15 Questions
What is a speech act?
An expression that presents information and performs an action
Who developed the theory of locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts?
J. L. Austin
Which of the following is NOT considered a speech act?
Informing
According to J.L. Austin, when are performative sentences considered 'happy'?
When the speaker does the actions he or she talks about
What is an implicit verb?
A verb that would not be suitable for use in performative speech acts
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
What is an example of an indirect speech act used to reject a proposal?
'I have class'
Which of the following best defines an illocutionary act?
An act that is intended to achieve an effect on the listener
Which philosopher emphasized a psychological interpretation of speech acts?
John R. Searle
What is the difference between illocutionary and perlocutionary acts?
Illocutionary acts are centered around the listener, while perlocutionary acts relate more to the speaker
What is a performative speech act?
An act that is itself the performance of an action
What is a locutionary act?
The verbal, social, and rhetorical meanings of an utterance
Who first introduced the idea of 'don't ask for the meaning, ask for the use' in relation to language?
J.L. Austin
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
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'
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.
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.
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