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Pragmatics
The study of utterance meaning or how the meanings of
things we say are shaped by context.
Illocutionary Speech Act
Conversational Maxims

Lorie Caparoso-Brocoy
 OVERVIEW OF THE TOPICS

Conversational
Illocutionary Act
Maxims

* Assertive * Expressive * Maxim of Quantity

* Maxim of Quality
* Directive * Declarative
* Maxim of Relevance
* Commissive
* Maxim of Manner
 Speech Act Theory
Tries to explain more precisely how meaning and action are related to language

Locutionary Act Illocutionary Act PrelocutionaryAct

The utterance with a The speaker’s intention
particular sense and from the utterance of what The effects of the utterance
they said. on the audience
reference
Illocutionary Act
 Illocutionary Act
- It is the basic unit of human communication (Searle, 1975)

- The act of saying something with specific intentions of:

(1) stating an opinion, confirming or denying something;

(2) making a prediction, a promise, a request;

(3) issuing an order or decision; or

(4) giving an advice or permission

 Assertive

Declarations Directive
Illocutionary
Illocutionary
Speech
Act

Expressive Commissive
 Types of Illocutionary Acts
The speaker’s utterance is something in which
they believe to be true and in accordance with
Assertives the fact.
Ex. Statements or claims
We watched a movie yesterday.

The speaker to wants the hearer to do something

(imperative).
Directives Ex. Requests or order
Bring me some hot water, please.

The speaker commits themselves to do some action

in the future (promise).
Commissives Ex. Promises or offers
I promise, I will complete the work by tomorrow.
 Types of Illocutionary Acts
The speaker expresses their feeling
or attitude.
Ex. Apologies
Expressives
I am sorry for my disrespectful
behavior.
The speaker brings about a change in
the world via words.
Ex. Baptizing, declaring war,
Declarations excommunicating

I now pronouce you husband and wife.

 ACTIVITY
Identify the types of illocutionary acts of the following statements:

1. I’m awfully sorry I wasn’t at the meeting this

morning. Expressive

2. Can you please send the pictures we had earlier? Directive

3. I’ll submit the manuscripts later. Commissive

4. I baptize you. Declarative

5. I think he is telling the truth. Assertive

Conversational
Maxims
Speaker 1: Asa naman ka?
Speaker 2: Padung na ko.
Speaker 1: Asa ta mangaon?
Speaker 2: Ikaw gud bahala.
 Conversational Maxims
- A set of observations that describe how people communicate when
they want to be properly understood by others.

- proposed by Paul Grice, these maxims continue to be an accurate

description of the shared rules that speakers use in interactions.

- Grice’s maxims of conversations rules that speakers use in interactions

include: Quantity, Quality, Relevance and Manner.
 Four
Conversational
Maxims
 Four
Conversational
Maxims
 Implicature
-something that a speaker does, not something
that a sentence does.
-What the speaker implicates is different from
what s/he says.
-Implicatures are also not what the hearer
learns, beyond the literal meaning, from what
the says
 Grice’s Cooperative Principle
-an assumption that in conversations, speakers will make a
sincere effort to collaboratively exchange information.

-we don’t lie, nor do we assume that our conversational

partners lie—we are sincere, and for the most part, we
contribute relevant information.

Speaker meaning -meaning beyond words alone, which the speaker

assumes the hearer can interpret based on
communicative context
 Manipulating Maxims
Maxim clash – if one maxim is to be maintained, another
must be violated

Speaker A: Have you been to a baseball game lately?

01
Speaker B: No, but I’m going to a game this weekend.

Speaker A has asked for information and Speaker B supplied it in the relevant manner and amount.
 Manipulating Maxims

Speaker A: When is your next class?

02
Speaker B: Sometime this afternoon.

The interplay of the two maxims (quality and quantity) causes a

maxim clash.
 Manipulating Maxims

Speaker A: So, do you think Maria will make it

03 to the wedding?

Speaker B: Well, she told me she was taking

off to work that day.

Maxim of manner is flouted.

 Manipulating Maxims

04 Speaker A: So, do you think Maria is having a baby?

Speaker B: I have a train to catch.

Maxim of relevance, quality and quantity are flouted.

 REFERENCES:
Denham, K. E., & Lobeck, A. C. (2010). Linguistics for everyone: An introduction. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/ Cengage Learning.

https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/elor/lo/speech-acts/index.html

https://www.elcomblus.com/types-of-speech-act/#:~:text=Illocutionary%20Speech%20Act,-In%20an%20Illocutionary&text=stating

%20an%20opinion%2C%20confirming%2C%20or,giving%20advice%20or%20permission.

https://www.thoughtco.com/illocutionary-act-speech-1691044

https://benjamins.com/sites/z.156/exercise/c11q5

https://effectiviology.com/principles-of-effective-communication/

https://medium.com/@levesque/grices-conversational-maxims-189370125917

https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/elor/lo/speech-acts/index.html

https://www.elcomblus.com/types-of-speech-act/#:~:text=Illocutionary%20Speech%20Act,-In%20an%20Illocutionary&text=stating

%20an%20opinion%2C%20confirming%2C%20or,giving%20advice%20or%20permission.

https://www.thoughtco.com/illocutionary-act-speech-1691044

https://benjamins.com/sites/z.156/exercise/c11q5
 Thank you for
listening.
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