Breaking the Acts down
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
Week 10
Tyler Peterson
University of Auckland
May 23, 2017
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
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Performative sentences have two features:
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
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Performative sentences have two features:
1. They don’t say anything true or false: their use constitutes an
action
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
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Performative sentences have two features:
1. They don’t say anything true or false: their use constitutes an
action
2. They use a performative verb (promise, christen, etc); these are
explicit performatives.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
▶
Performative sentences have two features:
1. They don’t say anything true or false: their use constitutes an
action
2. They use a performative verb (promise, christen, etc); these are
explicit performatives.
Contrast these with implicit performatives:
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
▶
Performative sentences have two features:
1. They don’t say anything true or false: their use constitutes an
action
2. They use a performative verb (promise, christen, etc); these are
explicit performatives.
Contrast these with implicit performatives:
a. “Ciao!”
b. “Am I late?”
c. “Open the window, please.”
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
2. Constantives: are sentences used to make assertions or
statements:
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
2. Constantives: are sentences used to make assertions or
statements:
a. ‘My dog’s name is Sammyboy.’
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
2. Constantives: are sentences used to make assertions or
statements:
a. ‘My dog’s name is Sammyboy.’
b. ‘It is currently 95 degrees outside.’
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Performatives vs. Constantives cont.
2. Constantives: are sentences used to make assertions or
statements:
a. ‘My dog’s name is Sammyboy.’
b. ‘It is currently 95 degrees outside.’
c. ‘Sentors beat the Penguins at hockey last week.’
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions on Performatives
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Austin: a number of felicity conditions on performatives must
be met for the successful use of a performative (a paraphrase):
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions on Performatives
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Austin: a number of felicity conditions on performatives must
be met for the successful use of a performative (a paraphrase):
a. A conventional procedure must exists with a conventional effect
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions on Performatives
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Austin: a number of felicity conditions on performatives must
be met for the successful use of a performative (a paraphrase):
a. A conventional procedure must exists with a conventional effect
b. The circumstances must be appropriate
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions on Performatives
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Austin: a number of felicity conditions on performatives must
be met for the successful use of a performative (a paraphrase):
a. A conventional procedure must exists with a conventional effect
b. The circumstances must be appropriate
c. The procedure must be completed correctly
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions on Performatives
▶
Austin: a number of felicity conditions on performatives must
be met for the successful use of a performative (a paraphrase):
a.
b.
c.
d.
A conventional procedure must exists with a conventional effect
The circumstances must be appropriate
The procedure must be completed correctly
You must have the correct thoughts, feelings and intentions (be
sincere)
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions on Performatives
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Austin: a number of felicity conditions on performatives must
be met for the successful use of a performative (a paraphrase):
a.
b.
c.
d.
A conventional procedure must exists with a conventional effect
The circumstances must be appropriate
The procedure must be completed correctly
You must have the correct thoughts, feelings and intentions (be
sincere)
e. If there is something that follows, the relevant participants must
do so
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A revision
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A problem: some constantives cannot be evaluated for truth or
falseness, or we might differ in our opinions:
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A revision
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A problem: some constantives cannot be evaluated for truth or
falseness, or we might differ in our opinions:
a. The SkyTower is 2km from here.
b. The Lego Movie is awesome
c. Italy has the shape of a boot.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A revision
▶
A problem: some constantives cannot be evaluated for truth or
falseness, or we might differ in our opinions:
a. The SkyTower is 2km from here.
b. The Lego Movie is awesome
c. Italy has the shape of a boot.
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You can make constantives be performative:
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A revision
▶
A problem: some constantives cannot be evaluated for truth or
falseness, or we might differ in our opinions:
a. The SkyTower is 2km from here.
b. The Lego Movie is awesome
c. Italy has the shape of a boot.
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You can make constantives be performative:
a. I hereby claim that hockey is better than baseball
b. I hereby state that everything is awesome!
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A revision
▶
A problem: some constantives cannot be evaluated for truth or
falseness, or we might differ in our opinions:
a. The SkyTower is 2km from here.
b. The Lego Movie is awesome
c. Italy has the shape of a boot.
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You can make constantives be performative:
a. I hereby claim that hockey is better than baseball
b. I hereby state that everything is awesome!
