Speech Act Theory Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is a speech act?

A written text without spoken words

A conversation between two or more people

An utterance made to achieve an effect (correct)

A speech given in public

Which type of speech act involves simply stating facts?

Illocutionary act

Perlocutionary act

Locutionary act (correct)

Indirect speech act

What does an illocutionary act represent?

The resulting effect of an utterance

The social function behind an utterance (correct)

An inquiry about ability

The actual production of sounds

What defines a performative utterance?

It's an utterance that can change reality. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an indirect speech act?

Can you pass the rice? Signup and view all the answers

In speech act theory, what is the locutionary act primarily concerned with?

The literal act of making sounds or writing Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of speech act described by J.L. Austin?

Conversational act Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by an inferred speech act?

It implies a different meaning than expressed. Signup and view all the answers

What type of illocutionary act is represented by the statement 'Could you please pass the rice?'

Directive Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an assertive illocutionary act?

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. Signup and view all the answers

What does a commissive illocutionary act entail?

Committing to performing a future action. Signup and view all the answers

The statement 'I swear I will finish the project on Friday' is an example of which illocutionary act?

Commissives Signup and view all the answers

Which illocutionary act would 'I’m sorry for your loss' best represent?

Expressive Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements represents a directive illocutionary act?

Please do the dishes. Signup and view all the answers

What type of illocutionary act is demonstrated by the sentence 'Therefore, I believe that when we unite, we can accomplish the task'?

Assertive Signup and view all the answers

Which illocutionary act emphasizes the speaker's commitment to future actions?

Commissive Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Speech Act Theory

Speech acts are utterances that speakers use to achieve an intended effect
They can encompass one word or several sentences
J.L. Austin (1962) identified three types of acts in every utterance
These acts are locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary

Locutionary Act

The basic act of producing sounds or writing sentences
Simply the act of saying something
Example: "It is raining outside." - simply stating a fact

Illocutionary Act

The intended social function behind the words
Beyond simply stating something, it involves requesting, promising, apologizing, or commanding
Example: "Please do the dishes." - a request for the addressee to wash dishes

Perlocutionary Act

The resulting action caused by what is said
Based on the specific context, leading to a change
Example: "Please do the dishes." - leading to dish washing

Indirect Speech Acts

Occur when the form of the utterance doesn't directly relate to the intended meaning
Differ in force (intention) from the inferred speech act
Example: "Can you pass the rice?" - the inferred speech act is "Do you have the ability to hand over the rice?", and indirect speech act is "Please pass the rice."

Performative Utterances

Statements used to perform an action through simply stating it
The utterance must be made by the right person, under the right circumstances, to bring about a change in the world
Examples: "I now pronounce you husband and wife." or "I sentence you to ten years imprisonment."

Types of Illocutionary Acts (Based on Searle's Classification)

Assertive: Expressing belief about the truth of a proposition ("The Earth is round.")
Directive: To make the addressee perform an action ("Give me the book.")
Commissive: The speaker commits to doing something in the future ("I will call you.")
Expressive: Expressing feelings or emotional reactions ("I'm sorry for your loss.")
Declaration: Brings about a change in the external situation ("I now pronounce you husband and wife.")

Communicative Competence

The ability to use linguistic knowledge to effectively communicate with others
Essential for using and understanding speech acts

Additional Examples

Locutionary Act: "It's cold in here."
Illocutionary Act: Indirect request to increase the temperature.
Perlocutionary Act: The addressee increases the temperature

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Description

Explore the fundamentals of Speech Act Theory, which delves into how utterances serve to achieve various intended effects. This quiz covers the three main types of speech acts identified by J.L. Austin: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. Test your understanding of how these concepts apply in communication.