ANGALA, MADEL ACOSTA, REGINA MAE BAEL 2

SIBAYAN, DARLENE D. JAVILLONAR, MARY JOY 11/10/24

UNDERSTANDING OF SPEECH ACTS

1.1. What is a speech act?

Speech-act theory is a branch of pragmatics concerned with how words can be used in more than
one way, to communicate information and perform actions. The speech act theory was first
introduced in 1975 by Oxford philosopher J.L. Austin and further developed by American
philosopher J.R. Searle. This theory has three parts: locutionary acts (text with meaning),
illocutionary acts (sending on assignment), and perlocutionary acts (causing action). Speech acts
of communication that convey a certain disposition succeed if the audience knows what the
speaker is trying to accomplish. It accounts for linguistic meaning as conditioned by the rules
that control the use of words in performing speech acts or a range of locutionary functions like
admonishing, asserting, commanding, exclaiming, promising questioning (asking), requesting
and warning1 It is especially preoccupied with acts lying outside the coverage of major divisions
of grammar or general theories of actions. Speech acts are the utterance itself, but just as
importantly they are the intention of the speaker in making that utterance and recognition by the
addressee of that intent under conditions of utterance.

CITATIONS:

Nordquist, R. (2019, July 3). Speech acts in linguistics. ThoughtCo.

Speech Acts (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). (2020, September 24).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2009, April 20). Speech act theory | Speech Acts,

PragmaticsUtterances.EncyclopediaBritannica.

Speech Acts. (1975). In BRILL eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004368811

Bach, K., & Harnish, R. M. (1982). Linguistic Communication and Speech Acts.

1.2. How do speech acts differ from regular statements?

In speech act theory, the primary distinction we focus on in regular statements versus speech acts
is that of how and the capacity in which you your utterance can function or have an impact. For
instance, statements like "It is raining," and other regular expressions simply describe a situation
or state of affairs without changing anything in the social world. Conversely, speech acts "do
something" when spoken. For instance, when someone says, "I will do the dishes," they are not
merely stating an intent—they are performing a promise and change the expectations of both
speaker as well as listener in context. The listener acknowledges and anticipates this move, thus
establishing a bond that will guide the subsequent exchange. Strictly speaking, according to
TED-Ed, these are "performative speech acts...incite action [so that], they give rise to new social
relations, and new realities of obligation—this is not the kind of statement which creates no
fact," which create no object. Hence, ordinary statements fall into the category of reporting
information; speech acts, such as promise or apology act in a way that they create social fact
which can shape our behavior and interrelationship.

According to the History of Philosophy, there is an explanation that defines the difference
between what we call regular statements and speech acts: "Direct speech acts explicitly convey
the speaker's intention, often in accordance with the literal meaning of the words used; indirect
speech act implicates a meaning different from that which is expressed by the literal or surface
meaning of the words." This difference makes common speech acts (especially those indirect)
more complicated since the speech act also involves recognizing what the speaker intends to do
from the superficial meaning based on context, social norms, or even logical reasoning. This
renders speech acts more lively as they not just provide communication but also carry out an act
upon the hearer or the societal setting.

To summarize, speech acts are vastly different from regular statements because they
perform an act rather than just stating something. A regular statement, such as the ones found in
declarative sentences, will present facts or descriptions of the world straight-forwardly. Speech
acts--whether requests, promises, or commands--actually build social reality on which their
communicative action is constructed. As pointed out in sources such as “History of Philosophy”,
speech acts usually require the listener to locate the intended sense behind the utterances, more
when they use indirect speech acts whose literal meaning is meant to be different from what is
said. Statements, on the other hand, usually are direct and do not need such detailed
interpretation or contextual awareness. Further, as “SAS” suggests, speech acts are said to
actually alter the obligation or commitment of the speaker vis-à-vis the listener by evoking
actions that would change their obligations or commitments, whereas statements that are regular
describe a state of affairs without affecting the listeners at all. Hence, speech acts are more
dynamic in nature and help in bringing about action, while regular statements remain contained
only to convey facts.

CITATIONS:

Linguistics 001 -- Lecture 13 -- Pragmatics. (n.d.). Www.ling.upenn.edu.

Direct vs. Indirect Speech Acts - (History of Modern Philosophy) - Vocab, Definition,

Explanations | Fiveable. (2024). Fiveable.me.

