Helpful for Semantics Course.

1. Welcome to my presentation
Refana Shaheen Tonu
ID: M 190102726
8th Batch

2. Presentation topic
SPEECHACTTHEORY
The speech act theory
considers language as a
sort of action rather than a
medium to convey and
express.
-J. L. Austin
The basic unit of language is
the speech act or
illocutionary act, the
production of a token in the
context of a speech act.
-Jhon Searle

3. distinctive utterances by Austin
Performative Vs. Constatives
Performative
a) I thank you
b) I order you to read
c) I request you to send me the book
Constatives
a) I am very grateful
b) You must read
c) Send me the book

4. Explicit and Implicit Performatives
Explicit Performatives
Verbs such as assert, request, state, warn, apologize,
name, etc.
Ex- I promise that I will repay you the money I
borrowed.
I order you to leave the town immediately.
Implicit Performatives
I will repay the money I borrowed.
Leave the town immediately.

5. Illocutionar
y
Locutionary perlocutiona
ry
Component of speech act theory
Illocutionary
• What
speaker
means to
convey
• Communicati
on purpose
Locutionary
• Actual words
of the
message
• Literal
meaning
Perlocutionary
• Hearer’s
reaction to
speaker’s
message
• Effects of an
utterance

6. Locutionary, Illocutionary, Perlocutionary
The bar will
be closed
within
5min
Act of
saying
Effect
Function:
Info-
Persuasion

7. Searle’s felicity conditions
• Propositional content (requires participants
to understand language)
• Preparatory (suitable individuals &
appropriate circumstances)
• Sincerity (S.A is performed seriously &
sincerely)
• Essential (speaker intends that an utterance
be acted upon by the addressee)

8. Austin’s felicity condition
1)Preparatory conditions (suitable individuals and
appropriate circumstances) .
2) Conditions for executions (the procedure must
be performed correctly and completely).
3) Sincerity conditions (the participants must
have requisite and essential thoughts, feelings,
and Intentions).

9. Austin’s classification of speech act
Verdictives
Diagnosing, Assessing,
Judgments
Commissives
Promising, Opposing,
Betting
Behabitives
Apologizing,
Thanking,
Congratulating
Expositives
Describing,
Stating, Answering
Exercitives
Appointing, Voting,
Warning

10. Searle (1979) Classification of speech act
Assertive Suggestions, Claims
Directives Asking, Request,
Commands
Expressive Apologies, Complaint,
Thanks
Comissives Promises, Threats, Planning,
Vows
Declaratives Decrees, Declarations

11. examples
 It is raining outside.
 Will you help me solve this math?
 I will take you to Disneyland for your
birthday.
 We find the defendant is not guilty.
 I am really thankful to you for your help.

12. Criticism on sa
• Neglects naturalness of language use.
• A single utterance will often perform
several acts simultaneously.
• Single act does not have to be limited
to the sentence
• Use of de-contextualized sentences.