Unit 2

THE THEORY OF

SPEECH ACTS

Theory of Speech ActsTheory of Speech ActsTheory of Speech ActsTheory of Speech Acts

Linguists used to focus on languageform rather than language function

formation formation formation formation of the wordsof the wordsof the wordsof the words

Meaning Meaning Meaning Meaning Linguistics Order of the Order of the Order of the Order of the

wordswordswordswords

Meaning Meaning Meaning Meaning of the of the of the of the wordswordswordswords

There’s a difference between what we say andwhat we really want to express

CorrectnessCorrectnessCorrectnessCorrectness

It refers to the correct use of grammarrules to create well formed words,sentences and expressions. This aspectdoesn’t take into account the situation inwhich the language is being used.

Correctness : Language FormCorrectness : Language FormCorrectness : Language FormCorrectness : Language FormAppropriatness: language FunctionAppropriatness: language FunctionAppropriatness: language FunctionAppropriatness: 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

AppropriatenessAppropriatenessAppropriatenessAppropriatenessIt refers to whether what we say or write isappropriate to the situation where thecommunication is taking place

Case 1 Case 2

Correctness : language formCorrectness : language formCorrectness : language formCorrectness : language formAppropriatness: language functionAppropriatness: language functionAppropriatness: language functionAppropriatness: language function

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

Signification and Value: kinds of meaningSignification and Value: kinds of meaningSignification and Value: kinds of meaningSignification and Value: kinds of meaning

SignificationSignificationSignificationSignification

It refers to the meaning thatwords, phrases, expressionstake when they are used inisolation, without a context.

Example:

One word can adopt different meanings (when it is decontextualized) and

those meanings refer to signification.

Example:May: fifth month of the year

verb which expresses permission


ValueValueValueValue

It refers to the meaning thatwords, phrases or expressionscan adopt when they are usedwithin a context.

Case 1 Case 2

So one word will have different meanings in isolati on but it’ll only adopt one specific value when it is con textualized.

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!


ValueValueValueValue

Case 1A guy telling the

girl he likes:

Case 2A student telling his/her teacher:girl he likes: 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


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 ModelLinear Communication ModelLinear Communication ModelLinear Communication Model

THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE

The T.S.A. refers to how communicationfunctions in social interaction. It refers tohow people understand what othersmean when they use the language.

THE THE THE THE

SPEAKERSPEAKERSPEAKERSPEAKER

THE THE THE THE

LISTENERLISTENERLISTENERLISTENER

THE THE THE THE

MESSAGEMESSAGEMESSAGEMESSAGE

What do you think is wrong about this model?

What doesn’t take into consideration?

Contextual information relevant for discourse Contextual information relevant for discourse Contextual information relevant for discourse Contextual information relevant for discourse understandingunderstandingunderstandingunderstanding

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

school’s principal

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: Theory of speech Acts: Theory of speech Acts: Theory of speech Acts:

THE THE THE THE

Locution Illocution Perlocution

Austin (1962) and Searle (1981)

presented a complete model:

THE THE THE THE

SPEAKERSPEAKERSPEAKERSPEAKER

THE THE THE THE

LISTENERLISTENERLISTENERLISTENERTHE THE THE THE

MESSAGEMESSAGEMESSAGEMESSAGE

Context Context


Locution Illocution Perlocution

Austin (1962) and Searle (1981)

presented a complete model:

The act of saying orwriting something in It is the intention

It is the effectwriting something ina language. Thatlocutionary actshould beconstructed inconformity to therules of the languagethat we are speakingif we want to beunderstood

It is the intentionthat we have whenwe uttersomething, thereal value that ittakes because ofthe context whereit is uttered

It is the effectproduced in thelistener orreader whenthey understandthe illocutionaryact


LocutionaryAct:

The Form:•Negative sentence

Illocutionary Act:The Function:

•A boyfriend’s excuse to go out

I don’t have any money

Exchange:Boyfriend and girlfriend are bored on a Saturdaynight The girlfriend says “let’s go to the movie”

and the boyfriend replies:

sentence•Declarative sentence•Present tense•Subject (1st

person singular)

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.

Watch the video related to Searle’s classificationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl2cZ0Eb1Bk

Answer the following question according to what

you understood from the video

Classification of illocutionary acts Classification of illocutionary acts Classification of illocutionary acts Classification of illocutionary acts

In colloquial In colloquial In colloquial In colloquial languagelanguagelanguagelanguage

Indirect utterances are morecommon to be used ratherthan direct speech acts. It isthe listener or reader whohas to infer the illocution ofthe utterance, since thethe utterance, since themessage is not directlytransmitted

Searle (1965) established a classification for inferring the possible

Illocutionary force or value of an utterance in a discourse


Commisive(promises or threads, oath, make an offer)

Utterances in which thespeaker commits himselfto do something in thefuture

I’ll call you tomorrowDo that again and I swear you’ll pay for that

Directive (suggestions, requests ,

utterances whichfunction is to get thelistener to do something .

Please, come inCould you open the door?

L2

requests , advices, orcommands:)

listener to do something . door?

Representative(a claim or a report, a denial, an assertion, a statement, an hypothesi,)

Utterances throughwhich the speakerdescribes states orevents (facts that can betrue or false)

Electrical failures are making everybody get angry

Yes, I agree with that.


Declarative (baptisms, judging, pronouncing, blessings

Utterances which functionis to create a change aboutthe reality in tune with theproposition of thedeclaration

I absolve you from all your sins

L2

Expressive(apologies, complains, thanks and congrats)

Utterances through whichthe speaker expressesfeelings and attitudes

I’m sorry for letting you downI don’t like horror movies

The theory of speech actsThe theory of speech actsThe theory of speech actsThe theory of speech acts

Read the following dialogue. Try to identify the types of illocutionary acts according to Searle’s classification.

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!

Go…

I’ve just come in!

Well, I’ve been working at home all day

an imperative sentence whichexpresses 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: 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 ourare 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

Practice activity

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 Remember to classify its illocutionary force

according to Searle’s classification, justifying your decision.

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 havefinally 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.

Education

Unit 2