Speech Acts

When an utterance is produced can be analysed on three levels: the locution (the locutionary act)= what is said. - The same locutionary act can realized different illocutionary acts: an utterance can function as explanation, order.offer,apology. the illocutionary act/force what the speakers are doing with the words: the function of the words, the intention, the purpose. Most of them are implicit. - The illocutionary force of an utterance can be explicit or implicit. a) Explicit: is an obvious device to indicate the illocutionary force(is used a performative verb) Lexical=> I warn you that is a dangerous animal there Grammatical (the tence of the verb)=> Did you have to go to London yesterday ?( blaiming) =>Go to London! (command) b) Implicit/ non-explicit (not fully specified linguistically). We need context otherwise we dont know if the locution is an offer or a promise, etc. This is the case of indirect of speech acts. An interrogative used to ask a question is a direct speech acts, but interrogative used to make a reproach is an indirect speech act=>Did you have to go to London yesterday? Direct speech act and Indirect speech act Sentence Funtion Declaraviv Assertion Interogative=>Did Sam fix the window? Blaming=> I was wondering if Sam
fixed the window Imperative => Please close the door. close the door?

Order => Do you think you could

Performative verbs are verbs carried out simply by means of uttering them aloud. When a judge sentences someone to jail time, for example, the action is completed when he or she says, =>"I hereby sentence you to five years in prison.",=> I bet, I promise , I nominate, I resing, I confer. The difference between explicit and non-explicit speech acts: in explicit speech act we can have the word : hereby( asadar, prin cele ce spun).=>I hereby warn you not to do that ! Opposed to performative utterances, are constative utterances. A constatative is one that makes an assumption but is not performative. =>Im trying to get this box opend. =>I think I was wrong. The utterance can be constatives ( True or fals) or performatives.

 perlocutionary act/effect(the consequence, feedback) the hearer will recognize the effect intended and will do or not what the S in urging.

5 types of illocutionary acts (John Searle) S=speaker H=hearer X=situation 1) Representative ( S believes X )(descriptions, predications, assertions, conclusions): speaker describes a state of affairs=> There are five classes of speech acts.=> Im a man. 2) Directive (S wants X) = Speaker tries to get the hearer (H) to do something. The adresse does something. (requesting, asking to, forbidding, ordering, commanding, inviting, suggesting, recomanding)=>Could you please do the dishes? 3) Commissive (S intends X)= the words commit the speaker to future action(promising, vowing, offering, refusing, threatening)=>I will always love you. 4) Expressive (S feels X)( applogising ,regretting, blaiming, fogiving congratulating, thanking) = S expresses an emotional state.=>Im so disappointed in you. 5) Declarativ(S causes X) .S changes someones status if he is an authorized person at the right place and time. The words are aimed at making the hearer do something (I bet, I declare, I pronounce, I resign) 6) Rogative( questioning, asking)=interrogative sentence=>What are you cooking? Each type of illocutionary act has a potential threatening to a positive or a negative face.

Felicity/ happiness conditions. (Sarle)

Are necessary for illocutionary act to be performativ, not only said. Speech act require certain conditions to be met in order for the illocutionary force to take effect. 1) The H must hear and understand the language 2) The S must not be pretending or acting 3) Preparatory conditions= the S must have the necessary ability and authority to do the act 4) Sincerity conditions= S intends to do the action (when thanking someone the S must have feelings of gratitude) 5) Essential conditions= The utterance must count as a guarantee of the truth of the statement. If a felicity condition is not met with, the act is infelicitous.