Basic concepts in relation Austin's Theory of Speech Acts

1. Language form
Language function
The Theory of Speech Acts
Classification of Illocutionary Acts
García, M. 2015
UNIT 2
THE THEORY
OF SPEECH
ACTS

2. Linguistics
Theory of Speech Acts
Linguists used to focus on language
form rather than language function
formation
of the words
Order of the
words
Meaning
of the
words
There’s a difference between what we say and
what we really want to express

3. Correctness
It refers to the correct use of grammar
rules to create well formed words,
sentences and expressions. This aspect
doesn’t take into account the situation in
which the language is being used.
Correctness : Language Form
Appropriatness: language Function
Case 1 Case 2
a. How is you? a. Are you hungry?
b. Yes, I am hungry
a. Do you want to eat?
b. Yes, I want to eat

4. Appropriateness
It refers to whether what we say or write is
appropriate to the situation where the
communication is taking place
Case 1 Case 2
a. How are you?
b. Not too bad… and
you?
a. Are you feeling OK?
b. Why? Do I look
terrible?
The ability to judge, recognize and use the language
will help us being communicative competent
Correctness : language form
Appropriatness: language function

5. Signification and Value: kinds of meaning
Signification
One word can adopt different meanings
(when it is decontextualized) and
those meanings refer to signification.
It refers to the meaning that
words, phrases, expressions
take when they are used in
isolation, without a context.
Example:
May: fifth month of the year
verb which expresses permission

6. Signification and Value: kinds of meaning
Value
So one word will have different meanings in isolation but
it’ll only adopt one specific value when it is contextualized.
It refers to the meaning that
words, phrases or expressions
can adopt when they are used
within a context.
Case 1 Case 2
a. When is your
birthday?
b. On May, 15th…
a. Teacher, May I come
in?
b. hmmm… you’re too
late!

7. Signification and Value: kinds of meaning
Value
Case 1
A guy telling the
girl he likes:
Case 2
A student telling
his/her teacher:
a. Let’s go dancing
b. It’s too late
a. May I come in?
b. It’s too late
I don’t like you/
I’m tired/
I don’t want to
No you can’t/
Be more responsible

8. Signification and Value: kinds of meaning
The same word (or phrase) can adopt different
values because of the co-text and different situations
in which it is used.
This implies that we need to go beyond words and
focus on language function.
The theory of speech act is going to help us
achieve this goal

9. Linear Communication Model
THE
SPEAKE
R
THE
LISTENE
R
THE
MESSAG
E
What do you think is wrong about this model?
What doesn’t take into consideration?
The T.S.A. refers to how communication
functions in social interaction. It refers to
how people understand what others
mean when they use the language.

10. Contextual information relevant for discourse
understanding
Speakers’ characteristics: their sex, age or
nationality
Speakers’ relationship:
father and son, just
friends, two politicians,
school’s secretary and
school’s principal
Social context: a party,
a class, a TV
interview, a restaurant
The channel: speech,
writing, signing,
smoke signs
The communicative
purpose: to entertain,
to teach, to defend
one’s ideas
The speakers’ knowledge about the topic: totally
unknown, very familiar

11. Theory of speech Acts:
THE
SPEAKE
R
THE
LISTENE
R
THE
MESSAG
E
Locution Illocution Perlocution
Context Context
Austin (1962) and Searle (1981)
presented a complete model:

12. Theory of speech Acts:
Locution Illocution Perlocution
Austin (1962) and Searle (1981)
presented a complete model:
The act of saying or
writing something in
a language. That
locutionary act
should be
constructed in
conformity to the
rules of the language
that we are speaking
if we want to be
understood
It is the intention
that we have when
we utter
something, the
real value that it
takes because of
the context where
it is uttered
It is the effect
produced in the
listener or
reader when
they understand
the illocutionary
act

