Language form

Language function

The Theory of Speech Acts

Classification of Illocutionary ActsGarcía, M. 2015

UNIT 2THE THEORY OF SPEECH

ACTS

BASIC CONCEPTS TO DISCUSS:

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

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 FormAppropriatness: language Function

Case 1 Case 2

a. How is you? a. Are you hungry?b. Yes, I am hungrya. Do you want to eat?b. Yes, I want to eat

AppropriatenessIt 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 formAppropriatness: language function

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

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!

Signification and Value: kinds of meaning

Value

Case 1A guy telling the

girl he likes:

Case 2A student telling his/her teacher:

a. Let’s go dancingb. 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

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

Linear Communication Model

THE SPEAKE

R

THE LISTENE

R

THE MESSA

GE

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.

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

Theory of speech Acts:

THE SPEAKE

R

THE LISTENE

R

THE MESSA

GE

Locution Illocution Perlocution

Context Context

Austin (1962) and Searle (1981) presented a complete model:

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

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:

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

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

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 tomorrowDo 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 inCould 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

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 downI don’t like horror movies

L2

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 whichexpresses 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!

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

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

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

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.