TYPES OF

SPEECH ACT
 THREE TYPES OF SPEECH ACT:

•LOCUTION
•ILLOCUTION
•PERLOCUTION
 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 IT HAS SENSE,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR
COMMUNICATION TO TAKE PLACE, HAS THE
SAME MEANING TO BOTH THE SPEAKER AND
• IN FACT, THE UTTERANCE GIVES RISE TO
SHARED MEANING WHEN IT IS
ADJUSTED BY THE SPEAKER FOR THE
LISTENER. EVEN THOUGH THE
UTTERANCE MIGHT BE SOUND, A WORD,
OR A PHRASE, THE UTTERANCE
FOLLOWS THE RULES OF LANGUAGE.
 EXAMPLES OF LOCUTIONARY ACTS:

“ DOH!” (FAVORITE EXPRESSION OF TV

CARTOON CHARACTER HOMER SIMPSON)
“ WHAT?” (WHEN SOMEONE IS SURPRISED)
“ IT’S A BIRD!” (WHEN PEOPLE SEE SUPERMAN
IN THE SKY)
 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;
THIS SPEECH ACT USES THE
ILLOCUTIONARY FORCE OF A STATEMENT,
A CONFIRMATION, A DENIAL, A
PREDICTION, A PROMISE, A REQUEST, ETC.
 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
IS ELICITED BY:
• INSPIRING OR INSULTING
• PERSUADING/ CONVINCING; OR
• DETERRING/ SCARING.
THE AIM OF A PERLOCUTIONARY SPEECH
ACT IS TO CHANGE FEELINGS,
THOUGHTS, OR ACTIONS.
 EXAMPLES:

“ I WAS BORN 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)