Transcript C-Speech Actsx

SPEECH ACTS
“Action speak louder than words” is a well-known
proverb. However, it is not completely correct
because speech is action and language can actually
be used to do things.
When a speaker makes an utterance containing referring
expression, he carries out a certain act, an act of referring.
Referring is a linguistic act, but we shall see that it is possible to
carry out all sorts of other acts using language .we will start
with another linguistic act which is the act of assertion.
ACT of ASSERTION
Definition
Example
An act of assertion is carried out when a speaker utters a
declarative sentence (can be true or false), and undertakes a
certain responsibility, to the hearer, that a particular
situation exists in the world.
If I say, “Simon is in the kitchen”, I assert to my hearer that in
the real world a situation exists in which a person named
Simon is in a room identified by the referring expression the
kitchen.
DESCRIPTIVE FALLACY
Comment
Definition
Page 140.
DESCRIPTIVE FALLACY is the view that the sole purpose of
making assertion is to describe some state of affairs.
Example
According to the Descriptive Fallacy view, my only purpose in
uttering “Simon is in the kitchen” would be to describe a particular
state of affairs, and nothing more.
Comment
The Descriptive Fallacy view is not wholly wrong. An element of
description is involved in many utterances. But it is not the only
purpose behind an utterance.
Practice
Would the main purpose of making the following assertion
normally be simply to describe some existing state of affairs in
the world? If not, what is the main purpose?
1- “There is a wasp in your left ear”.
No
Yes /
2- “This gun is loaded”.
No
Yes /
3- “You are a fool”.
Yes / No
Quite contrary to the popular belief that
actions and words are entirely different,
many actions can actually be performed with
words. A lot of actions can be performed
either by physical means, such as a gesture,
or by making an appropriate utterance.
Practice
1- Can you congratulate someone by a pat on the back,
or a hug?
Yes / No
2- Can you congratulate someone by uttering “Well done”?
Yes / No
PERFORMATIVE UTTERANCE
Definition
Example
Practice
A PERFORMATIVE utterance describes the act that it
performs, i.e. it performs some act and simultaneously
describes that act.
“I promise to repay you tomorrow” is performative because in
saying it the speaker actually does what the utterance
describes, i.e. he promises to repay the hearer the next day.
That is, the utterance both describes and is a promise.
Page 143.
Opposed to
Perfomative Utterances
are
Constative Utterances
which can be defined
very simply.
CONSTATIVE UTTERANCE
Definition
CONSTATIVE utterance is one which makes an assertion (i.e.
it is often the utterance of a declarative sentence) but is not
performative.
Example
“I’m trying to get this box open with a screwdriver” is a
constative utterance, because it makes an assertion about a
particular state of affairs, but is not performative, i.e. the
utterance doesn’t simultaneously describe and perform the
same act.
Practice
Page 143.
Comment
Page 144.
PERFORMATIVE VERB
Definition
It is one which, when used in a simple positive present tense
sentence, with a 1st person singular subject, can make the
utterance of that sentence performative.
Example
Sentence is performative verb because, for example, “I sentence
you to be hanged by the neck” is a performative utterance.
Punish is not a performative verb because, for example, “I
punish you” is not a performative utterance.
Practice
Are the following performative verbs, or not?
1-apologize
2-authorize
3-argue
4-condemn
5-squeal
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Many good examples of performative verbs occur
in standardized and stereotyped formulae used in
public ceremonies, such as pronounce in “I
pronounce you man and wife” in a marriage
ceremony.
Practice
Think of three or more examples of performative verbs used in
the formulae of conventionalized public and social occasions.
1- “I object” in the court.
2- “I name this ship Titanic”.
3- “I declare this bridge open”.
Performative utterances contain a performative
verb, and many have 1st person singular subjects(I)
and are in the present tense. But there exceptions
to this pattern.
Practice
Some of the following utterances are exceptions to the
statement that all performative utterances have 1st person
singular subjects. Which utterances are the exceptions?
(Indicate your answer by underlining the exception.)
1- “You are hereby forbidden to leave this room”
2- “All passengers on flight number forty-seven are requested to proceed to
gate ten”.
3- “I suggest that you see a psychiatrist as soon as possible”.
4- “This ship is called Titanic”.
5- “We thank you for the compliment you have paid us”.
The most reliable test to determine whether an
utterance is performative is to insert the word hereby
and see if the modified utterance is acceptable.
Practice
Page 145.
If a sentence can be accompanied by hereby without
seeming odd, then the utterance of that sentence (in
normal circumstances) constitutes a performative
utterance.
Practice
Page 146.
Summary
Words and sentences when
uttered are used to do things, to
carry out socially significant
acts. In addition to merely
describing aspects of the world.
The notion of a performative
illustrates this point in some
rather special cases.
‫‪Made‬‬
‫‪by‬‬
‫‪Eman‬‬
‫‪Al-Sadhan‬‬
‫‪And‬‬
‫ليلى القاضي‪ ,‬فريدة العنزي‪,‬هديل‬
‫الفارس‪,‬عبير النزهة‪ ,‬سارة‬
‫البقمي ‪ ,‬رقية العيدي‬