13. Theory of speech Acts:
Locutionary
Act:
The Form:
Negative
sentence
Declarative
sentence
Present
tense
Subject (1st
person
singular)
Illocutionary Act:
The Function:
•A boyfriend’s
excuse to go out
with his girlfriend:
1.maybe he is tired
or
2. he doesn’t like
the movie she
selected.
Perlocutionary Act:
The Result:
The girl could decide to
forget about going out.
She tells him she has
money.
She goes alone.
I don’t have any money
Exchange:
Boyfriend and girlfriend are bored on a Saturday
night The girlfriend says “let’s go to the movie”
and the boyfriend replies:

14. Watch the video related to Searle’s classification
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl2cZ0Eb1Bk
Answer the
following question
according to what
you understood
from the video

16. Classification of illocutionary acts
In colloquial
language
Indirect utterances are more
common to be used rather
than direct speech acts. It is
the listener or reader who
has to infer the illocution of
the utterance, since the
message is not directly
transmitted
Searle (1965) established a classification
for inferring the possible
Illocutionary force or value of an utterance in a discourse

17. Classification of illocutionary acts
Commisive
(promises or
threads, oath,
make an offer)
Utterances in which the
speaker commits himself
to do something in the
future
I’ll call you
tomorrow
Do that again and I
swear you’ll pay for
that
Directive
(suggestions,
requests,
advices, or
commands:)
utterances which
function is to get the
listener to do something.
Please, come in
Could you open the
door?
Representative
(a claim or a
report, a denial,
an assertion, a
statement, an
hypothesi,)
Utterances through
which the speaker
describes states or
events (facts that can be
true or false)
Electrical failures
are making
everybody get
angry
Yes, I agree with
that.
L2

18. Classification of illocutionary acts
Declarative
(baptisms,
judging,
pronouncing,
blessings
Utterances which function
is to create a change about
the reality in tune with the
proposition of the
declaration
I absolve you from
all your sins
Expressive
(apologies,
complains,
thanks and
congrats)
Utterances through which
the speaker expresses
feelings and attitudes
I’m sorry for letting
you down
I don’t like horror
movies
L2

19. The theory of speech acts
Read the following dialogue. Try to identify the types of illocutionary
acts according to Searle’s classification.
Go…
I’ve just come in!
Well, I’ve been working at
home all day
an imperative sentence which
expresses a directive illocution
(command)
a declarative and exclamative sentence
which expresses an expressive illocution
(complain)
a declarative sentence which
expresses an expressive illocution
(complain)
Husband: oh no!!! we haven’t got the TV program
Wife: you know what you have to do! Go…
Husband: are you nuts? I’ve just come in!
Wife: well, I’ve been working at home all day!
Husband: women!

20. It is important for English teachers to keep in mind
that most of our discourse in normal communication
are indirect. This is why it is not enough to teach our
students grammar; it is our obligation to teach them
the multiple ways in which the grammatical structures
that they study in class are used in real
communication

21. Read carefully the lyrics of the song YOU
ROCK MY WORLD (MICHAEL JACKSON).
Select at least 3 sentences, analyzing them
in terms of form (locutionary force) and
function (the possible illocutionary forces).
Remember to classify its illocutionary force
according to Searle’s classification, justifying
your decision.
PRACTICE ACTIVITY

22. My life will never be the same cause girl, you came and changed
The way I walk, The way I talk
I cannot explain the things I feel for you but girl, you know it's true
Stay with me, fulfill my dreams
And I'll be all you'll need
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ooh, it feels so right
I've searched for the perfect love all my life
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ooh, it feels like I have
finally found her perfect love is mine
(See, I finally found, come on, girl)
You rocked my world, you know you did
And everything I own I give
The rarest love who’d think I’d find someone like you to call mine

23. Sentence Locution Illocution Type of illocution
Select at least 3 sentences, analyzing them in terms of form
(locutionary force) and function (the possible illocutionary forces).
Remember to classify its illocutionary force according to Searle’s
classification, justifying your decision.