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8 Speech Act

This document discusses different types of speech acts. There are three main types: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. Locutionary acts refer to the literal meaning of an utterance. Illocutionary acts involve the intention behind an utterance, like making a request. Perlocutionary acts refer to the effects on the listener, like persuading them. John Searle classified illocutionary acts into five categories: assertives that express beliefs, directives that try to make the listener act, commissives that commit the speaker, expressives that express feelings, and declarations that change the world.

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Rianne Abella
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50 views

8 Speech Act

This document discusses different types of speech acts. There are three main types: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. Locutionary acts refer to the literal meaning of an utterance. Illocutionary acts involve the intention behind an utterance, like making a request. Perlocutionary acts refer to the effects on the listener, like persuading them. John Searle classified illocutionary acts into five categories: assertives that express beliefs, directives that try to make the listener act, commissives that commit the speaker, expressives that express feelings, and declarations that change the world.

Uploaded by

Rianne Abella
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

WEEK 7: MODULE 7
TYPES OF SPEECH ACT
I. Types of Speech Acts
II. Indirect Speech Acts and Performatives
III. Classifications of Speech Acts
SPEECH ACT
Is an utterance that a speaker makes to
achieve an intended effect
• Speech acts are performed when a person offers an
apology, greeting, request, complaint, invitation
compliment, or refusal. Speech act is an act of
communication.
• As we communicate with others, we use language
without minding whether to use complete sentence
or not. The number of words in a single utterance
does not matter so long as we can get our message
across.
THREE TYPES OF SPEECH ACT
Occurs when the speaker performs a
Speech act theory by J. L. Austin
locution
LOCUTIONARY Locution : is the phrase or sentence that
has meaning and structure
The performance of the act saying something
ILLOCUTIONARY with specific intention or illocution
Social function of what is said.

Happens when what the speaker says has an


PERLOCUTIONARY effect on the listener or perlocution
The resulting act of what is said
LOCUTIONARY ACT
For the utterances to be a Locutionary Act,
consider the following:
 It has sense, and mostly importantly, for
communication to take place.
 It has the same meaning to both the speaker
and the listener.
 Utterances give rise to shared meaning when it
is adjusted by the speaker for the listener.
LOCUTIONARY ACT

Examples of Locutionary Acts:


 “Doh!” (favorite expression of TV cartoon
character Homer Simpson)
 “Wow?” (When someone is amazed)
 “Hello!” (greeting someone)
 “Get out!” (a strong command)
ILLOCUTIONARY ACT
In an illocutionary speech act, it is not just
saying something itself but with the act of saying
something with the intention of:
 stating an opinion, conforming, or denying
something;
 making a prediction, a promise, a request;
 issuing an order or a decision; or
 giving advice or permission.
ILLOCUTIONARY ACT
This Speech Act uses the Illocutionary Force of a
statement, a confirmation, a denial, a prediction,
a promise, a request, etc.
Examples of Illocutionary Acts:
• It’s more fun in the Philippines. (opinion)
• I’ll help you clean the house tomorrow. (promise)
• Get my things in the office. (order)
PERLOCUTIONARY ACT
This is seen when a particular effect is sought
from either the speaker or 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
PERLOCUTIONARY ACT
The aim of Perlocutionary Speech Act is to change
feelings, thoughts, or actions.
Examples of Perlocutionary Acts:
 “We can do this. We heal and win as one!” (inspiring)
 “It is crucial that we give all our collective efforts to fight
against this pandemic. We must start working together.”
(persuading)
 “Smoking destroys your health, certain as it brings
diseases, it kills – you, your loved ones, and others!”
(deterring)
MAKING IT CLEAR, UTTERANCE EXAMPLE:

“Please do the dishes!”


LOCUTIONARY ILLOCUTIONARY PERLOCUTIONARY

Saying of the Speaker Receiver washing


words request the the dishes
receiver to
wash the
dishes
INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS
When speaker does not explicitly state the intended meaning
behind the utterance.
Example: “Could you pass the salt?”

Inferred Do you have the


speech ability to hand over
the salt?
Indirect
speech Please pass the
salt.
PERFORMATIVE
Statements which enable the speaker to perform something
just by stating it. I now sentence you to a lifetime
Example: imprisonment
I now pronounce you man
and wife
CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH ACT
(ILLOCUTIONARY)
SEARLE’S Classification of Speech Act (Illocutionary)

ASSERTIVE DIRECTIVE
COMMISIVE EXPRESSIVE
DECLARATION
ASSERTIVE
• Speaker expresses belief about the
truth of a proposition.
• Commits the speaker to something
being in the cases.
DIRECTIVE
• Speaker tries to make the receiver
perform an action.
COMMISSIVE
• Speaker commits to doing
something in the future
EXPRESSIVE
• Expresses how the speaker feels about
the situation

DECLARATION
• Change the state of the world
in an immediate way
ASSERTIVE

Some examples of an assertive act are suggesting,


putting forward, swearing, boasting and
concluding.
Example:
 No one can love you better than I do.
DIRECTIVE

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 maintain the cleanliness of our school.
COMMISSIVE

Examples of a commissive act are promising,


planning, vowing, and betting.
Example:
 From this moment on, I will love you and honor
you for the rest of my life.
EXPRESSIVE

Some examples of an expressive act are thanking,


apologizing, welcoming and deploring.
Example:
 Thank heavens, you came to save me! I owe you
my life.
DECLARATION
Some examples of declarations are blessing, firing,
baptizing, bidding, passing a sentence, and
excommunicating.
Example:
You are hired!
***By saying that someone is hired, an employee
causes or brings about the person’s acceptance to job;
consequently, this changes his external situation.

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