SPEECHACTSCourseinstructor:VeronicaTomescu

SPEECHACTS0 Austin1962,Searle1969,1979,BachandHarnish1979,Grice1969

Lemonsareyellow.Whatdoesthissentencemean?

Lemonsareyellow.Whatdoesthissentencemean?Whatdoesthespeakermeanbythissentence?

SPEAKERMEANINGWhatdoesthespeakermeanbythissentence?Grice1969

REFLEXIVEINTENTION0  itisthespeaker’sintentiontohavethepersonaddressedrecognizethatthespeakerwantshim/hertoaccepttheroleofhearerandthereforebetherecipientofthespeaker’smessage

0 speakerintendstheirutterancetohaveaneffectonthehearer->theeffectispartlycausedbythehearerrecognizingthatthespeakerhastheintentiontocommunicatebymeansoftheutterance

0 directaddresseeVS.ratiZiedparticipant(e.g.round-tables,canrejectroleofhearer;withoutbeingrude)

0  non-speciZicaddressee:Congratulationstowhoeverisgoingtowin!

0 overhearer:bystander,eavesdropper

0 rejectroleofhearer:Youheardhimthreatenme,didn’tyou?Iwasn’tlistening!

‘Youdosee,don’tyou,thatshe’sgottobekilled?’CuriouswordsforoneHerculePoirot,detective,tooverhear.HerculePoirotwonderedwhathadoccasionedthewordshehadjustoverheard.Acollaboration,perhaps,overaplayorabook.Hethought,stillsmiling:‘Thosewordsmightberememberedonedayandgivenamoresinistermeaning.’

speechact=acomplexactincludingthefollowing:1.  alocutionaryact=utteringasentencewithmeaning

(senseandreference),accordingtospeciZicgrammaticalconventions;itinvolvestheproposition,orthepropositionalcontent;assessableintermsoftruthvalue

2.anillocutionaryact=whattheutterancecountsas,whatthespeakerintendstoaccomplishbymeansofthelocutionandtheconventionalforceassignedtothelocutionpropositionalcontent+performativedimension3.aperlocutionaryact

0  locutionaryact/distinctfrom:illocutionaryact:Whatdoyoumean?Whatisthatsupposedtomean?

0 toperformanIAistoproduceanutterancewithacertainillocutionaryforce-IF=complexcommunicativeintention,goal

0 theIAishappilyperformedonlyifacertaineffectonthehearerisobtained

0 generallytheeffect:understandingofthemeaning0 “thesecuringoftheuptake”cf.speakermeaning

0 discrepancypossiblebetwenillocutionaryforceasconceivedbythespeaker(intendedillocutionaryforce)andasconceivedbythehearer(uptake)

0 ->theremaybemorethanoneillocutionaryforceassignedtoanutterance

0 (intentional)misunderstandingofspeaker’sintention

LEONARD:Whatareyoudoing??SHELDON:Playingthetheremin.LEONARD:No,Imean,whatareyoudoingwithatheremin?SHELDON:Playingit.LEONARD:Sheldon,we’reworkinghere.SHELDON:That’sallright.Icanbarelyhearyouovermytheremin.[Leonardunplugstheremin]SHELDON:Thatwasalittleuncalledfor.Soyourprojectismoreimportantthatmine?LEONARD:Seeingasyourprojectistosabotagemyproject,yes.SHELDON:Don’tbeataroundthebushLeonard,ifyoudon’twantmeherejustsaythewordandI’llleave.

0  illocutionaryacts:statement,contradiction,promise,invitation,oath,request,etc.

0 examplesofperlocutions:alertingthehearerbywarningofdanger,persuadingviaargumentation,intimidatingbythreatening,etc.–perlocutionsfallundertheinvestigationofbehaviouralpatternsand/orcognitiverepresentations

0 pragmatics:concernedwithintentionalityofspeaker

a.  Heorderedmetoshoother.b.  Hegotmetoshoother.c.  Shesuggestedthatheshouldstealthenecklace.d.  Hewasgoadedintostealingthenecklace.

