Austin’s

Theory of
Pragmatics

ELS 109 | Intro to Pragmatics

Austin’s Theory of
Pragmatics
 Acts

 Performatives & Constatives

 Felicities

John Langshaw
Austin
Types of Acts
 Locutionary Act

 Illocutionary Act

 Perlocutionary Act
Constatives
Descriptive sentences (i.e.
sentences that say something)
are called constatives.
Performatives
sentences that do something
(rather than say something)
are performatives.

the performative (doing)

sentences are associated with
the illocutionary act - the act
especially done in speaking
Performative Formula
“I (hereby) verb-present-
active X”
I hereby pronounce you, husband
and wife.
I sentence him to 5 years of
imprisonment.
I declare this day a holiday in
celebration of…
 Successful and Unsuccessful
Performative
Happy or (a) Misinvocation, which disallow a
purported act (i.e. a pretended act
Felicitous something done hard to believe). For
Unhappy or example an individual who is not
traditionally vested with the power to
Infelicitous marry a couple, or christen a child is
disallowed from performing it.
 Successful and Unsuccessful
Performative
(b) Misexecution, - when the act is
Happy or vitiated (weakened or destroyed) by
errors or omission occurring while
Felicitous performing the act by the right
Unhappy or authority. For example if a
priest/pastor fails to use the right
Infelicitous names or fails to complete the
ceremony of marriage, the purported
act does not take place.