Speech Acts

• Speech Acts involve real-life interactions that require not only knowledge of the language but also appropriate use of that language within a given culture.
• We acquire competence when we know when to speak, when not to speak, and what to talk about with whom, when, where, in what manner.
• According to J.I. Austin, there are three types of sets in every utterance, given the right circumstances or context: Locutionary act, Illocutionary act, and Perlocutionary act.
• Locutionary act is the actual act of uttering or making meaningful utterance.
• Illocutionary act is the social function of what is said or the speaker's intention in delivering utterance.
• Perlocutionary act is the resulting act what is said.
• Locutionary or propositional meaning is the basic literal meaning of the utterance or what is said.
• Illocutionary meaning is the social function of what is said; it is the intended effect than an utterance has on the hearer.
• Perlocutionary meaning is the actual effect of the utterance on the hearer.
• Searle's Classification of Speech Act includes five distinct categories: Assertive, Directive, Commissive, Expressive, and Declaration.
• Assertive is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses belief about the truth of a proposition.
• Directive is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker tries to make the addresses perform an action.
• Commissive is a type of illocutionary act which commits the speaker to doing something in the future.
• Expressive is a type of illocutionary act in which the speaker expresses his/her feelings or emotional reactions.
• Declaration is a type of illocutionary act which brings a change in the external situation.