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Austin concludes that constantives are just a special class of
performatives
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
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All utterances:
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
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All utterances:
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Mean what they mean, and
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
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All utterances:
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Mean what they mean, and
perform specific acts through the communicative force of an
utterance
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
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All utterances:
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Mean what they mean, and
perform specific acts through the communicative force of an
utterance
Three simultaneous acts performed by an utterance:
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
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All utterances:
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Mean what they mean, and
perform specific acts through the communicative force of an
utterance
Three simultaneous acts performed by an utterance:
1. The locutionary act: the production of a meaningful linguistic
expression
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
▶
All utterances:
▶
▶
▶
Mean what they mean, and
perform specific acts through the communicative force of an
utterance
Three simultaneous acts performed by an utterance:
1. The locutionary act: the production of a meaningful linguistic
expression
2. The illocutionary act: the action intended to be performed by a
speaker in uttering that linguistic expression
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A starting point
▶
All utterances:
▶
▶
▶
Mean what they mean, and
perform specific acts through the communicative force of an
utterance
Three simultaneous acts performed by an utterance:
1. The locutionary act: the production of a meaningful linguistic
expression
2. The illocutionary act: the action intended to be performed by a
speaker in uttering that linguistic expression
3. The perlocutionary act: the consequences or effects on the
participants in uttering that linguistic expression
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Locutionary Act
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A locutionary act is the basic act of speaking.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Locutionary Act
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A locutionary act is the basic act of speaking.
It basically corresponds to the three modules of linguistic theory:
phonetics/phonology, morphology/syntax, and semantics
pragmatics.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The illocutionary act is that act of saying something with a
purpose in mind.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The illocutionary act is that act of saying something with a
purpose in mind.
These includes an open class of acts, such as accusing,
apologizing, blaming, congratulating, giving permission, joking,
naming, promising, ordering, refusing, thanking, etc, etc.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The illocutionary act is that act of saying something with a
purpose in mind.
These includes an open class of acts, such as accusing,
apologizing, blaming, congratulating, giving permission, joking,
naming, promising, ordering, refusing, thanking, etc, etc.
These are also known as illocutionary forces.
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Tyler Peterson
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The illocutionary act is that act of saying something with a
purpose in mind.
These includes an open class of acts, such as accusing,
apologizing, blaming, congratulating, giving permission, joking,
naming, promising, ordering, refusing, thanking, etc, etc.
These are also known as illocutionary forces.
N.B.: The term ‘speech act’ is often taken to refer specifically
to illocutionary acts.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The same linguistic expression can be used with more than one
type of illocutionary force.
‘The gun is loaded.’
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The opposite is also possible: same illocutionary force can be
used with more than one type of locutionary acts.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The opposite is also possible: same illocutionary force can be
used with more than one type of locutionary acts.
The illocutionary force of requesting:
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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The opposite is also possible: same illocutionary force can be
used with more than one type of locutionary acts.
The illocutionary force of requesting:
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‘A return to ticket to Wellington, please.’
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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▶
The opposite is also possible: same illocutionary force can be
used with more than one type of locutionary acts.
The illocutionary force of requesting:
▶
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‘A return to ticket to Wellington, please.’
‘Can I have a return ticket to Wellington, please?’
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Illocutionary Act
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▶
The opposite is also possible: same illocutionary force can be
used with more than one type of locutionary acts.
The illocutionary force of requesting:
▶
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▶
‘A return to ticket to Wellington, please.’
‘Can I have a return ticket to Wellington, please?’
‘I’d like a return ticket to Wellington, please.’
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Perlocutionary Act
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A perlocutionary act concerns the effect or influence an
utterance may have on the addressee
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Perlocutionary Act
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A perlocutionary act concerns the effect or influence an
utterance may have on the addressee
It can be considered the ‘by-product’ in the course of speaking,
whether intentional or unintentional
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Perlocutionary Act
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▶
A perlocutionary act concerns the effect or influence an
utterance may have on the addressee
It can be considered the ‘by-product’ in the course of speaking,
whether intentional or unintentional
What is the perlocutionary force of “The gun is loaded.” in the
context of a bank robbery?
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
The Perlocutionary Act
▶
▶
▶
A perlocutionary act concerns the effect or influence an
utterance may have on the addressee
It can be considered the ‘by-product’ in the course of speaking,
whether intentional or unintentional
What is the perlocutionary force of “The gun is loaded.” in the
context of a bank robbery?
