Speech Acts

and
Language
Functions
Presented by Mary Therese T. Paredes
Objectives
To learn what speech acts are
To understand the different types of
speech acts
To have a recap on what are
contexts and its kinds
To determine language functions
To analyze different utterances
according to speech acts, functions,
and context
Today's
Presentation
TOPICS TO COVER
·Speech Acts
Purpose
Components
Types
Language Functions
Contexts in Discourse
What are your thoughts on
this?

ACTIONS SPEAKS LOUDER

THAN WORDS.
DON'T ASK FOR THE MEANING,
ASK FOR THE USE.

Ludwig
Wittgenstein
Meaning derives from pragmati c
tradition
Demonstrating the i mportance of
how language is used to
accomplish obj ecti ves wi thi ng
specific situati on

Ludwig
Wittgenstein
 Language is a way if making tactual
assertions and other uses of
languages.

All utterances perform speech acts

which are parallel to other forms of
actions

J.L. Austin
A statement can only be:
To "describe" some state of affairs
State some fact

Introduced the three components of

speech acts

J.L. Austin
Speech Acts
BASIC UNIT OF LANGUAGE
USED TO EXPRESS
MEANING
AN UTTERANCE THAT
EXPRESSES AN INTENTION

INCLUDES:
Ordering Apologizing
Promising Requesting
Informing
 Purpose of the Speech Act
EXPLICIT PERFORMATIVE
-One in which the utterance inscription
contains an expression that makes
explicit what kinds of act is being
performed (Lyons, 1981, p.175).
-Mechanism which allows speaker to
remove any possibility of
misunderstanding.
IMPLICIT PERFORMATIVE
-Considered as what the speaker has in
mind by saying it is not specifically
indicated.
-Sentences can be depending on:
paralinguistic given by the speaker
relationship between speaker and
hearer
 Components of Speech Acts

L I P

LOCUTIONARY ACT ILLOCUTIONARY ACT PERLOCUTIONARY ACT

act of saying something extended meaning of the effects of the articulation of
Sentence utterrance illocutions on the addressee
Sense and Reference communicative forces has consequences upon the
will not affect the (intention to interact) feelings, thoughts, actions on
addressee performing actions through the hearer
least effective means of uttering particular
describing the acts, circumstance
merely an umbrella term
 Structure of Speech Acts
DIRECT SPEECH ACTS INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS
-Form of Locutionary Act corresponds -Speaker communicates to the hearer
directly with Illocutionary Act more than he/she actually says
-Homogenous relationship -Different from Locutionary Act
Structural = Communication -Relies on:
form functions mutually shared by information
(linguistic and nonlinguistic)
Doesn't have homogenous
relationship
Structural ≠ Communication
form functions
 Direct Speech Acts
Sentences Structures Functions

Did you drink milk? Interrogative Question

Can you please shut the Command

Imperative
door? (Request)

The Earth is round. Declarative Statement

 Indirect Speech Acts
Sentences Structures Functions

I want to know who washed

Interrogative Statement
the dishes.
I would like for you to wash Command
Declarative
the dishes. (Request)

Is the pope Catholic? Interrogative Assertion

 Types of
Speech Acts

REPRESENTATIVES EXPRESSIVES COMMISSIVES

Describes a state of affairs Express the mental states of
in the world speaker
Can be true or false Tells the sincerity of the
Examples: Assertions, Speech Act
Claims and Reports Examples: Apologies and
Complaints
Connect the speaker to a course
of action
Described by prepositional
content
Examples: Threats, Promises,
and Offers

DIRECTIVES
DECLARATIVES
Attempt to make the hearer act fit
Attempt to change the world by
the prepositional context (or to do
""representing it as having been
something.
changed"
Examples: Suggestion, Demands,
Examples: Decrees and Declarations
and Requests
Language Functions

ROMAN JAKOBSON
 REFERENTIAL FUNCTION
Corresponds to the factor of Context and describes a
situation, object or mental state.
Can consist of both definite descriptions and deictic words,
Associated with an element whose true value is under
Language questioning especially when the truth value is identical in both
the real and assumptive universe.
Functions
POETIC FUNCTION
focuses on "the message for its own sake"
The code itself, and how it is used
Operative function in poetry as well as slogans
 EMOTIVE FUNCTION
Relates to the Addresser (sender)
Best exemplified by interjections and other sound changes
that do not alter the denotative meaning of an utterance but

