issuing an order or a decision
• giving an advice or permission
• Examples: “There’s too much homework
in this subject.” (opinion)
• “I’ll do my homework later.” (promise)
• “Go do your homework!” (order)
Perlocutionary Speech Act
• This is seen when a particular
effect is sought from either
the speaker, the listener, or
both.
• The response may not
necessarily be physical or verbal
and elicited by:
 Inspiring or insulting
 Persuading or convincing
 Deterring or scaring
Perlocutionary Speech Act
• The aim of perlucotionary speech act is to
change feelings, thoughts, or actions
• Examples:
• “I was born a Filipino, I will live a Filipino, I will
die a Filipino!” (inspiring)
• “It is the bleak job situation that forces Filipinos
to find jobs overseas.” (persuading)
• “Texting while driving kills – you, your loved
ones, other people!” (deterring)
Performatives
• Statements which enable the speaker to perform
something just by stating it.
• Verbs that exectute the speech act which they
intend to effect are called Performatives
• A performative utterance said by the right person
under the right circumstances results in a change
in the world.

• Note that certain condition have to be met when

making a performative utterance
Five
Categories
of
Illocutionary Act
Searle’s Classifi cati ons of Speech Act As a
response to Austin’s Speech Act
Theory, John Searle (1976), a professor from
the University of California, Berkeley,
classified illocuti onary acts into five distinct
categories.

1. Assertive
2. Directive
3. Commissive
4. Expressive
5. Declaration
Assertive
a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker
expresses belief about the truth of a
proposition. Some examples of an assertive
act are suggesting, putting forward, swearing,
boasting, and concluding.

Example: No one makes better pancakes than I

do.
Directive
a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker tries
to make the addressee perform an action. Some
examples of a directive act are asking, ordering,
requesting, inviting, advising, and begging.

Example: Please close the door.

Commissive
a type of illocutionary act which commits the
speaker to doing something in the future. Examples
of a commissive act are promising, planning,
vowing, and betting.

Example: From now on, I will participate in our

group activity.
Expressive
a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker
expresses his/ her feelings or emotional reactions.
Some examples of an expressive act are thanking,
apologizing, welcoming, and deploring.

Example: I am so sorry for not helping out in our

group projects and letting you do all the work.
Declaration
a type of illocutionary act which brings a change in
the external situation. Simply put, declarations
bring into existence or cause the state of affairs
which they refer to. Some examples of declarations
are blessing, firing, baptizing, bidding, passing a
sentence, and excommunicating.
Declaration

Example: You are fired! By saying that someone is

fired, an employer causes or brings about the
person’s unemployment, thus changing his external
situation.