SEMINAR 1

SPEECH ACTS

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

1. Give examples of constative and performative utterances (Austin). TO which

utterances does the true/false distinction apply? What about the other kind?
Enumerate felicity conditions for performative utterances what happens to an
act if one condition is not fulfilled?
Start from the sentences:
My seconds will call on you!
I name this ship Queen Elisabeth (uttered by a random onlooker in the crowd).
We find the defendant guilty (uttered in the absence of the judge)
I bet you a hundred dollars hell win (when you dont intend to pay)
I congratulate you (when the speaker is in fact burning with envy)
Focus on the difference between sentences b,c and d,e.
Are the following sentences performative?
a. He is firing you.b. I promised to help. c. I wanted to see you once more so I
could resign. I resign.
3. Give the felicity conditions on the act of promising.
4. Classify the speech acts below (Searle); discuss their point, the difference of
fit, strength.

a) Can we skip this part?

b) I wish youd skip this part.
c)
Could you possibly speak a little bit
louder please?
d) Speak louder!
e) Could you tell me the time please?
f) Good for you!
g) How long do we have before its over?
h) I cant hear you.
i) You speak too low.

j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)
q)
r)
s)

I resign.
Open the window, would you?
For Gods sake shut up!
Silence please!
Subsection b is superfluous.
Thank God its over!
This is unbelievably boring!
This seminar is boring.
We find the defendant guilty.
You neednt do subsection b.

5. Identify the perlocutions:

a) I talked with him to go there.
b) I talked him into going.
c) I argued him into doing it.
d) I told him that he should do it.
e) He cheered them up.
f) Everyone cheered the news.
g) Her angry reproaches did not deter him from trying again.
h) His imputent words provoked her into slapping him on the face.
i) He was goaded into stealing by her speech.
j) Insults incite resentment