SPEECH ACTS

A speech act is an utterance

that a speaker makes to
achieve an intended effect.
THREE TYPES OF
SPEECH ACT
1. LOCUTIONARY ACT is
the actual act of uttering.
“Please do the dishes.”
2. ILLOCUTIONARY ACT is the
social function of what is said.
By uttering the locution “Please do
the dishes,” the speaker requests the
addressee to wash the dishes.
3. PERLOCUTIONARY ACT is the
resulting act of what is said.
“Please do the dishes” would lead to
the addressee washing the dishes.
There are also indirect speech acts which
occur when there is no direct connection
between the form of the utterance and
the intended meaning. They are different
in force (i.e., intention) from the inferred
speech act.
INFERRED SPEECH ACT:
“Can you pass the rice?”

INDIRECT SPEECH ACT:

Please pass the rice.
PERFORMATIVES
Austin introduced the concept of
performative utterances: statements
which enable the speaker to perform
something just by stating it.
A performative utterance said by the
right person under the right
circumstances results in a change in the
world.
Example: “I now pronounce you
husband and wife,”
 SEARLE’S
CLASSIFICATIONS
OF SPEECH ACT
1. ASSERTIVE – a type of illocutionary act in
which the speaker expresses belief about the
truth of a proposition. Some examples of an
assertive act are suggesting, putting forward,
swearing, boasting, and concluding.
Example: No one makes better pancakes than
I do.
2. DIRECTIVE – a type of illocutionary act in
which the speaker tries to make the addressee
perform an action. Some examples of a
directive act are asking, ordering, requesting,
inviting, advising, and begging.
Example: Please close the door.
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.
Example: From now on, I will participate in
our group activity.
4. EXPRESSIVE – a type of illocutionary act in
which the speaker expresses his/her feelings or
emotional reactions. Some examples of an
expressive act are thanking, apologizing,
welcoming, and deploring.
Example: I am so sorry for not helping out in
our group projects and letting you do all the
work.
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.
Example: You are fired!
COMMUNICATIVE
STRATEGY
 TYPES OF
COMMUNICATIVE
STRATEGY
1. NOMINATION is
the act of putting
forward or
suggesting a topic
for conversation.
2. RESTRICTION is
the act of
limiting what will
be said about the
topic.
3. TURN TAKING is
the manner in which
people engaged in a
conversation manage
their turns to
speak.
4. TOPIC CONTROL is
the ability to
maintain the focus
of the conversation
on the current
topic.
5. TOPIC SHIFTING
is a movement from
one topic to a
related topic.
6. REPAIR is a
correction of an
utterance after it
has been said in
the conversation.
7. TERMINATION is
the conclusion of
the old topic and a
transition to the
new one.