SPEECH ACTS

SPEECH ACTS

A speech act is an utterance that a

speaker makes to achieve an intended
effect.
Examples
are offering an apology, greeting,
request, complaint, invitation, compliment,
or refusal.

might contain just one word or several

words or sentences
Thanks or Thanks for being there for
me. both expresses the same feelings.

TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

1. Locutionary act is the actual act of uttering.

Please wash your hands.

2. Illocutionary act is the social function of what is said.

The speaker requests the receiver to

wash his/her hands.
3. Perlocutionary act is the resulting act of what
is said. This effect is based on the particular
context in which the speech act was mentioned.
The receiver will be washing his or her hands.

TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

There are also indirect speech acts which occur

when there is no direct connection between
what was said and the intended meaning. They
are different in force (i.e., intention) from the
inferred speech act.

For example, read the following utterance.

Can you pass the rice?
Inferred speech act: Do you have the ability to
hand over the rice?
Indirect speech act: Please pass the rice.

TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

Utterance
Are you free
tonight?

Inferred
Speech Act
Do you have
anything to do
tonight?

Indirect
Speech Act
Can we go
out?

It is too noisy in this You are too noisy.

class.

Quiet.

Do you have a pen? I do not have a pen.

I need to sign this
quickly.

May I borrow
your pen?

TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

I now
pronounce
you, husband
and wife....

TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

PERFORMATIVE
UTTERANCES
:
Are
statements which enable the speaker to
perform something just by stating it.
Verbs that execute the speech act that they
intend to effect are called performatives.
A performative utterance said by the right
person under the right circumstances
results in a change in the world. Note that
certain conditions have to be met when
making a performative utterance.

CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH
ACTS

1. Assertive - speaker expresses belief about the

truth of a proposition. Some examples of an
assertive act are suggesting, putting forward,
swearing, boasting, and concluding.

I bake the most decadent, delicious, moist

chocolate cake.
2. Directive the speaker tries to make the
addressee perform an action. Some examples
of a directive act are asking, ordering,
requesting, inviting, advising, and begging.
Please close the door.

CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH
ACTS

3. Commissive a type of illocutionary act which

commits the speaker to doing something in
the future. Examples of a commissive act are
promising, planning, vowing, and betting.

One of these days, I will bake you the most

decadent, delicious, moist chocolate cake.
4. Expressive Here, the speaker expresses
his/her feelings or emotional reactions. Some
examples of an expressive act are thanking,
apologizing, welcoming, and deploring.
Thank you for the most delicious food.

CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH
ACTS

5. Declaration a type of illocutionary act

which brings a change in the external
situation. Simply put, declarations bring into
existence or cause the state of affairs which
they refer to. Some examples of declarations
are blessing, firing, baptizing, bidding,
passing a sentence, and excommunicating.

You are fired!