Carl and Mark are inside

a room. Carl comments,

“It’s hot in here.” In
response Mark opened the
windows and let the cool
air in.
SPEECH
ACTS
OVERVIE
W
What is Speech Acts?

Analysis of Speech Acts

Type of Illocutionary Acts

A speech act is an act that a speaker performs when making
an utterance.
(Searle, John. 1969.Speech acts: An essay in the philosophy of language. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University., p.22)

Speech Act is an action performed in saying something

 ANALYSIS OF SPEECH ACT by J.L.
Austin

According to J.L. Austin (1962), Speech acts can

be analyzed on three levels:
 what is said/act of saying.

It’s hot in here It’s so cold in this room

 What the speaker intends to communicate to
the addressee/hearer.

1) It’s hot in here

 Could be : an indirect request for

someone to open the window.
 an indirect refusal to close
the window
2) It’s so cold in this room

 Could be : an indirect request for

someone to close the window or
to turn off the air condition.
 a complaint implying that
someone should know better
than to keep the air condition on.
 The effect of what is said

1) It’s hot in here

Could result in
someone opening
the window.
2) It’s so cold in this room

Could result in someone

close the window or
someone turn off the air
condition
Searle divides illocutionary acts into five
basic types.

Directive
Commissive
Representative/Assertive

Declarative
Expressive
 DIRECTIVE
Directive utterances are those in which the speaker tries to get
the addressee to perform some act or refrain from performing
an act.

Three kindsof directive utterances:commands,

requests, and suggestions.
 Three kinds of directive
A command is effective only if the speaker has some degree of
control over the actions of the addressee.
You must appear in court next Monday at 10 am
Don’t waste your time on that
A request is an expression of what the speaker wants the addressee to
do or refrain from doing.
Smoking is not permitted in the lavatories
The boss demands that these letters (should) go
out today.
 Three kinds of directive
Suggestions are the utterances we make to other persons to give
our opinions as to what they should or should not do.

I advise you to take my advice.

We suggest you (should) pay more attention to

what you’re doing.
 COMMISIVE
Commissive are utterances in which the speaker binds himself to
perform (or refrain from doing) some act at a later time. In other
words, They are prospective and concerned with the speaker’s
commitment to future action (Kreidler, 1998:192).

Agree, ask, offer, refuse, swear, promises, pledges,

threats, and vows.

I promise to be on time I agree to your terms.

 ASSERTIVE
Assertive utterances are concerned with facts. The function is
to tell what the speaker know or believe. The purpose is to
inform.
 ASSERTIVE
Example:

We declare that most I voted for Bogor is 60 km

plastic are made Obama in the last from Jakarta
from soy beans. election
 DECLARATIVE
Here the speaker alters the external status or condition of an
object, situation or context solely by making the utterance.

Declarative utterance associated with the bid,

marrying, declare a mistrial, so on.
 DECLARATIVE
Example:

I pronounce you husband & I declare this meeting adjourned

wife
 DECLARATIVE
Another example:

I sentence you to death

 EXPRESSIVE
UTTERANCES
An Expressive utterances springs from the previous actions or
failure to act of the speaker. In other words, Expressive
utterances occur when speakers tell of their own past deeds
and present feelings.

Acknowledge, admit, confess, deny, apologize

For example: Confessing

I am sorry for what I have done I confess that killed the girl.
GROUP ACTIVITY:
You will be divided into 4
or 5 groups. You will
perform a role play
pertaining to different
illocutionary acts.
 
Criteria:
Utilization of the assigned speech
act – 10 points
Sense and relevance of the
content of the statement – 5 points
Grammar, mechanics, stage
presence – 5 points
Identify the illocutionary act used in the
following statements, and then on your
paper, write the function of the
illocutionary act.
1.What others have mentioned are all true.
2.I cannot agree to that.
3.We have to control our feelings when it
comes to love.
4.We must remember that they know better.
5.Refer your questions to my previous
presentations.
6.How can you say that parents who
work abroad are not worthy?
7.Please, before you ask my anything
make sure they are sensible.
8. I will never do what others did to
their parents.
9.I will promise that I’ll study hard.
10.Good point for that.
ASSIGNMENT
 
List 5 examples of each of the five
categories of illocutionary acts.
THE
END