0 aperlocutionaryact=effect:intended/unintendedmistakeillocutionaryeffect;unintendedperlocutionaryeffect:

LEONARD:Ifyou’reworried,wecangoandseeifshe’sallright.SHELDON:Youknow,Iheardinthenews,abobcathasbeenspottedinherneighbourhood.LEONARD:Idon’tthinkAmywaseatenbyabobcat.SHELDON(horriZied):WhothinksAmywaseatenbyabobcat?LEONARD:Youdo?SHELDON:Iwasjustmentioninganinterestinglocalnewsitem.Now,thankstoyou,I’mworriedAmyhasbeeneatenbyabobcat.LEONARD:Forgetaboutthebobcat.SHELDON:HowcanI?Youwon’tstoptalkingaboutit.

Austin‘Howtodothingswithwords.’1963:distinctionbetweenperformativeandconstativespeechactsThecatisonthemat.Ibetyousixpenceitwillraintomorrow.Iadviseyoutodoit.

0 constativeutterances:trueorfalse0 performativeutterances–donotconveyinformation;aperformativesentenceconstituesorispartofanaction

0 performativeutterances:felicitousorinfelicitous

felicityconditions:1.preparatorycondition:circumstances,participantsifcondition1isviolated,actismisinvokede.g.Mysecondswillcallonyou!shrugitoff–conventionsofduellingnolongerapply->exploitedinDonQuixote

felicityconditions:2.Executivecondition:correctandcompleteexecutionàmisexecuted

a.  InamethisshipQueenElisabeth(utteredbyarandomonlookerinthecrowd).

b.  WeZindthedefendantguilty(utteredintheabsenceofthejudge)

felicityconditions:3.Sinceritycondition-aninsincereact:notvoid!‘abuse’a.  Icongratulateyou

felicityconditions:4.Ful<illmentcondition:perlocutionaryeffect

0  implicitvs.explicitperformativesentences:Iorderyoutogothere.IpromisethatI’llbethere.0 performativeverbs:e.g.admit,announce,apologize,ask,congratulate,disagree,swear,warn,etc.

syntacticfeaturesofexplicitperformativeutterances:0 1stpers,simplepresent,activevoice0 formaladverbialstoenhanceperformativevalue:herebyYouareZired??IZireyou.0 -passive,3rdperson-->authorizedagentNoticeisherebygiventhat...Thecourtpermitsyoutostepdown.continuous=descriptiveI’mwarningyouforthelasttime…

‘IwantedtoseeyouoncemoresoIcouldresign.Iresign.’

0 somefelicityconditionsaffectconstativeutterances:insincere:Youarebeautiful.void:John’schildrenarebald(nochildren)IpromisetofeedtheZish.->lie:notfalseI’vefedtheZish.->false0 performativescanbefalse:Iwarnyouthatthebullisabouttocharge(ifnot…)Istatethattheearthisround.=describeastateofaffairs+performtheactofstating

0 CommunicativePresumption(Bach-Harnisch)=themutualbeliefthatwheneveraspeakersayssomethingtoahearerhehasarecognizableintention(reZlexiveintention)

illocutionaryacts:communicativeandconventional(BachandHarnisch)0 communicativeIAs:Constatives:afZirm,announce,claim,report,stateDirectives:advise,forbid,order,permit,suggest,warnCommissives:offer,promiseAcknowledgements:apologize,congratulate,thank,greet0 conventionalIAs:extralinguisticconventions-voting,resigning,marrying,dedicating,baptizing,arresting,acquitting0 utteranceisembodiedinaceremonialact

0 forsuccessfulcommunication,thehearermustrecognizetheintentionofthespeaker:ifane.g.apologyisnotunderstoodassuch,communicationfails:;

0 theactisfelicitousifthespeakerrecognizestheactasarequest/apology/thanksetc.

