Titanic

Speech Acts
Pragmatics Conversational maxims

Interpersonal function I can’t find any whisky!
Austinian Speech Acts
Gricean Conversational Principles
Sam-I-Am’s
been here.
English 306A; Harris 1 English 306A; Harris 2
Functions Functions
Ideational function: Ideational function:

What does “The cat is on the mat” mean as an expression in What does “The cat is on the mat” mean as an expression in
the system of English? the system of English?
How? How?
Denotation, truth conditions, event schemata, semantic roles, … Denotation, truth conditions, event schemata, semantic roles, …
Interpersonal function: Interpersonal function:
What does “The cat is on the mat” mean to hearer X, when What does “The cat is on the mat” mean to hearer X, when
said by speaker Y, in context Z? said by speaker Y, in context Z?
How? How?
Speech acts, conversational maxims, face principles, deixis, … Speech acts, conversational maxims, face principles, deixis, …
1
Meaning Ideational function
Semantics Pragmatics What we’ve been studying to this point:

Language from the perspective of encoding ideas, and the mechanics
Propositions Utterances of transmitting those ideas, within the system of a language.
Truth/falsity Appropriateness
Context-free Context-dependent
Language-in-vitro Language-in-vivo
Interpersonal function Interpersonal function
Language from the perspective of making and A supplement to the ideational function—not a
maintaining human contact, so we can substitute—but a crucial supplement.
coöperate, negotiate, decide, get along, build
bridges, and generally function as social The ideational function is necessary, but not
animals. sufficient.
2
Interpersonal function
Interpersonal function Phatic
Phatic communion The use of language to establish or maintain
social contact social relations
Communicative
mental contact
Sam!
Phatic Communicative
Utterances whose Hi, Hello, yo, … The use of language to encode and transmit
chief function is to How are you, How’s it going, intentions
establish or maintain How’s it hanging, …
contact; much like Live long and prosper, Keep
canine gluteus- on truckin, Keep it real, … I will try them.
Nice weather, Cold enough You will see.
maximus reciprocal
for you?, Hope the rain
olfactory analysis. don’t hurt the rhubarb, ….
3
Interpersonal function Interpersonal function
Communicative Communicative
The use of language to encode and transmit The use of language to encode and transmit
intentions intentions
Wait! Hold the presses. Not quite. Notice the

That sounds like the word is “intentions,”
ideational function! not “ideas”.
What gives?
Communicative Communicative
The use of language to encode and transmit Utterances whose The cat is on the mat.
intentions chief function is to Homer eats crap.
Take, for instance, the share mental contents Huh?
utterance, If you will let me be,
Information Try them, try them, and you
I will try them. You will see.
Attitudes may, I say.
Ideationally, it’s just a pair of My kingdom for a horse.
propositions. Worldviews
Please put the lid back down.
Communicatively, it’s a
surrender, a capitulation, a
Put the F&^#ing lid down!
collapse of my resolve, and a e = mc2
prediction that I won’t like your
damn viridescent chow!
4
Phatic and Communicative Phatic and Communicative
Every utterance has both

phatic and communicative
dimensions.
Sam!
If you will let
= me be, I will
try them.
You will see.
Speech Acts & Conversational Maxims
J. L. Austin
People do things with words beyond asserting
truth. We act through speech.
H.P. Grice
The way people coordinate their
speech is very intricate. We follow maxims.
5
Speech acts Speech acts
Locution Locution
the utterance of a sentence with the utterance of a sentence with
specific denotation specific denotation
Illocution Illocution
the making of a statement, offer, the making of a statement, offer,
promise, … promise, …
Perlocution Perlocution
the bringing about of effects on the bringing about of effects on
the audience by means of uttering the audience by means of uttering
a sentence (persuading, a sentence (persuading,
entertaining, scaring, …) entertaining, scaring, …)
Speech acts statement Illocutions/

