Lesson 12-13

Types of Speech Act:

Locution, Illocution
& Perlocution
 OBJECTIVES

1. define speech act and

differentiate its types and
categories;
2. give meaningful examples of
speech acts; and
3. identify uses of speech acts in
common conversations.
 Speech Act is a functional unit in
communication. (Austin’s theory
SPEECH ACTS 1962).
A speech act might contain just
one word or several words or
sentences.
For example, "Thanks" and "Thank
you for always being there for me. I
really appreciate it"
 THREE TYPES OF SPPECH ACTS
SPEECH ACT THEORY

PERLOCUTIONARY
ILLOCUTIONARY
LOCUTIONARY
the result or effect
related to the
the literal meaning that is produced by
social function that
of the utterance. the utterance in the
the utterance or the
given context.
written text has.
 Example: “The bar will be closed in
LOCUTIONARY
5 minutes”.
ILLOCUTIONAR
Y
(act of saying): Saying
(info-persuasion): The act of PERLOCUTIONARY
that the bar will be
informing the customers of
closed in 5 min. r. (effect): The bartender intends
the bar’s imminent closing
to be performing this act by
and perhaps also the act of
causing the customers to
urging them to order a last
believe the bar is about to
drink.
close, and of getting them to
want and to order one last
drink.
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. Read the
following utterance for example.
 STATEMENT
Inferred speech act: Do you have
the ability to hand over the rice?
"Can you pass Indirect speech act: Please pass

the salt?" the salt.

 A professor from the
John Searle University of California,
Berkeley, classified
1976 illocutionary acts into five
distinct categories

Representative/Assertive - examples
. Directive - examples are asking,
are suggesting, putting forward,
ordering, requesting, inviting,
swearing, boasting, and concluding.
advising, and begging.
s.
The earth is round. Examples: Give me your pen.
I think, he is saying the truth Leave the town immediately.
 Commissive - examples are
promising, planning, vowing,
and betting
I will repay the money.
I swear to tell the truth.

Expressive - examples are Declaration - examples are blessing,

thanking, apologizing. baptizing, bidding, passing a
welcoming, and deploring. sentence.

I am sorry for being late. Class dismissed.

You are fired.
What a great day! We find the defendant not guilty.
Responding
to Speech
Acts
 Lesson 01

OBJECTIVES

1. identify the correct

responses from different
situations, and
2. respond correctly to a
speech act
 There are two questions of
particular interest:
How do listeners decide whether a speech should be taken
directly or indirectly? And if it is to be taken indirectly, how do
listeners decide its indirect meaning?
Grice’s cooperative Refers to a set of
principle norms that are
expected in
conversations.
 Grice’s cooperative principle
EXAMPLE

Hi, John,
MAXIM OF Oh, not so good, Mary. I just had a
tooth out, then last week I had an how are
QUANTITY epidural injection in my spine, followed ya?
by restorative surgery on my little
toe; you should have seen it, it was
give as much horrible, and you wouldn't believe what
information as is the surgeon charged, I just got the bill!
Our health care system is outrageous,
necessary, but not and the traffic on the way to work
more. today! Unbelievable!
 Grice’s cooperative principle

MAXIM OF
MANNER
MAXIM OF RELEVANCE

be orderly and clear;

be relevant; don't overload the avoid ambiguity and
conversation with superfluous or obscurity.
irrelevant material. This requires
speakers to organize their utterances so
that they are relevant to the ongoing
context.
 Grice’s cooperative principle
EXAMPLE
1. Looks like
it might rain!
MAXIM OF Oh, yes, it's going to be ten
inches of rain, followed by
2. Where do
QUALITY snow, at least 20 inches, then you get your
hail; then a plague of locusts, information?
be truthful and and the sun will shine from
midnight until 2 a.m. Then
provide evidence for there will be silence in heaven
statements. for about a half an hour, and
when the seventh seal is
opened...
 Activity
Directions: Each problem presents a short dialogue. You must
identify which maxim is being used or violated.

1) John: Where have you been? I searched everywhere for you during
the past three months!
Mike: I wasn’t around. So, what’s the big deal?
2) Teacher: Why didn’t you do your homework?
Student: May I go and get some water? I’m so thirsty.
3) Sarah: Did you enjoy the party last night?
Anna: There was plenty of oriental food on the table, lots of flowers
all over the place, people hanging around chatting with each other…
 Activity
Directions: Each problem presents a short dialogue. You
must identify which maxim is being used or violated.

4) Bob: What were you and Anna talking about? You were looking
all the time!
Marry: Oh, well… why don’t we go get something to drink?

5) Wow! You’re such a punctual fellow! Welcome to the class.

Student: Sorry sir! It won’t happen again.