Pragmatics

Speech Acts
By :
Liza Nur Alfina F. 204180047
Norwenia Eka W. 204180056
Table of Contents
Kinds of
A
Speech Acts B Speech Acts

Performative Felicity
C Hypothesis D Conditions

Speech Acts Direct Indiriect

E Classification F Speech Acts
 Speech act:
Doing things with language

John Austin in his book “how

to do things with words" is the
first to introduction the idea of
speech acts, analyzing the
relationships between
utterances and performance.
 When someone expresses

A
something, he/she does not only
produce utterances containing
grammatical structures and
words, but also performs an
action through the utterances.
Speech Acts Action performed by an
utterance called speech act. A
speech act is a functional unit in
communication.
Locutionary
act
B
Illocutionary
Kinds of
act
Speech Acts
Perlocutionary
act
Locutionary Act
• The act of performing words into utterances that
make sense in a language with correct grammar and
pronunciation.
• Act of making a meaningful utterance.

Example:
Speaker: It is raining
outside.
That is the literal meaning
Illocutionary Act
• Act accomplished in speaking and define within a system of
social conventions.
• Illocutionary act would include starting, promising, apologizing,
threatening, ordering, predicting and requesting.
Example:
Speaker: It is raining
outside.

The utterance would mean:

a. Speaker wishes or wants the hearer to use an umbrella if you go out.
b. Speaker wants you not to go out because it is still raining outside.
IFIDs
• Illucotionary force indicating devices an expression from an
utterance which contains a slot to put a verb that explicitly
named the illocutionary act being performed.
• The verb called performative verb (Vp)
• IFIDs can be identified as a word order, stress, and intonation.
example:
a. she is going.
b. She is going!
c. Is she going?
Perlocutionary Act
• Action or state of mind brought about or by, or as a
consequence of saying something.
• Effect of the utterance on the hearer, depending on
specific circumstances.
Example:
Speaker: It is raining
outside.

What is the perlocutionary effect?

a. The hearer may use the umbrella when he/she goes out.
b. The hearer may stay while waiting for the rain to
subside
 C
Performative
Hypothesis
Austin defines a performative as an utterance which contains a special
type of verb (a performative verb) by force of which it performs an
action. In other words, in using a performative, a person is not just
saying something but is actually doing something.

He also claims that from the grammatical point of view, a

performative is a first person indicative sentence in the simple
present tense. In order to distinguish the performative use from
other possible uses of first person indicative active pattern, Austin
introduces a hereby test since he finds out that performative verb
only can collocate with this adverb.
One simple way to decide whether a speech act is a performative (an implicit
performative) is to insert the word "hereby" between subject and verb. If the
resulting utterance makes sense, then the speech act is probably a
performative.
U (utterance)
I (hereby) Vp you (that) U
Example:
a. I hereby resign from the post of the manager of the sport club.
b. I hereby get up at seven o'clock in the morning every day.
While the first sentence would make sense under specific conditions, uttering of
the second would be rather strange. from this it follows that (a) is a
performative, (b) is not.
Felicity condition is referred to the

D
effectiveness of speech acts use of
the speaker. In definition, felicity
condition is a state when the
utterances
appropriate
made has
conditions
met
such
the
as,
Felicy
appropriate context, conventional conditions
existence, authority, and also
speaker’s sincerity. 
 Types of Felicy Condition
General Content Preparatory Sincerity Essential
conditions conditions conditions conditions conditions
It refers to all It has to do with These These
that is need for certain conditions are conditions Whether a
performing a conditions we related to are related speaker
successful expect to receive some implicit to the trust intends
communicative in a message statements of we have with that an
act. taking into the utterance, the person utterance
account the for example, in we´re talking be acted
for example context (for the case of a to. Basically upon by the
that both example for a Promise it will it refers to addressee.
speaker and promise we not be believe in
hearer speak expect a performed by the other´s
the same sentence in itself. words.
language. future.)
 Classification of speech acts according to the

E
functions:

1. Representatives: the speaker asserts a

proposition to be true, using such verbs
as: affirm, believe, conclude, deny, report.
Classification Example : It was a warm sunny day.

of Speech 2. Directives: the speaker tries to make the

hearer do something, with such words as:

acts ask, beg, challenge, command, dare, invite,

insist, request.
Examples :  
Gimme a cup of coffee. Make it black.
Could you lend me a pen, please?
Don’t touch that.
Classification of Speech acts
3. Commissives: the speaker commits himself (or herself) to a (future)
course of action, with verbs such as: guarantee, pledge, promise, swear,
vow, undertake, warrant.

Examples :
I’ll be back.
I’m going to get it right next time.
We will not do that.

4. Expressives: the speaker expresses or states what sepaker feels, using

such verbs as: apologize, appreciate, congratulate, deplore, detest,
regret, thank, welcome.
For example: a) I’m really sorry! b) Congratulations! c) Oh, yes, great,
mmm, ssahh!
Classification of Speech acts
5. Declarations : the speaker alters the external status or condition of
an object or situation, solely by making the utterance. For example: I
now pronounce you man and wife, I name this ship...

Another type of classification of speech acts according to their

structure:
1. Declarative: it shows statement (She plants a mango tree.)
2. Interrogative: it shows questions (Does she plant a mango tree?)
3. Imperative : it shows command/request (Plant a mango tree!)
• Direct speech is a direct relationship between a
structure and a function of speech acts.
• Indirect speech is an indirect relationship
between a structure and a function of speech F
acts. Direct and
• We have known that a declarative sentence has
a function as a statement, so we call it direct
indirect
speech act. But if the declarative sentence used speech Acts
to be a request, we call it indirect speech act.
The examples:
a) It’s cold outside.
b) I hereby tell you about the weather.
c) I hereby request of you that you close the door.
The analysis:
The utterance a) is a declarative. If we used it make
a statement as paraphrased in b), it is functioning as
a direct speech. If the a) used to make a
command/request, as paraphrased in c), it is
functioning as an indirect speech.
The examples :
a) Move out of the way! (imperative-command)
b) Do you have to stand in front of the TV?
(interrogative-command)
c) You’re standing in front of the TV.
(declarative- command)

The analysis :
These sentences have same command which
means “Could you open the window?”
More info!

The utterance not only

needs the answer Yes/No, The
is:
corre
ct an
but it also asks the hearer
swer

to do something. John
Interrogative sentence as
a command (indirect
speech act).
THANKS