SPEECH ACT THEORYBy: Ernie Chris Lamug BEE2

WHAT IS A SPEECH ACT?

Speech Act - is a minimal functional unit in human communication.

- basic unit of communication.

JOHN LANGSHAW AUSTIN

• a British philosopher of language.

•he proposed Speech Act Theory (1962).

•he pointed out that, we use language to do things, as well as to assert things.

THE MEANING OF SPEECH ACTS

• Propositional meaning - the literal meaning of what is said.

example: It’s hot in here.

• Illocutionary meaning - the social function of what is said.

example: “It’s hot in here” could be:

- an indirect request for someone to open the window.

- an indirect refusal to close the window because someone is cold.

- a complaint implying that someone should know better than to keep the windows closed.

• Perlocutionary meaning – the effect of what is said.

example: “It’s hot in here” could result in someone open the windows.

CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH ACTS (COHEN (1996))

CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH ACTS (COHEN (1996))

- Assertive or Representative

It’s function is to tell what the speaker knows or believe.

- Directive

Make the addressee perform an action.

- Comissive

Commits the speaker to do something in the future.

- Expressive

Expresses how the speaker feels about the situation.

- Declaration

Changes the state of the world in an immediate way.

SPEECH ACT THEORY attempts to explain how speakers use language to accomplish

intended actions and how listeners determine and intended meaning from what is said.

is a subfield of pragmatics concerned with the ways in which words can be used not only to present information but also to carry out actions.

this was proposed by “J.L. Austin”.

from the book of “How To Do Things With Words” and it was supplemented by “John Searle”.

SPEECH ACT THEORY

Examples:

- performing a wedding

- blessing

• Philosophers like Austin(1962), Grice(1957), and Searle(1965, 1969, 1975) offered basic insight into this new theory of linguistic communication based on the assumption that the minimal pair of human communication are not linguistic expressions, but rather the performance of certain kinds of acts, such as making statements, asking questions, giving directions, apologizing, thanking, and so on.

SCARCELLA (1990)

Provides second language instructors with a number of guidelines intended to reduce negative consequences of communication difficulties and increase the learners’ conversational competence through improving their motivation:

Stress the advantages of conversing like a native speaker.

Stress that it is not necessary to converse perfectly to communicate in the second language.

Impress upon learners that they should not be overly concerned with communication difficulties.

Help students accept communication difficulties as normal.

Provide students with information about communication difficulties.

Do not expect students to develop the conversational skills needed to overcome all communication difficulties.

Provide communicative feedback regarding student success in conveying meaning and accomplishing communicative objects.

Teach students strategies to help them overcome communication difficulties in the real world.