UNIT 6

LESSON 1 : WHAT ARE SPEECH ACTS ?

-language or words are used as a tool to convey messages, ideas, and opinions.

JOHN LANGSHAW AUSTIN (1962)

- Proposed the speech act theory

JOHN ROGERS SEARLE (1969)

- Further developed the speech act theory
- Based on the premise that words not only convey information but that they can also carry out
actions

(Both Austin & Searle are concerned with what the speaker means-which is his or her intention-
when he or she says something rather than what the utterance literally means in a language)

KINDS OF UTTERANCES
1. CONSTATIVE UTTERANCES – describe a situation or insinuate assertions. “the door is
open”. “Josh is seventeen years old.” ”She can cook”

2. PERFORMATIVE UTTERANCES – are words that incite action. “No talking.” “I command
you to take your seat.” “Go!”

LESSON 2 : LOCUTION

LOCUTIONARY ACT – is defined as the act of producing meaningful utterance.

TYPES OF LOCUTION
1. UTTERANCE ACT – this is something that is said without any intention to communicate
meaning
2. PROPOSITIONAL ACT – the speaker gains that chance to interact. It does not have to be a
complete

LESSON 3 : ILLOCUTION
ILLOCUTION – is the meaning one wishes to communicate or convey. It is the act that a speaker
performs in saying the utterance

FIVE MAJOR CATEGORIES

1. EXPRESSIVES – these express a speaker’s emotion and attitudes toward a particular situation
2. DECLARACTIONS – these are speech acts that, upon being uttered, immediately bring about
a change in the situation.
3. ASSERTIVES – convey information regarding something.
4. DIRECTIVES – cause the individual being addressed to do a particular action.
5. COMMISIVES – commit the speaker to doing a particular action in the future.

LESSON 4 : PERLOCUTION

PERLOCUTIONARY ACT – is the effect, intentional or unintentional, the utterance has on the
behavior, thoughts, and feelings of the addressee.

LOCUTION – referring to the actual words said by the speaker (Erwin).

ILLOCUTION – is the action done by the speaker in making the utterance.
PERLOCUTION – is the consequence or effect of what was said or what was achieved

THREE SPEECH ACTS :

1. LOCUTIONARY ACT – refers to what is said.
2. ILLOCUTIONARY ACT – refers to the meaning one intends to convey
3. PERLOCUTIONARY ACT – is the effect caused by the utterance on the behavior thoughts,
and feelings of the addressee.

THE TWO TYPES OF LOCUTIONARY ACTS:

1. UTTERANCE ACT
2. PROPOSITIONAL ACT

FIVE TYPES OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACTS

1. EXPRESSIVES
2. DECLARATIONS
3. ASSERTIVES
4. DIRECTIVES
5. COMMISSIVES