SPEECH STYLE

 is the way people communicate, which results in various speech styles.

Factors to consider in choosing appropriate Speech Style

a. Audience– Who are you speaking with? What is your relationship with him, her, or them?  
b. Topic – What is the subject of the conversation or the communication situation? Is it a serious topic or a
lighthearted one? 
c. Purpose – What is the objective of the communication? What do you and the other participants in the
conversation aim to achieve
d. Location– Where is the communication being held? What is the environment like? 

Types of Speech Styles

1. Intimate – this style is private, which occurs between or among close family members or individuals.
The language used in this style may not be shared in public.
2. Casual – this style is common among peers and friends. Jargon, slang, or the vernacular language are
used.
3. Consultative – this style is the standard one. Professional or mutually acceptable language is a must in
this style. Examples of situations are communication between teachers and students,
employers and employees, doctor and patient, judge and lawyer, or president and his/her
constituents.
4. Formal – this style is used in formal settings. Unlike the consultative style, this is one-way. Examples
are sermons by priests and ministers, state of the nation address of the president, formal
speeches, or pronouncements by judges.
5. Frozen – this style is “frozen” in time and remains unchanged. It mostly occurs in ceremonies. Common
examples are the preamble to the constitution, Lord’s Prayer, and allegiance to country or
flag.

SPEECH ACT
• is an utterance that a speaker makes to achieve an intended effect.
• might contain just one word or several words or sentences
• is based on the premise that words not only convey information but that they can also carry out
actions.
• proposed by John Langshaw Austin in 1962 and was further developed by John Rogers
Searlein1969
• Speech act theory also emphasizes utterances, believing that their meaning varies from how the
speaker expresses them and how the listener perceives them
• regards language as a sort of action instead of as a medium for conveying and expressing ideas.
•
Two kinds of Utterances
1. Constative utterances- describe a situation or insinuate/ suggest 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!” 

Three Types of Speech Act

A. Locutionary act is the actual act of uttering.
“Please do the dishes.”
B. Illocutionary act is the intended meaning of the utterance.
By uttering the locution “Please do the dishes,” the speaker requests the addressee to wash
the dishes.
C. Perlocutionary act is the resulting act of what is said. This effect is based on the particular
context in which the speech act was mentioned.
“Please do the dishes” would lead to the addressee washing the dishes.
 A. LOCUTIONARY ACT

-defined as the act of producing meaningful utterance. However, Searle replaced this concept with
what he calls thepropositional act. It pertains to the act of “saying something” in the normal sense. 

Locution could be performing one of the following functions:    

● asking or answering a question 
● announcing a verdict or an intention 
● giving information, assurance, or warning 
● pronouncing words; 
● making an appeal 
● giving criticism  
● identifying or describing

B. ILLOCUTIONARY ACT

Sometimes, what one says is not supposed to be taken literally. People often make use of
words in a creative way, and some statements even have to be analyzed to decipher their
intention.
- the meaning one wishes to communicate or convey. It is the act that a speaker performs in
saying the utterance. 
- the intended meaning in a speech act may depend on the context of where, why, when, and
how something is said. In other words, this is related to the social function that the utterance
has
Categories of Illocution 
 
The intended meaning in a speech act may depend on the context of where, why, when, and
how something is said. In other words, this is related to the social function that the utterance has.
Illocutions can be classified into five major categories:
1. Expressives – These express a speaker’s emotions and attitudes toward a particular
situation. It include apologizing, welcoming, thanking, and congratulating. 
 “I’m grateful that you managed to accommodate my request despite your busy schedule.”
 “I apologize for everything my son has done. I hope you can forgive him.” 
 “Congratulations and best wishes to you and your wife.”
2. Declarations – These are speech acts that, upon being uttered, immediately bring about a
change in the situation. Examples include appointing, baptizing, declaring, firing, and
nominating.  “I hereby pronounce you husband and wife.”
 “You’re fired!” 
 “As the managing partner, I appoint Mr. Ross as the firm’s newest junior partner.” 

3. Assertives – Basically, these convey information regarding something. This could be in the
form of concluding, stating, describing, asserting, suggesting, and insisting. 
Rose: Jericho’s cat is missing. (1) 
Justin: What does the cat look like? 
Rose: It’s a persian cat, about three months old. (2) 
Justin: I think we should look for the cat outside.(3) 
Rose: Okay. 

4. Directives – These are speech acts that cause the individual being addressed to do a
particular action. These include commanding, daring, challenging, requesting, and asking
someone to do something. 
 “Kindly hand me that box.”
 “Please close the door.” 

5. Commissives – These are speech acts that commit the speaker to doing a particular action
in the future. Examples of this are promising, vowing, planning, and offering. 

Dar: I will have this report ready by next week. (1) 

Alvin: Good. In the meantime, let’s look into the next assignment. (2) 
Sally: Would you like me to help with that? (3) 
Alvin: Yes, Sally. Thank you