Speech Acts
statement
Locution
the utterance of a sentence with
specific denotation
statement
Illocution
= the speech act confirmation
Perlocution
the bringing about of effects on
the audience by means of uttering
a sentence (persuading,
entertaining, scaring, …) despisement
6
Acts through speech Performative verbs
Offer, decline, accept, promise, bet, warn, threaten,
suggest, advise, declare, marry, christen, compliment,
Verbs which describe
insult, joke, … the action speakers
perform with the
corresponding
Try them! Try them! sentences.
Try them and you may
I say! They do not need
to be present;
diagnostics.
Sam!
If you will let me be, I
will try English
them. You will see.
306A; Harris 25 English 306A; Harris 26
Performative verbs Performative verbs
ask, tell, describe, ask, tell, describe, Informative

state, … state, …
promise, advise, promise, advise,
Obligative
request, … request, …
pronounce, pronounce,
christen, christen, Constitutive
sentence, … sentence, …
7
Performative verbs—informative Performative verbs—obligative
ask, tell, describe, assert, … promise, advise, request, …
I ask you: is the cat on I promise you: the cat
the mat? is on the mat.
I’m telling you, the cat I advise you: the cat is
is on the mat. on the mat.
I assert: the cat is on I request of you: put
the mat. the cat on the mat.
Performative verbs—constitutive Performative

Speech acts
acts
without
without
pronounce, christen, sentence, … performative verbs
I pronounce you
husband and wife.
I christen this vessel
the Good Ship
Lollipop.
I sentence you to
thirty days in the
hole.
8
Speech acts without Speech acts without
performative verbs performative verbs
I ask you, is the cat on I’m sorry.
the mat? vs.
OR I apologize.
Is the cat on the mat?
OR I’m sorry for The Cat.
The cat is on the mat? vs.
I apologize for The Cat.
Categories of speech acts Categories of speech acts

(Dirven and Verspoor, Table 1, chapter 7) (Dirven and Verspoor, Table 1, chapter 7)
Ritualized social circumstances (thank someone

when something has been exchanged, sentence at
Expressive thanking, apologizing, …
Constitutive termination of trial, pronunciation of marriage,…); Constitutive
utterance primarily constitutes act. Declarative sentencing, pronouncing, …
Communicate, or request communication of Assertive asserting, describing, …

information (assert facts, question truth of facts, solicit
Informative the completion of an assertion, …); utterance primarily Informative
engages in trafficing information. Interrogative asking
Commit self or solicit others to do something (offer Directive requesting, ordering, …

Obligative assistance, request favour, make a bet, …); utterance Obligative
primarily concerns future conduct.
Commissive promising, offering, …
9
Speech Act? Speech Act?
Would you? Could you? Would you? Could you?

In a box? In a box?
Could you? Would you? Could you? Would you?
With a fox? With a fox?
Obligative (Commissive)
Offering
Not in a box.
Speech Act? Speech Act? Not with a fox. …
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Would you? Could you?
In a box?
Could you? Would you?
With a fox?
Obligative (Commissive)
Offering
Obligative (Directive)
Urging
10
Not in a box. Not in a box.
Speech Act? Not with a fox. … Speech Act? Not with a fox. …
I would not eat green eggs and ham. I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Obligative (Commissive) Informative (Assertive)

Declining Warranting
H. P. Grice How to talk
Make your conversational

contribution such as is
required, at the stage at
which it occurs, by the
accepted purpose or
direction of the talk-
exchange in which you are
engaged.
(Grice 1975: 45)
11
How to talk, more specifically
How to talk Grice’s Maxims
Relation
Be relevant.
Quality
Be truthful.
Coöperate.
Quantity
Be sufficient
(but not prolix).
Manner
Be perspicacious.
Maxim of relation
How to talk and interpret; conversational implicature Is there a gas station around here?
Grice’s Maxims (=Tell me where I can get gas. I need it and I’m a stranger.)
Not moral or social injunctions Be relevant.

A1: Yep, there’s a gas station at
Empirically derived principles
King and Weber. [closed]
Maxims that people naturally A2: Nope, you’ll have to go all the
follow, and generally expect way to Erb Street;
others to follow everything’s closed around
here because of the anthrax
To speak
scare.
To understand (conversational
implicature)
Observable mostly in violation
12
Maxim of quality Maxim of quality
Is there a gas station around here? Is there a gas station around here?
(=Tell me where I can get gas. I need it and I’m a stranger.) (=Tell me where I can get gas. I need it and I’m a stranger.)
Be truthful Be truthful
Say what you believe to Say what you believe to be
true.
be true.
Don’t say what you believe
Don’t say what you
to be false.
believe to be false.
A1: Nope. [ommitting that there
is gas bar at the Canadian
Tire.]
A2: Well, there’s a gas bar, if you
just need some gas.
Maxim of quality Maxim of quantity

