Week 4 - Speech Acts + Searles taxonomy Flashcards
What is a speech act?
form of human action - ACT performed BY Speaking
“I promise to give you 10 dollars”
- PROMISE CREATED by UTTERING WORDS: WORD GENERATE ACT of Promising
Locutionary Content
The MEANING of the WORDS in an utterance and the MEANING of their COMBO in a SENTENCE. (Form)
illocutionary force
The INTENTION of the Speaker saying an utterance
- a sentence with the same Locutionary Content, could be said with diff illocutionary force in diff contexts
> literal meaning vs. contextual/intentional meaning
EG. THERES A BULL IN THE FIELD
“oh, good one, mate.” (crash)
“oh, good one, mate!” :)
AUSTIN’s (1962) example of Locutionary Content vs Illocutionary Force
“There’s a bull in the field.”
Clear meaning BUT Interpretations based on context/speaker intention:
- assertion/description: “Have you been to my uncle’s farm? There’s a bull in the field.”
- warning: “Don’t take a picnic there! There’s a bull in the field.”
- advice: “You need your cow serviced and can’t afford expensive stud fees?
Well, there’s a bull in the field…”
Traditional Grammar: 3 Classes of Speech act
- Based on Form
- In range of languages
DECLARATIVES (statements)
INTERROGATIVES (questions)
IMPERATIVES (commands)
Problems with traditional 3 classes of speech act
- Too Limited
FORMS MORE THAN ONE ILLOCUTIONARY FORCE
English: We can Identify FORMAL PROPERTIES
- Kim will take out the rubbish. (statement)
- Will Kim take out the rubbish? (question)
- Take out the rubbish, Kim! (command)
> Each has unmarked illocutionary force
- interrogative forms NOT always questions :
“wld u mind shutting the door?” - ILL FORCE of REQUEST/COMMAND
“do u want to stay up all night?!” - ILL FORCE of WARNING
“is the pope catholic?” - ILL FORCE of AFFIRMATIVE ‘yes’
On basis of form, TOO LIMITED: Searle’s analysis of speech acts
Searle’s (1975) Analysis of Speech Acts
- TYPOLOGY of speech acts
- description of the STRUCTURE of speech act
- REPRESENTATIVES
- COMMISSIVES
- DIRECTIVES
- DECLARATIONS
- EXPRESSIVES
- VERDICATIVES
REPRESENTATIVE speech acts
REPRESENT STATE OF AFFAIRS in the world, etc
- assertions - Property is theft.
- claims - I wrote all Shakespeare’s plays.
- descriptions - The weather today is warm.
COMMISSIVE speech acts
COMMIT the SPEAKER to FUTURE COURSE OF ACTION
- promises - I’ll give you ten dollars.
- threats - Go ahead, punk, make my day!
- vows - I’ll never drink again.
DIRECTIVE speech acts
DIRECT the ADDRESSEE to CARRY OUT ACTION
- commands - Take two a day with water.
- requests - Please turn the lights down?
- dares - Go ahead, punk, make my day!
- entreaties - Spare him his life …
DECLARATION speech acts
NOT declarative
BRING ABOUT a STATE OF AFFAIRS - u change something in the world by speaking
- marrying - I now declare you husband and wife.
- naming - I name this ship “Titanic II”
- blessing - I bless this house.
- arresting - I arrest you in the name of the law.
- ending - I hereby dismiss this class.
EXPRESSIVE speech acts
EXPRESS speakers PSYCH STATE/MENTAL ATTITUDE
- greeting - G’day!
- congratulating - Good on ya!
- thanking - You beauty!
- apologising - Sorry ‘bout last night.
VERDICATIVE speech acts
ASSESS or PASS JUDGEMENT
- judging - You’ve done a bad bad thing.
- condoning - That’s a good idea!
- ?permitting - Yes, you can.
Searle’s Felicity Conditions
- conventions used to evaluate speech acts
- speech act = INFELICIOUS/UNSUCCESSFUL if some /felicity condition/ does NOT HOLD
Game of Chess Example:
- PROPOSITIONAL condition
- PREPARATORY condition
- Player 1 turn to move - SINCERITY condition
- Player 1 not cheating/throwing game - ESSENTIAL condition
- Knight is moved to position allowed:
i. rules of chess
ii. current state of board
i promise to give you 10 dollars
- Searle’s analysis of Promising
• PROPOSITIONAL content condition
o I have said something about a future act of me giving you $10
• PREPARATORY condition
o You’d rather get $10 than not, and I believe you’d rather get a
$10 than not.
o I wouldn’t have given you $10 in the normal course of events
• SINCERITY condition
o I actually intend to give you $10
• ESSENTIAL condition
o We understand that my saying that I’ll give you $10 is an obligation
on my part to do so