This statement has the perlocutionary force of getting the
cashier to open the safe.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Illocutionary vs. Perlocutionary Acts
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Illocutionary acts are intended by the speaker; perlocutionary
acts are not (always)
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Illocutionary vs. Perlocutionary Acts
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Illocutionary acts are intended by the speaker; perlocutionary
acts are not (always)
Illocutionary acts are under the speaker’s control; perlocutionary
acts are not
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Illocutionary vs. Perlocutionary Acts
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▶
Illocutionary acts are intended by the speaker; perlocutionary
acts are not (always)
Illocutionary acts are under the speaker’s control; perlocutionary
acts are not
Illocutionary acts unfold as the speaker makes the utterance. A
perlocutionary act requires the utterance be made in full first,
and illocutionary force be made evident
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
Illocutionary vs. Perlocutionary Acts
▶
▶
▶
▶
Illocutionary acts are intended by the speaker; perlocutionary
acts are not (always)
Illocutionary acts are under the speaker’s control; perlocutionary
acts are not
Illocutionary acts unfold as the speaker makes the utterance. A
perlocutionary act requires the utterance be made in full first,
and illocutionary force be made evident
Illocutionary acts tend to be more conventional and tied to
linguistic forms, while perlocutionary acts are more unpredictable
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A parallel
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Truth conditions must be met by the world for a sentence to be
said to be true.
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LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
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Breaking the Acts down
A parallel
▶
▶
Truth conditions must be met by the world for a sentence to be
said to be true.
Felicity conditions must be fulfilled by the world for a speech act
to be said to be felicitous.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
A parallel
▶
▶
▶
Truth conditions must be met by the world for a sentence to be
said to be true.
Felicity conditions must be fulfilled by the world for a speech act
to be said to be felicitous.
Searle: to perform a speech act is to obey certain conventional
rules that are constitutive of that type of speech act.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
A parallel
▶
▶
▶
▶
Truth conditions must be met by the world for a sentence to be
said to be true.
Felicity conditions must be fulfilled by the world for a speech act
to be said to be felicitous.
Searle: to perform a speech act is to obey certain conventional
rules that are constitutive of that type of speech act.
Felicity conditions are constitutive rules.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions
▶
Four basic kinds:
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions
▶
Four basic kinds:
1. Propositional content: what the speech act is about.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions
▶
Four basic kinds:
1. Propositional content: what the speech act is about.
2. Prepatory condition: the real-world pre-requisites for the
speech act.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions
▶
Four basic kinds:
1. Propositional content: what the speech act is about.
2. Prepatory condition: the real-world pre-requisites for the
speech act.
3. Sincerity condition: must be satisfied if the act is to be
performed sincerely.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
Felicity conditions
▶
Four basic kinds:
1. Propositional content: what the speech act is about.
2. Prepatory condition: the real-world pre-requisites for the
speech act.
3. Sincerity condition: must be satisfied if the act is to be
performed sincerely.
4. Essential condition: the speaker has the intention that her
utterance will count as an act that is recognized by the
addressee.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
An example: The request
‘What time does the bus to Wellington leave?’
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
An example: The request
‘What time does the bus to Wellington leave?’
▶
Searle’s felcity conditions for requesting:
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
An example: The request
‘What time does the bus to Wellington leave?’
▶
Searle’s felcity conditions for requesting:
1. Propositional content: future act A (giving the information)
of H (the Hearer)
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
An example: The request
‘What time does the bus to Wellington leave?’
▶
Searle’s felcity conditions for requesting:
1. Propositional content: future act A (giving the information)
of H (the Hearer)
2. Prepatory condition:
(i) S (the Speaker) believes H can do A;
(ii) it is not obvious that H would do A without being asked.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
An example: The request
‘What time does the bus to Wellington leave?’
▶
Searle’s felcity conditions for requesting:
1. Propositional content: future act A (giving the information)
of H (the Hearer)
2. Prepatory condition:
(i) S (the Speaker) believes H can do A;
(ii) it is not obvious that H would do A without being asked.
3. Sincerity condition: S wants H to do A.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
Breaking the Acts down
An example: The request
‘What time does the bus to Wellington leave?’
▶
Searle’s felcity conditions for requesting:
1. Propositional content: future act A (giving the information)
of H (the Hearer)
2. Prepatory condition:
(i) S (the Speaker) believes H can do A;
(ii) it is not obvious that H would do A without being asked.
3. Sincerity condition: S wants H to do A.
4. Essential condition: the utterance of the question can be
recognized as an attempt to get H to do A.
.
. .
Tyler Peterson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LINGUIST 101 - Language, Mind and Society
.
.
.
.
. .
. .
.