Be truthful Provide enough information

Say what you believe to be But not too much
true. A1: Yep.
Don’t say what you believe A2: Sure, King and Erb.
to be false. A3: Yep, King and Erb.
A1: Nope. [false; there is one] They have a sale on
A2: Yep, two lights up on the left gumboots at the
there’s a new Petrosaurus hardware store across
Station. the street from it, too.
13
Maxim(s) of manner Maxim(s) of manner
Be clear Be clear
Don’t be obscure Yes. Somewhere near the
Don’t be ambiguous theatre.
Be brief Don’t be obscure
Be orderly Don’t be ambiguous
Be brief
Be orderly

(=Do you know where I can get some gas? I’m a stranger) (=Do you know where I can get some gas? I’m a stranger)
Be clear Be clear
Don’t be obscure Don’t be obscure
Yep. Next to the old Smith Don’t be ambiguous
place. Maybe there is, maybe
Don’t be ambiguous there isn’t.
Be brief Be brief
Be orderly Be orderly
14
(=Do you know where I can get some gas? I’m a stranger) (=Do you know where I can get some gas? I’m a stranger)
Be clear Be clear
Don’t be obscure Don’t be obscure
Don’t be ambiguous Don’t be ambiguous
Be brief Be brief
Sure quite a few. I know where every gas Be orderly
station built in the KW area since the Great Sure. At Erb, turn right off King. To get to King,
War was located. First, there was the Ollie take Westmount, and turn left when you get there.
Petrie Service Station at the corner of … Before that, go three lights down University and
Be orderly turn left at Westmount. First, however, …
How to listen Grice’s Maxims

(Conversational implicature)
The important point:

[T]hough some maxim is Grice charted the many,
violated at the level of many ways we coordinate
our speech to each other’s
what is said, the hearer is needs and expectations.
entitled to assume that
that maxim, or at least the
overall cooperative
principle, is observed at the
level of what is implicated.
15
Intention; figuration Metonymy
All language dialogic (conversational).

Grice’s maxims form a baseline of expectations.
Figures of thought (tropes) function by violating
maxims, deviating from baseline. Violates quality
The ‘first reading’ doesn’t make sense, so hearers figure
out the speaker’s intention--not what the utterance Satisfies relation,
means, but what the speaker means by that quantity, manner
utterance.
Metaphor Repetitio
My love is red, My love is red,

red rose. red rose.
Violates manner
(brevity)
Satisfies relation,
quantity, quality
16
Polyptoton Irony
Lovely day!
Violates manner Violates quality

(brevity)
Satisfies relation,
Satisfies relation, quantity, manner
quantity, quality
Paronomasia Now, for the high-brow stuff

Polonius:
What do you read, my lord?
Violates manner
(clarity) Words, words, words.
Satisfies relation,
quantity, quality
Violates quantity and relation
(Satisfies quality and mostly manner)
English 306A; Harris 67 English 306A; Harris Hamlet
68
17
Now, for the high-brow stuff Now, for the high-brow stuff
Polonius: Polonius:
What is the matter, my lord? I mean the matter that you read,
my lord.
Between whom? Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says

here that old men have grey beards, that
their faces are wrinkled, their eyes
purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and
Violates relation that they have plentiful lack of wit,
together with most weak hams; all of
(satisfies quantity, which though I most powerfully and
potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty
manner, … quality?) to have set it thus down, for yourself, sir,
shall grow old as I am, if like a crab you
English 306A; Harris Hamlet
69 could go backward.
70
Polonius: Polonius:
s s
I mean the matter that you read, I mean the matter that you read,
e e
my lord. my lord.
a t y a t
l it l on
Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says
here that old men have grey beards, that here that old men have grey beards, that
i o t i o i
their faces are wrinkled, their eyes their faces are wrinkled, their eyes
t
purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and
V a n V la
that they have plentiful lack of wit, that they have plentiful lack of wit,
together with most weak hams; all of together with most weak hams; all of
which though I most powerfully and which though I most powerfully and
qu re
potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty
to have set it thus down, for yourself, sir, to have set it thus down, for yourself, sir,
shall grow old as I am, if like a crab you shall grow old as I am, if like a crab you
could go backward.
71 could go backward.
72
18
Polonius:
e s Polonius:
t r
I mean the matter that you read, I mean the matter that you read,
a
my lord.
l
my lord.
i o e y ?
n it
Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says
)
ss
V an
here that old men have grey beards, that here that old men have grey beards, that
l
their faces are wrinkled, their eyes n e their faces are wrinkled, their eyes
rli
a
purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and
de
that they have plentiful lack ofrwit,
u
that they have plentiful lack of wit,
oall of
m
y, and
together with most weak hams; together with most weak hams; all of
it
Q
which though I most powerfully which though I most powerfully and
ev it not honesty
br for yourself, sir,
potently believe, yet I hold potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty
to have set it thus, down, to have set it thus down, for yourself, sir,
y
shall grow olditas
r I am, if English
like a crab you shall grow old as I am, if like a crab you
lacould go backward. Hamlet could go backward. Hamlet
(c 73 74
306A; Harris English 306A; Harris
I ask to be, or not to be.
Now, for the high-brow stuff That is the question, I ask of me.
This sullied life, it makes me shudder.
My uncle's boffing dear, sweet mother.
Would I, could I take my life?
Could I, should I, end this strife?
Should I jump out of a plane?
Or throw myself before a train?
Should I from a cliff just leap?
Could I put myself to sleep?
…
To sleep, to dream, now there's the rub.
I could drop a toaster in my tub.