Speech acts: Constative and performative - Colleen Glenney Boggs. (n.d.). TED-Ed.
Schiffman, H. (2020). Speech Acts and Conversation. Upenn.edu.

Wordgate. (2024, September 24).

Speech Acts. Word Gate. https://word-gate.com/speech-acts/

2. What are the 5 types of speech acts proposed by John Searle?

Searle's Classifications of Speech Acts as response to Austin's Speech Acts Theory, John Searle
(1976), a professor from the University of California Berkeley, classified illocutionary acts into 5
distinct categories. The 5 Acts of Speech are: representative/assertive, directive, commissive,
expressive, and declaration.

a. Assertive/Representative
Assertive/Representatives are speech acts that the utterances commit the speaker to the
truth
of the expressed proposition. The utterances are produced based on the speaker’s
observation of certain things then followed by stating the fact or opinion based on
the observation. These are statements to describe a state of affairs under the assumption
that
the utterance has a truthful proposition. Some examples of an assertive act are suggesting,
putting forward, swearing, boasting, and concluding.

Example: “No one can write a better poem than I do.”

b. Directive
Directives area speech acts that speaker uses to get someone else to do something. These
are statements to compel or encourage another person’s actions to comply with the
propositional element, and they are intended to get the listener to carry out an action. In
addition, it is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker tries to make the addressee
to perform an action. These speech acts include requesting, questioning, command,
orders, and suggesting.

Example: “Can you lend me your correction tape, please?”

c. Commissive
Commissives are speech acts that the utterances commit the speaker to some future
course of action. It is a type of illocutionary act in which commits the speaker to doing
something in the future. The speaker floats some particular future course of action, such
as in the form of a promise, offer, threat, or vow.
 Example: “From now on, I will stop thinking about him.”

d. Expressive
Expressives are speech acts that express a psychological state. It is a type of illocutionary
act in which the speaker expresses his/her feelings or emotional reactions. These speech
acts include thanking, apologizing, welcoming, and congratulating.

Example: “I’m sorry for not responding to your messages.”

e. Declaration
Declarations are speech acts that the utterances effect immediate changes in the
institutional state of affairs and which tend to rely on elaborate extra- linguistic
institutions. It is a type of illocutionary act which brings change in the external situation.
Simply put, declarations bring into existence or cause the state of affairs which they refer
to. These speech acts include excommunicating, declaring war, christening, firing from
employment.

Example: “You are fired!”

CITATION:

English Education: Jurnal Tadris Bahasa Inggris, 9 (1), 20016, p-ISSN 2086-6003

Feb 17, 2023 • By Andres Felipe Barrero, MA Philosophy, MSc Philosophy, Ph.D. Candidate

Kemmerling, Andreas. “Speech Acts, Minds, and Social Reality: Discussions with John r. Searle.

Expressing an Intentional State.” Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy, vol. 79, 2002, pp. 83.
Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Journal of Social Studies Education Research 2019:10(1), 38-60

3. Why is Speech Acts Important for Understanding Social Interaction?

Speech Acts are important in understanding social interaction because it helps discourse analysts
move beyond the literal meaning of words to understand the speaker's intentions and the
pragmatic meaning of utterances. It provides insights into the complex relationship between
language, intention, and social interaction. By examining different types of speech acts and their
components, we can better grasp how language shapes our social reality and relationships.
Speech acts also take part outside the language dimension of communication. People are required
both to acquire the language and to have the knowledge to use the language they acquired in
order to communicate. The appropriate use of the speech act acquired through the experiences
within the culture is extremely important in the embodiment of the social relationships.

Understanding the different types of speech acts helps us navigate various communicative
situations effectively. We learn to recognise when we need to provide information, give
instructions, or express ourselves emotionally. This knowledge allows us to choose the
appropriate speech acts to achieve our communication goals. Therefore, allowing us to convey
our intended meanings accurately. It allows us to appreciate the significant influence of our
words on social and cultural contexts. As a result, we become aware of the role our speech plays
in shaping perceptions, reinforcing norms, and constructing shared meanings. Also, by
harnessing the power of performativity, we can contribute to positive social change and inspire
others through our words.

CITATION:

“SPEECH ACT” IN INTERACTION F. S. Ari Broto 1¹The Teacher of SMP Borromeus -

Austin, J.L. (1962). How to Do Things with Words. Oxford University Press.

Searle, J.R. (1969). Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge
University Press.

Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage.
Cambridge University Press.