ORAL

COMMUNICATION
MEMBERS:
SPEECH ACT
OBJECTIVES:
-
-
-
WHAT IS SPEECH ACT?
SPEECH ACT-

A SPEECH ACT IS AN UTTERANCE THAT A SPEAKER

MAKES TO ACHIEVE AN INTENDED EFFECT. SOME OF THE
FUNCTION WHICH ARE CARRIED OUT USING SPEECH ACTS
ARE OFFERING AN APOLOGY, GREETING, REQUEST,
COMPLAINT, INVITATION, COMPLIMENT, OR REFUSAL. A
SPEECH ACT MIGHT CONTAIN JUST ONE WORD OR
SEVERAL WORDS OR SENTENCES. FOR EXAMPLE,
“THANKS” AND “THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR
ME. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT” BOTH SHOW APPRECIATION
REGARDLESS OF THE LENGTH OF THE STATEMENT.
LOCUTIONARY ACT – IS THE ACTUAL ACT OF UTTERING
EX: “PLEASE DO THE DISHES”
LILOCUTIONARY ACT- IS THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF WHAT IS SAID
EX: BY UTTERING THE LOCUTION “PLEASE DO THE
DISHES”, THE SPEAKER REQUEST THE ADDRESSE TO WASH THE DISHES
PERLOCUTIONARY ACT- IS THE RESULTING ACT OF WHAT IS SAID. THIS
EFFECT IS BASED ON THE PARTICULAR CONTEXT IN WHICH THE
SPEECH ACT WAS MENTIONED.
EX: “PLEASE DO THE DISHES” WOULD LEAD TO THE
ADDRESSE WASHING THE DISHES
THERE ARE ALSO INDIRECT SPEECH ACTS WHICH OCCUR WHEN THERE
IS NO DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FORM OF THE UTTERANCE
AND THE INTENDED MEANING. THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN FORCE (I.E.,
INTENTION) FROM THE INFERRED SPEECH ACT.
FOR EXAMPLE, READ THE FOLLOWING UTTERANCE:
“CAN YOU PASS THE RICE?”
INFERRED SPEECH ACT. DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAND OVER
THE RICE?
INDIRECT SPEECH ACT: PLEASE PASS THE RICE

SO WHILE THE UTTERANCE LITERALLY ASKS THE ADDRESSE IF HE OR SHE

HAS THE ABILITY TO HAND A PLATE OF RICE, IT ACTUALLY INDIRECTLY
REQUESTS THE ADDRESSE TO PASS THE RICE TO THE SPEAKER.
PERFORMATIVES
PERFORMATIVES
AUSTIN HAS ALSO INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF
PERFORMATIVE UTTERANCE; STATEMENTS WHICH ENABLE THE
TO PERFORM SOMETHING BY JUST STATING IT. IN THIS
MANNER, VERBS THAT EXECUTE THE SPEECH AND THAT THEY
INTEND TO EFFECT ARE CALLED PERFORMATIVES. A
PERFORMATIVE UTTERANCE SAID BY THE RIGHT PERSON AND
THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES RESULTS IN A RESULT IN A
CHANGE IN THE WORLD. NOTE THAT CERTAIN CONDITIONS
HAVE TO BE AND WHEN MAKING A PERFORMATIVE
UTTERANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE THE PHRASE “I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU
HUSBAND AND WIFE” WHEN UTTERED BY AN AUTHORIZED
PERSON SUCH AS A JUDGE WILL HAVE THE ACTUAL EFFECT
OF BINDING A COUPLE IN A MARRIAGE. HOWEVER IF THE
SAME STATEMENT IS UTTERED TO THE SAME COUPLE IN THE
SAME PLACE BY A SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO
MARRY THEM
SEARLE’S CLASSIFICATION
OF
SPEECH ACT
SEARLE’S CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH ACT
AS RESPONSE TO AUSTIN’S SPEECH ACT THEORY, JOHN
SEARLE (19 ), A PROFESSOR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CLASSIFIED ILLOCUTIONARY
ACTS INTO FIVE DISTINCT CATEGORIES.
-ASSERTIVE
-DIRECTIVE
-COMMISSIVE
-EXPRESSIVE
-DECLARATION
1.ASSERTIVE- A TYPE OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT IN WHICH THE
SPEAKER EXPRESSES BELIEF ABOUT THE OF A PREPOSITION.
SOME EXAMPLES OF ASSERTIVE SPEECH ACT ARE
SUGGESTING, PUTTING, FORWARD, SWEARING,
BOASTING, AND CONCLUDING.
EX.
NO ONE MAKES BETTER PANCAKES THAN I DO
2. DIRECTIVE- A TYPE OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT IN WHICH THE
SPEAKER TRIES TO MAKE THE ADDRESSEE PERFORM AN ACTION.
SOME EXAMPLES ARE ASKING, ORDERING, REQUESTING,
INVITING, ADVISING, AND BEGGING.
EX.
PLEASE CLOSE THE DOOR
3. COMMISSIVE- A TYPE OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT WHICH
COMMITS THE SPEAKER TO SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.
EXAMPLE OF COMMISSIVE ACT ARE PROMISING, PLANNING
VOWING, AND BETTING.
EX.
FROM NOW ON I WILL PARTICIPATE IN OUR GROUP ACTIVITY
4. EXPRESSIVE- A TYPE OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT IN WHICH THE
SPEAKER EXPRESSES HIS/HER FEELINGS OR EMOTIONAL
REACTIONS. SOME EXAMPLES OF AN EXPRESSIVE ACT ARE
THANKING, APOLOGIZING, WELCOMING, AND DEPLORING.
EX.
I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT HELPING OUT IN OUR GROUP
PROJECTS AND LETTING YOU DO ALL THE WORKS.
5.DECLARATION- A TYPE OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT WHICH
BRINGS CHANGE IN THE EXTERNAL SITUATION SIMPLY PUT,
DECLARATION BRINGS INTO EXISTENCE OR CAUSE THE STATE
OF AFFAIRS WHICH THEY TO. SOME EXAMPLES OF
DECLARATION ARE BLESSING, FIRING, BAPTIZING, BIDDING,
PASSING, A SENTENCE AND EXCOMMUNICATING.