Learning spech art

  John austin& john serle 1960- 

teory spech art

   Speech act theory is a subfield of pragmatics that studies how words are used not only to present information but also to carry out actions.
   The speech act theory was introduced by Oxford philosopher J.L. Austin in How to Do Things With Words and further developed by American philosopher J.R. Searle.

Types of Speech Acts

There are various kinds of speech acts, yet the following, classified by John Searle, have received particular attention:

Representatives commit a speaker to the truth of an expressed proposition.

• Paradigm cases: asserting, stating, concluding, boasting, describing, suggesting.
  • I am a great singer.
  • Bill was an accountant.

Commissives commit a speaker to some future action.

• Paradigm cases: promising, pledging, threatening, vowing, offering.
  • I am going to leave you.
  • I'll call you tonight.

Directives are used by a speaker who attempts to get the addressee to carry out an action.

• Paradigm cases: requesting, advsing, commanding, challenging, inviting, daring, entreating.
  • You'd better tidy up that mess.
  • Sit down.

Declarations affect an immediate change of affairs.

• Paradigm cases: declaring, baptising, resigning, firing from employment, hiring, arresting.
  • We find the defendant guilty.
  • I resign.

Expressives espress some sort of psychological state.

• Paradigm cases: greeting, thanking, apologising, complaining, congratulating.
• This beer is disgusting.
• I'm sorry to hear that.

1. Language in Use

   Having described various kinds of syntactic structures and what they mean we see that people often don't seem to say what they mean. They use languages differently from its apparent meaning; it has functions are different from the apparent structure.
   Example: Could I get you to open that window?
   How'd you like to hand me that wrench?
   Would it be too much trouble for me to ask you to hand me that wrench?
   I know this is an imposition, but could you possiblly open the window?
   instead of
   Open the window, Hand me the wrench, etc.
   

2. Sentence Structure and the Function of utterances

   We are `used to' having questions being used to ask for information, declarative sentences to state something, and imperative sentences to give orders. But the following may also occur:
   
   
   1. [Form: request:] Can I ask you to please refrain from smoking?
      [Function: command:} (= Please stop smoking!)
   2. [Form: Statement:] We ask that you extinguish your cigarettes at this time, and bring your tray tables and seatbacks to an upright position.
      [Function: command:] (= Stop smoking and sit up straight!)
   3. [Form: question] Well, would you listen to that!
      [Function: exclamation] (= That's really something to listen to.)