0 ifanactisrecognizedassuch:request,thanks,etc.itisfelicitous–sincerityisnotindispensible

‘Whatisthatscentyou’rewearing?Itsmellsgreat.’‘Dandruffshampoo.Ihaveadryscalp.’‘Wellyouhairlooksverynice.’‘Areyouahomosexual?’‘No,Iwasjustgivingyouacompliment.’‘IwouldhavebeenmoreZlatteredifyouwereahomosexual.’

securinguptakeforthetwoacts:0 recognitionofintention0 recognitionofconvention

0 communicative0 conventional

0 communicativeillocutionaryacts–consequences:newinteractionconditions

0 conventionalactsbringaboutinstitutionalchanges0 conventions=reZlexiveintentions0  locutionspeci;ic:votesarecastwithaye/nay,verdict:guilty/notguilty

1.EFFECTIVESYouareZired.2.VERDICTIVESOut.Guilty.

0 Conventionalandcommunicativeactsarenotseparate:

Youareunderarrest.=conventional+assertionWhatisthedifferencebetween:Thankyou!Guilty.

0 formulaicacknowledgementsVS.conventionalacts:=acknowledgementsobservesocialconventionsbuttheysucceedinvirtueofthehearer’srecognizingtheintentionofthespeaker,andnotbyfallingunderaconvention‘Thankyou’-languageunknowntospeakervs.gettingmarriedinaforeigncountry

BachandHarnisch1979Leech19830 communication=problemsolving0  interlocutors=rationalagentsSpeaker:planning:0 giventhatIwantthementalstateofthehearertochange/remainthesame,howdoIchooseanutterancewhichwillmaketheresultthemostlikely?

Hearer:formshypothesesandchecksthemagainstavailablecontextualevidence“mutualcontextualbeliefs”

0 anillocutionaryactissuccessfulifthespeakergetsthehearertorecognizewhatheisdoing

ILLOCUTIONARYEFFECT=understandingthesentencegeneralconditionsonsuccessfulspeechact1.speakerutterssentenceandmeansit2.thespeakerintendstoproduceinthehearertheillocutionaryeffect3.intentionwillberecognizedinvirtueofthehearer’sknowledgeoftherulesgoverningtheelementsofthesentence

0 Wittgenstein:thedescriptivefallacy(thebeliefthatlanguageisusedforconveyinginformation)

0 usinglanguage,peoplecanplayaninZinityoflanguagegames

ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 Criteria:1.illocutionarypointorpurposethepointofanassertion:….thepointofapromise:….!requestsandcommandshavethesameillocutionarypointbutnotthesameillocutionaryforce

ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 Criteria:2.directionof<itgetthewordtomatchtheworldgettheworldtomatchtheword

ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 Criteria:3.expressedpsychologicalstate*IstatethatpbutIdonotbelievethatp4.othercriteria:thestrength(suggestvsinsist),whetherornotextralinguisticinstitutionsarenecessary(marry,vote)

ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 ClassiZication:1.assertives:assert,concludeàtruthvalue2.directives:request,question3.commissives:promise,threat,offer4.expressives:thank,apologize,expressattitude5.declaratives:cf.Austin’sperformativesdirectionofZit:…......

ShesuggestedthattherehadbeenamistakeShesuggestedthatweshouldleaveearly0 hybrids;compoundillocutions:Thefoodisexpensivethere

Questions:0 Preparatorycondition:Hknowsanswer0 Sinceritycondition:SwantstoZindoutanswer0 Propositionalcontentcondition:anyproposition0 Essentialcondition:actcountsasrequestforinfo

0 apparentcounterexamples:teacherquestioningstudent,lawyerquestioningwitness,rhetoricalquestions

Requests:0 Preparatorycondition:….0 Sinceritycondition:….0 Propositionalcondition:speakerpredicatesfutureactofhearer

0 Essentialcondition:actcountsas….

0 distinctionbetweenrequestandcommand:…..