Language do add information about the Addresser's (speaker's) internal

state.
Functions

CONATIVE FUNCTION
Engages the Addressee (receiver) directly and is best
illustrated by vocatives and imperatives
 PHATIC FUNCTION
Language for the sake of interaction and is therefore
associated with the Contact/Channel factor.
Can be observed in greetings and casual discussions of the
weather, particularly with strangers.
Language Provides the keys to open, maintain, verify or close the
communication channel
Functions

METALINGUAL FUNCTION
Use of language (what Jakobson calls "Code") to discuss or
describe itself.
Context affects directness
of the act.
CULTURAL OR SOCIAL FACTORS
ARE REFLECTED IN UTTERANCES.
 How it affects these:

1. Utterance must be conventionally associated with the

speech act
2. Context must be conventionally recognized.
Setting must be appropriate
3. Speaker must be sincere.
4. Involved parties intend the purpose.
The essential condiition
Context
Situations in which something happens and that
helps you to understand it (OALD 9th edition)
Words that come just before and after a word,
phrase, or statement and help you to understand
its meaning.
May be related to something outside the text
which is somehow influencing the meaning and
interpretation (Van Dijdk)
Includes:
Place/Setting Background
Situations Tone/ PitchWords
Objects Persons
Culture
 LINGUISTIC CONTEXT
Set of other words used in the same
phrase/sentence..

PHYSICAL OR SOCIOLOGICAL
Types of CONTEXT
Context situation/time/place in which words are used

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Natural situation of something
For example, death and wedding
 CONSTATIVE
Describe a situation
May be True or False

Types
of
Utterances PERFORMATIVE
Incites an action
Can be Felicitous or Infelicitious
(condiitions
Felicity
Condition
BOTH SPEAKER AND
RECEIVER ACCEPT CERTAIN
ASSUMPTIONS

Convention used as code to

produce and recognize actions
must be met for a speech act to
achieve its purpose
 PROPOSITIONAL CONDITIONS
Focuses on the textual act
Requires that the performative utterances component
fulfill the performative act
Example: Do not demand using utterance that performs
a promise
Types of
Felicity EXECUTIVE/PREPARATORY CONDITIONS
Conditions: It calls for the speech act to be embedded to an
appropriate context
This involve that:
Utterances must have a clear purpose
Speaker's authority and circumstances must be
suitable to be performed sucessfully
 SINCERITY CONDITIONS
Speaker's psychological state
Requires that both the speaker and the hearer take the
utterance to be intentional or sincere
Example: Pinochio

Types of
Felicity FULFILLMENT/ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS
Conditions: Illocutionary Act
Both the speaker and the hearer must take the utterance
to be performative
Express actions to perform utterance
 The Cooperative Principle
Unspoken agreement that people will cooperate in communicating with
each other and speakers rely on this agreement.

MAXIM OF QUANTITY MAXIM OF MANNER

Give as much information as is necessary, not more Be clear and straight to the point
nor less Avoid obscurity of expression Be Brief
Avoid ambiguity Be Orderly

MAXIM OF RELEVANCE MAXIM OF QUALITY

Be relevant Try not to make your contribution one that is true
*Exceptions: Do not say that for which you know to be false
For new aspect of the topic or in changing the topics Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence
 The Things We Do with Words:
Ilongot Speech Acts and Speech Act
Theory in Philosophy
Michelle Z. Rosaldo

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM (?)

What are the speech acts of Ilongots?

RESPONDENTS
Ilongot tribe that inhabits Southern Sierra Madre
and Canaballo Mountains (East side of Luzon)
Results and Discussion

CONTEXTS AND
CULTURE
SPEECH ACTS intense aggressiveness
Always convey action cultural conservatism
DIRECTIVES labor-intensive
Maintain power and
Tuydek (Commands) dominance
Beje (Requests and Sustain order and uccess
Complains)
Thank you for listening!

HAVE A GOOD DAY