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3rd YEAR PRAGMATICS INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS Searle: the distinction between sentence meaning and Speakers meaning. sentences and words have only the meanings that they have. Strictly speaking, whenever we talk about the metaphorical meaning of a word, expression, or sentence, we are taking about what a speaker might utter it to mean, in a way that departs from what the word, expression, or sentence actually means.... To have a brief way of distinguishing what a speaker means by uttering words, sentences, and expressions, on the one hand, and what the words, sentences, and expressions mean, on the other, I shall call the former speaker's utterance meaning, and the latter, word, or sentence, meaning.
e.g. A: Are you home alone !: "es, I am. may be interpreted as: i# $"es, I am and I#m terrified. ii%$"es, I am and I#m so happy I#m going to throw a party. i#%$ "es, I am. &hy don#t you come over

'ent !ach: while engaging in verbal communication, there are three ways in which we can perform a speech act: ()$ directly or indirectly, with the aid of performing another speech act, &hy don*t you finish your drink and leave (+$ literally or nonliterally, depending on the whether the utterance makes more sense if used literally or if employed to be understood figuratively, and &e all know who*s pulling the ropes in this department. (,$ explicitly or inexplicitly, depending on whether we clearly and straighforwardly formulate our communicative intentions. I*ll see you in court Such -s involve: a direct SA . their conventionally expected function (/, assertion, exclamation$ an indirect SA . their extra actual function (re0uest, suggestion, order, threat, wishing luck, re0uest1order$$ 2An ISA is defined as an - in which one illocutionary act (a 3primary act*$ is performed by way of the performance of another act (a 3literal act*$. indirect communication: one specific, context4bound utterance carries out one or several illocutionary acts by way of seemingly performing a different illocutionary act. e.g. we can make a re0uest or give permission by making a statement, e.g. 3I am getting thirsty* or 3"our room*s a mess*, we can make a statement or give an order by way of asking a 0uestion, such as 3&ill the waitress ever bring our drinks * or 35an you clean up your room *

The literal act is backgrounded1secondary while the foregrounded1primary (Searle )678$: 5an you pass the salt 9lease pass the salt. I wish you wouldn*t do that9lease don*t do that. Aren*t you going to eat your cereal 9lease eat your cereal.

nonliteral

act

is

:ordon ; <akoff ()678$ view =s as using shortcuts in conversation, called conversational postulates 25an you...> is a formula : 2 when a S asks whether H can do A, this implies a request for H to do A. Such conversational postulates are learned like idioms Thomas: 2...indirectness occurs when there is a mismatch btw. the expressed meaning and the implied meaning> (Thomas )668: ))6$ ). pragmatics is concerned with intentional indirectness +. indirectness is costly and risky ,. Ss should (seek to$ obtain some social or communicative advantage through employing indirectness ?. Indirectness is largely related to politeness phenomena ()$ To <i@, who has been listening to Austin !ieber for a fortnight &ould you like to listen to something else now <i@ : Bo, I*m pleased with Austin. (+$ To Susan, an American guest. &ould you like a drink Susan : &ell, I*ve been on beer all day. (,$ Cditor to writer: 2&e*re not exactly looking for this kind of traditional novel right nowD we tend to publish science fiction tales which attract the young readers...> (?$ Staff member to 5hief <ibrarian: 2=ave you given any thought to having my list of books ordered > display cleverness (8$ Supervisor to student having taken a morning off: 2I hope your going to the mall has not diminished your attention span> (E$ To fellow student who had problems graduating: 2I hope you will be luckier this time. Third time is a charm> Factors that govern indirectness: ). The relative power of the S over the = +. The social distance btw. the S and the = ,. The degree of imposition ?. The relative rights and obligations btw the S and the = Spencer4Gatey ()66+$: , types of power legitimate power (7$ Student to 9rofessor: 2 Hear 9rofessor !rown, I would be extremely grateful if you could approve a week*s extension to the submission of m paper: I have been having serious problems with my computer>

(I$ Hirector to her secretary: Claine, please make )? copies of chapter , for the course tomorrow. Thanks.> referent power: (6$ Gne participant to conference to another during the break 2I was really fascinated with your presentation. 5ould you send me a copy if this is not too much trouble > expert power: ()J$ 2Hear 9rofessor Kosch, "our latest article on 39rinciples of 5ategorisation* would be of crucial importance in my research. &ould there be any way for me to get a copy > Social distance vs. solidarity ())a$ to a peer: :ot any change, Aay vs. ())b$ to a stranger : Cxcuse me, could you change fifty pence for me I need tens or fives for the coffee machine. ()+a$ To cooperative classmate: 2=elp L the paper*s stuck in the photocopier> vs.()+b$ To friend with whom a disagreement has been had recently: 2 Ho you have any idea what you*re supposed to do when the paper gets stuck in the photocopier > Si@e of imposition (),a$ Supervisor to Supervisee : 3 Kewrite this passage, it*s a bit unclear towards the end> (),b$ 2I*m afraid you may need to rewrite several paragraphs as they are unclear and abound in grammar mistakes.> :offman*s notion of 3free* and 3non4free4 goods. <akoff ()67?$ extended the concept of free1non4free goods to information. Some topics can be dealt with freely, unrestrictedly (weather$, others are 3none of your business* (non4 free goods$. Kights and obligations: Indirectness may be regulated by the S*s right to make a particular demand and1or by the =*s obligation to comply. e.g. ()?a$ 2Bext stopM> signalled to driver if there is a scheduled stopping place ()?b$ 2Ho you think you could possibly let me out Nust beyond the traffic lights, please > &=" IBHIKC5TBCSS ). The desire to make one*s < more interesting ()8$Teacher suspecting student to have skipped classes: 3"ou seem to have the flu every Tuesday, don*t you, 5olin * +. Increasing the force of one*s message ()E$ 5hief resident to interns: 3"ou either follow my instructions or you forget about becoming doctors* ,. Healing with competing goals ()7$ Teacher has to tell Student that their work is not up to standard the teacher*s need1duty to tell the truth may conflict with the desire not to hurt the student*s feelings. 2This is a very ambitious proNect. Gften, when one wants to cover a lot of issues one fails to cover each of them properly> ?. Increasing politeness during the exchange

()I$39rofessor !rown, I wonder if you found the time to write that letter of recommendation for me* vs 3Hid you write that letter of recommendation * ()6$ 3I*m afraid I haven*t made myself understood clearly* vs 3"ou haven*t understood what I meant*