Speech Acts


 Speech Act

Refers to the basic unit of human linguistic
communication that implies a meaningful
utterance, and sometimes an intentional utterance
to achieve interpersonal goals through spoken
language. And this speech act affects on the
hearer.
The first theorist who spoke about Speech Acts in the
modern era was called (John Austin), and his theory
divided Speech Acts into three levels.

Speech Act

Locutionary Act

Illocutionary Act

Perlocutionary Act
 - Locutionary Act

Is the actual utterance or transmission of words or phrases, without

consideration of their intended meaning.
It is the basic physical act of saying something.

(The meaningful utterance)

 - Illocutionary Act

Is the act performed by a speaker in saying something

with an appropriate intention and in an appropriate
context.

(The intentional utterance)

 - Perlocutionary Act

Is the effect on the mind or behavior of the listener as a

result of producing Locutionary and Illocutionary acts.
A mother said to her child, “Why don’t you
go and play outside?”.

- Locutionary Act
She wants him to play and have fun.

- Illocutionary Act
She needs some quiet time.
 At the end of the interview, Mohammed
said to the interviewer “Nice to meet you!”.

- Locutionary Act
It shows politeness and kindness.

- Illocutionary Act
Mohammed is using adulation in order to have positive
results, and to have a relationship with the interviewer.
After John Austin, came his student (John Searle). This one divided
Speech Act, under Illocutionary Act only, into five types, and we
should know that those five types cannot be realized unless we
have a context; otherwise, we can only understand the Locutionary
act. Those types are:

1- Representative (Assertive)

2- Declarative

3- Expressive

4- Directive

5- Commissive
 1- Representative (Assertive)
It is a type of Illocutionary Act in which a statement may be judged true
or false.

In this kind of Illocutionary Act, we can use the function of verbs such
as; affirm, believe, think, conclude, deny, or report.

Ex 1:
John and Susan were debating whether the Earth is spherical or flat.
John said; “All the evidence from satellites, and photographs from the
space clearly show that the Earth is spherical, not flat.”
- Locutionary Act:
General meaning
- Illocutionary Act:
It says that he wants to assert that all the evidence mentioned
above prove the fact that the Earth is spherical.
- Perlocutionary Act depends on the listener (Susan). She may
accept, or refuse, the statement.
 2- Declarative:

In this type, the speaker alters the external status or condition of

an object.

In this kind of Illocutionary Act, we can use the function of verbs such
as; Blessing, firing, bidding, or excommunicating.

Ex:
I declare you husband and wife.

- Illocutionary:
Now, after the declaration, she is under his responsibility, and he
can take her from her family.
Ex 2:
One of the presentations took longer time than it is supposed to
take. At the end of it, most of the students got bored and wanted to
go home; our Prof. looked at his watch, and said to all the students,
“It is 11:00 o’clock.”

- Declarative Illocutionary Act:

The Prof. did not want to tell us what time it is, but he intended
to give us the permission to leave.
 3- Expressive

This type of Illocutionary acts tends to show what the speaker

feels. It expresses the psychological state or attitude of the speaker
about a state of affairs.

In this kind of Illocutionary Act, we can use the function of words such
as; Apologizing, congratulating, and thanking.

Ex:
After three years far away, my father is home again. My heart is leaping
out.

- Expressive Illocutionary Act:

The speaker expresses that he feels unspeakably happy.
Ex 2:
“I looked over all my furniture, examined every chair, wondering
whether the trouble lay there (for if one chair is not standing in the
same position as it stood the day before, I am not myself).”
Fyodor Dostoevsky

- Expressive Illocutionary Act:

The author did not mean that he is another person, but he
intentionally expressed that he is uncomfortable as he used to be in
his corner.
 4- Directive

This type is used by the speaker for getting someone to do

something. This type of Illocutionary Act can make the hearer
under an obligation.

In this kind of Illocutionary Act, we can use the function of words such
as; Order, request, ask, invite, advise, suggest, challenge, command, beg,
and warn.

Ex:
“Your dad is sleeping!”. Mum whispered in her son’s ear.

- Directive Illocutionary Act:

She wanted not to inform him that his father is sleeping, but to
warn him not to be noisy.
Fuad said to Khalid, “You look nice today.”
Khalid cried, “Just a minute!”

- Locutionary Act
The sentence “You look nice today” means that Fuad is
describing Khalid’s handsomeness.

- Illocutionary Act
In fact, Fuad is not describing his friend, but he wants to
say “We are late. Hurry up!”

- Perlocutionary Act
Khalid got it and said, “Just a minute!” and this is the
effect on the hearer or listener.
 5- Commissive

This type of Illocutionary acts tends to make the speaker to

commit what they said. It is also a future action of the speaker.
In this type of Illocutionary Act, we can use the function of words such
as; offer, promise, swear, guarantee, and pledge.

Ex:
A: Tomorrow is our presentation, and you have not done anything, yet!
B: I will not sleep tonight.

- Commissive Illocutionary Act:

Speaker B obligated himself to work all night in order to finish
preparing for the presentation, without mentioning or saying any word
related to the presentation.
 ‫‪ِ -‬س ّر ك في بير‪.‬‬

‫والمعنى هنا‪ ،‬كما يعرف جميعنا‪" ،‬أعدك أاَّل أبوح!" أو "أعدك أاّل يعرف بما قلَتُه أحد!"‪.‬‬
 ‫تقديم‪:‬‬
‫‪-‬توهيب مهيوب الجبزي‬
‫‪-‬أسامة هشام باشا‬
‫‪-‬أشرف صادق الحسيني‬
‫‪-‬عبدالحكيم محمد محمود الصبري‬

‫‪‬‬
‫‪..THANK YOU‬‬