QUESTION 27: DISTINGUISH

DIRECT SPEECH ACTS FROM

INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS.
Trần Thị My
 I. Speech acts.
 II. Direct speech acts.

 III. Indirect speech acts.

 IV. Distinguish direct speech acts from indirect speech acts.

I.WHAT IS SPEECH ACTS?
 Sentence type Typical linguistic act performed by
uttering a sentence of this type

Declarative Asserting

Interrogative Asking
Imperative Ordering

Speech acts :
An utterance as a functional unit in communication.
Ex1. Lend me some money!  Direct Speech Acts
Ex2. Would you lend me some money?  Indirect Speech Acts
II. DIRECT SPEECH ACTS.
 When we speak we do mean exactly the same as the
literal meaning of what we say, we make a direct speech
act.
 Example:
III. INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS.
 When we intend something which is quite different from
the literal meaning of what we say, we make an indirect
speech act.
 Example:
When someone says ‘Can you pass the salt?’. Here he is not
asking about your ability to pass the salt – but requesting you to
pass the salt.
 IV. DISTINGUISH DIRECT SPEECH ACTS FROM INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS.
Direct Speech Acts Indirect Speech Acts
   
Ex1: John will go to school. One common way of performing speech acts
Assertion/Statement is to use an expression which indicates one
+ Sentence type: speech act, and indeed performs this act, but
Declarative also performs a further speech act, which is
+ Function: convey information, can indirect.
be true or false.    Indirect speech acts are commonly used
to reject, proposal and requests.  
Direct Speech Acts Indirect Speech Acts
   

Ex2: Will John go to school? Ex1:

Questions -A speakers asks : "Would you
+Sentence type: like to go fishing with us? "
Interrogative - A hearer
+Function: explicit information replies: " I have to do my homework"
=> The hearer used
an indirect speech act to reject the proposal.
Direct Speech Acts Indirect Speech Acts
 

Ex3: John, go to the school! Ex2 :

Command/ Orders and requests A: " Would you like to go for a
+Sentence type: Imperative walk? "
+Function: tell
someone to do something. B: I have to go shopping with my mother.

=> Student B doesn't deny for A suggestion

directly, but B used an indirect speech act
to imply that B can't go for a walk.