Speech Acts Quiz: Test Your Knowledge with Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is a speech act?

A statement that performs an action only

An expression that presents information and performs an action (correct)

A statement that presents information only

An expression that presents information and does not perform an action

Who developed the theory of locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts?

Ferdinand de Saussure

J. L. Austin (correct)

Noam Chomsky

Kent Bach

Which of the following is NOT considered a speech act?

Refusing

Warning

Informing (correct)

Apologizing

According to J.L. Austin, when are performative sentences considered 'happy'?

When the speaker does the actions he or she talks about Signup and view all the answers

What is an implicit verb?

A verb that would not be suitable for use in performative speech acts Signup and view all the answers

What is an indirect speech act?

An expression which indicates one speech act, and indeed performs this act, but also performs a further speech act, which is indirect Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an indirect speech act used to reject a proposal?

'I have class' Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines an illocutionary act?

An act that is intended to achieve an effect on the listener Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher emphasized a psychological interpretation of speech acts?

John R. Searle Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between illocutionary and perlocutionary acts?

Illocutionary acts are centered around the listener, while perlocutionary acts relate more to the speaker Signup and view all the answers

What is a performative speech act?

An act that is itself the performance of an action Signup and view all the answers

What is a locutionary act?

The verbal, social, and rhetorical meanings of an utterance Signup and view all the answers

Who first introduced the idea of 'don't ask for the meaning, ask for the use' in relation to language?

J.L. Austin Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a locutionary act and an illocutionary act?

A locutionary act is the implied request or meaning presented by the utterance, while an illocutionary act is the actual utterance and its apparent meaning Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of J.L. Austin's 'How to Do Things with Words'?

It introduced the notions of 'locutionary act', 'illocutionary act', and 'perlocutionary act' Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Speech Acts

A speech act is a verbal utterance that performs a specific action, such as making a promise, giving an order, or making a statement.

J.L. Austin's Theory

J.L. Austin developed the theory of locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts.
Locutionary acts refer to the literal meaning of the words spoken.
Illocutionary acts refer to the action performed by speaking, such as making a promise or giving an order.
Perlocutionary acts refer to the effect of the speech on the listener, such as persuading or convincing.

Types of Speech Acts

Performative sentences are utterances that perform an action, such as "I promise to be there" or "I declare this meeting open".
Performative sentences are considered 'happy' when they are spoken in a conventional way, with the right intentions, and in a suitable context.
Implicit verbs are verbs that are implied but not explicitly stated, such as "I will" in "I will be there".
Indirect speech acts are utterances that convey a meaning indirectly, such as "Can you pass the salt?" (meaning "Pass the salt").
Example of an indirect speech act: "Do you think we could meet at 2pm?" (meaning "I don't want to meet at 1pm").

Illocutionary Acts

Illocutionary acts are the actions performed by speaking, such as making a promise or giving an order.
Illocutionary acts are best defined as the action performed by the speaker, rather than the speaker's intention or the effect on the listener.

Philosophical Perspectives

Paul Grice emphasized a psychological interpretation of speech acts, focusing on the speaker's intention and the listener's inference.
J.L. Austin's philosophy emphasizes the importance of understanding language in terms of its use, rather than its meaning.

Key Distinctions

The difference between illocutionary and perlocutionary acts is that illocutionary acts refer to the action performed by speaking, while perlocutionary acts refer to the effect on the listener.
The difference between a locutionary act and an illocutionary act is that locutionary acts refer to the literal meaning of the words, while illocutionary acts refer to the action performed by speaking.

Significance of J.L. Austin's Work

J.L. Austin's 'How to Do Things with Words' is significant because it introduced the concept of speech acts and showed how language can be used to perform actions, rather than just convey meaning.

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Description

Test your knowledge on speech acts and their various types including locutionary, illocutionary, perlocutionary, and metalocutionary acts. This quiz will help you understand the different ways in which language can be used to persuade, convince, scare, enlighten, inspire, and more.