Types of Speech Acts

• Speech Acts are actions done by saying them. The listener must first determine the type of act being performed before he can determine which way a speech act is to be interpreted. These speech acts are categorized as follows:
• Locutionary acts are, according to Susana Nuccetell and from Gary Seay (from Philosophy of Language: The Central Topics) 2007, “the mere act of producing some linguistic sounds or marks with a certain meaning and reference.". Locutionary act refers to any utterances that may contain statements or words about objects. It may be a word, or even a phrase that has a meaning.
• Illocutionary Acts Illocutionary act is the acting part of the speech act. It carries a directive for the audience. It may be a command, an apology, an expression of thankfulness or just an answer to a question for the information of other people in the communication process. There are two kinds of illocutionary acts. The first is called constantive, or making something true or false by saying it. This is commonly done by someone in authority like a judge or an official.
• What are illocutionary acts categorized into according to John Searle?

  Common families of speech acts
• What is the purpose of assertive illocutionary acts?


  To express belief about the truth of a proposition
• What are some examples of assertive illocutionary acts?


  Boasting, suggesting, asserting, concluding, and swearing
• What is the purpose of directive illocutionary acts?


  To make the addressee perform an action
• What are some examples of directive illocutionary acts?


  Commanding, requesting, begging, inviting, pleading, or insisting
• What is the purpose of commissive illocutionary acts?


  To commit the speaker to future actions
• What are some examples of commissive illocutionary acts?


  Promising, planning, vowing, and betting
• What is the purpose of expressive illocutionary acts?


  To express the speaker's feelings or emotional reactions
• What are some examples of expressive illocutionary acts?

  Thanking, apologizing, welcoming, and deploring
• What is the purpose of declarative illocutionary acts?


  To bring a change in an external situation
• What are some examples of declarative illocutionary acts?


  Blessing, firing, baptizing, and bidding
• What are the five categories of illocutionary acts according to John Searle?

  1. Assertive

  • Expresses belief about the truth of a proposition

  1. Directive

  • Tries to make the addressee perform an action

  1. Commissive

  • Commits the speaker to future actions

  1. Expressive

  • Expresses feelings or emotional reactions

  1. Declarative

  • Brings a change in an external situation
• Perlocutionary act is the third aspect of speech acts. It is a speech act that produces an effect, intended or not, achieved in an addressee by a speaker’s utterance. Perlocutionary act can bring about a consequence to the audience. They have an effect to the listener in feelings, thoughts, or actions such as changing someone’s mind. Unlike illocutionary act, perlocutionary act can project a sense of fear in the audience.