Complimentvs.congratulations:0 Preparatorycondition:actisinhearer’sinterest.0 Sinceritycondition:speakerispleasedatit0 Propositionalcondition:0 Essentialcondition:congratulation:speaker-centred:compliment:hearer–centred

0 Notallspeechactshavepropositionalcontent:Huh?Wow!0 atypicalcasesofapology:Sorrytheboysareshoutingsomuch!–apologyonsmbelse’sbehalfSorryyou’vearrivedinsuchlousyweather–apologizeforsomethingyou’venocontrolover

IndirectSpeechActsThedoorisoverthere.0 primaryillocutionaryintent0 secondaryillocutionaryintent0 Zirststep:hearernoticesthatliteralSAisnotrelevantenoughunderthecircumstances=>thespeakercouldnotmerelybestatingp

0  indirectspeechactdiffersfromliteralspeechactbothinillocutionaryforceandpropositionalcontent

Thedoorisoverthere.=Leave!IF:…..

Youcouldbealittlemorequiet.p=bequietIF1:IF2:

Locutionarystrategy:0 speakersays:Thedoorisoverthere0 Literalstrategy:Speakerpointsoutlocationofdoor0 Literallybasedindirectstrategy:Hknowslocationofdoor;thereforeSisirrelevant;=>Hdeducesthatutterance=directive:SwantsHtoleave

Canyoupassthesalt?*YesIcan.0 Salludestopreparatorycondition(isHabletoperformpropositionconveyedbydirective)

‘ButwhatcanIpossiblytellyouaboutit?’‘Idon’tknowwhatyoucantellme,butIknowwhatIwanttoask.

0 mutualcontextualbeliefsarecrucialforunderstandingindirectness:

a.  ‘Iparticularlywantyoutorememberthosedates–‘Thejurywrotethemdown.LordPetermurmured:‘Theyallwrotedownontheirslates,Shedoesn’tbelievethere’sanatomofmeaninginit….’

0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts

q preparatorycondition:² directives:HisabletoperformCouldyoubealittlemorequiet?² commissives:SisabletoperformIcandothatforyou.² assertions:thereisevidenceIcansaythatHarryisafool.

0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts

q thepointoftheSA:² directivesIsthedoorclosed?Youhaven’tclosedthedoor.² commissives:Nobodyhashelpedyou.Hasn’tanybodyhelpedyou?² assertions:Haven’tIalreadysaidthat….

0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts

q sinceritycondition:² directives:speakerwishesHtodoIwouldlikeyoutogonow.² commissives:SintendstodoIintendtodoit.² assertions:SbelievespIbelieveheisafool

0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts

q politenesscondition:² metalinguisticutterancesMayIaskyoutohelpme?

0 Theessentialconditioncannotbeuseddirectly(whattheactcountsas)

0 theclosestwecanget:CanIgetyoutohelpme?Canyoubelievethatheisbald?

0 Speakersoftenfeeltheneedtogiveahintregardingthereasonablenessofanact

0 reasons:1.willingness:Wouldyoumind...Woulditbeconvenient/toomuchtrouble...I’dbedelighted...Iwanttosaythat...

0 Speakersoftenfeeltheneedtogiveahintregardingthereasonablenessofanact

0 reasons:2.assertingthepropositionalcontent:OfZicerswillhenceforthweartiesatdinners.YouwillbehereatZive.I’mgoingtodoit.I’llgiveittoyounextweek.

0 Speakersoftenfeeltheneedtogiveahintregardingthereasonablenessofanact

0 reasons:Itwouldn’thurtif...You’restandingonmyfoot.Ican’tseewhileyouhaveyourhaton.should…

0  indirectness=non-literalness:0  irony:I’msurethecatlikestohaveitstailpulled->indirectrequest0 hearerwillinferbothmeanings:theliteraloneandtheindirectillocutionaryforce

SpeechActcanbe:0 directandliteral:Don’tspillfoodalloveryou!0 directandZigurative:Don’tbeapig!0  indirectandliteral:Ilikecleanliness.0  indirectandZigurative:Ihatepigs.