75 English 306A; Harris Hamlet
76
19
Pragmatics
Phatic and Communicative
Speech acts
Informative, Constitutive, and Obligative
Grice’s Maxims
The coöperative principle (and its ramifications)
Speaking and understanding (conversational implicature)
English 306A; Harris 77
20

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Speech Acts

Pragmatics Conversational maxims

English 306A; Harris 1 English 306A; Harris 2

Ideational function: Ideational function:

English 306A; Harris 3 English 306A; Harris 4

Semantics Pragmatics What we’ve been studying to this point:

English 306A; Harris 5 English 306A; Harris 6

Interpersonal function Interpersonal function

English 306A; Harris 7 English 306A; Harris 8

English 306A; Harris 9 English 306A; Harris 10

English 306A; Harris 11 English 306A; Harris 12

Wait! Hold the presses. Not quite. Notice the

English 306A; Harris 13 English 306A; Harris 14

Every utterance has both

English 306A; Harris 17 English 306A; Harris 18

Speech Acts & Conversational Maxims

English 306A; Harris 19 English 306A; Harris 20

English 306A; Harris 21 English 306A; Harris 22

Speech acts statement Illocutions/

English 306A; Harris 23 English 306A; Harris 24

Performative verbs Performative verbs

ask, tell, describe, ask, tell, describe, Informative

English 306A; Harris 27 English 306A; Harris 28

English 306A; Harris 29 English 306A; Harris 30

Performative verbs—constitutive Performative

English 306A; Harris 31 English 306A; Harris 32

English 306A; Harris 33 English 306A; Harris 34

Categories of speech acts Categories of speech acts

Ritualized social circumstances (thank someone

Communicate, or request communication of Assertive asserting, describing, …

Commit self or solicit others to do something (offer Directive requesting, ordering, …

Would you? Could you? Would you? Could you?

English 306A; Harris 37 English 306A; Harris 38

Obligative (Commissive) Informative (Assertive)

English 306A; Harris 41 English 306A; Harris 42

H. P. Grice How to talk

Make your conversational

English 306A; Harris 43 English 306A; Harris 44

Not moral or social injunctions Be relevant.

Observable mostly in violation

English 306A; Harris 47 English 306A; Harris 48

English 306A; Harris 49 English 306A; Harris 50

Maxim of quality Maxim of quantity

Be truthful Provide enough information

English 306A; Harris 51 English 306A; Harris 52

English 306A; Harris 53 English 306A; Harris 54

Maxim(s) of manner Maxim(s) of manner

English 306A; Harris 55 English 306A; Harris 56

English 306A; Harris 57 English 306A; Harris 58

How to listen Grice’s Maxims

The important point:

English 306A; Harris 59 English 306A; Harris 60

All language dialogic (conversational).

English 306A; Harris 61 English 306A; Harris 62

My love is red, My love is red,

English 306A; Harris 63 English 306A; Harris 64

Violates manner Violates quality

English 306A; Harris 65 English 306A; Harris 66

Paronomasia Now, for the high-brow stuff

Between whom? Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says

I ask to be, or not to be.

English 306A; Harris Hamlet

English 306A; Harris 77