What is Speech Act Theory? - Study.com

A speech act is any utterance that serves a function in communication. For example, speech can be used to make statements, ask questions, ... forTeachers forSchools forWorkingScholars® forCollegeCredit LogIn SignUp Menu forWorkingScholars® forCollegeCredit Plans Plans Courses Courses FindCoursesbySubject Science Math Business Psychology History English SocialScience Humanities Spanish ProfessionalDevelopment ByEducationLevel College HighSchool MiddleSchool TestPrep PopularTests… PopularTests SAT ACT TOEFL GMAT GRE CLEP GED ASVAB RealEstate TeacherCertification… TeacherCertification AEPA CEOE CSET/CBEST FTCE GACE ILTS MTEL MTLE MTTC MoGEA/MEGA NES NYSTCE OAE Praxis RICA TExES VCLA WEST Nursing… NursingTests HESI TEAS NCLEX PAXRN CNE OtherTests… OtherTests AP ASCP ASWB Accuplacer CHSPE CTEL DSST Finance FSA HSPT ISEE MBLEx NCE PERT PHR SHSAT TASC TECEP UExcel Exploreover 4,600 videocourses BrowseAllCourses SAT ACT TOEFL GMAT GRE CLEP GED ASVAB RealEstate AEPA CEOE CSET/CBEST FTCE GACE ILTS MTEL MTLE MTTC MoGEA/MEGA NES NYSTCE OAE Praxis RICA TExES VCLA WEST HESI TEAS NCLEX PAXRN CNE AP ASCP ASWB Accuplacer CHSPE CTEL DSST Finance FSA HSPT ISEE MBLEx NCE PERT PHR SHSAT TASC TECEP UExcel Credit Credit CreditOptions CreditOptions OnlineCollegeCredit HighSchool&GED CertificatesofCompletion HowitWorks TransferCredit TransferCredit AllTransferCredit FindYourSchool CollegeCoursesforCredit TransferringCredit HowItWorks EarnTransferableCredit&GetyourDegreefast Learnmore ContactSupport Copyright NicoleKain,RahmanJohnson Author NicoleKain Nicolehasabachelor’sdegreeineducationandamaster’sdegreeinspeech-languagepathology. Viewbio Instructor RahmanJohnson RahmanisaTVNewsAnchorwithaMaster'sDegreeinStrategicCommunicationsandLeadership. Viewbio Learnconceptsaboutspeechacttheory.Identifythespeechactdefinition,thefivedifferenttypesofspeechact,andhowitfocusesonlanguageandcommunication. Updated:03/19/2022 TableofContentsWhatisSpeechActTheory?PragmaticsLessonSummaryShow Createanaccount WhatisSpeechActTheory?Speechacttheorycanbedefinedastheideathatlanguagecontainsmeaningbeyondjustthedefinitionofthewordsthatareused.Languageisatooltoperformvariousfunctions,alsocalledspeechacts.Speechacttheorysuggeststhatthemeaningofwhatwesayisinfluencedbythetypeofspeechitis,thestructureoftheutterance,andthecontextinwhichitisused.Italsoexplainshowspeechcancreateanactionoroutcome.Thistheoryispartofthefieldofpragmatics,whichisthestudyofhowlanguageisusedinasocialcontext.Aspeechactisanyutterancethatservesafunctionincommunication.Forexample,speechcanbeusedtomakestatements,askquestions,apologize,describe,orpersuade,amongmanyotheruses.Inaspeechact,wordsareusedtodosomething,notjusttosaysomething.JohnL.Austin,aBritishphilosopher,firstintroducedspeechacttheoryinhis1959bookHowtoDoThingswithWords.Thispublishedseriesoflecturesdefinedhistheoryaboutperformatives.Thisisatypeofspeechinwhichaperson'swordsarecausingsomethingtohappenandnotjustmakingastatement.Ratherthansimplydescribingorstatingfacts,somewordsperformanactionorcreatesomethingnew.Forexample,whenbothpeopleinamarriageceremonysay"Ido,"theyarecausingthemarriagetohappen.Otherexamplesofperformativesincludenamingashipandmakingabet.AmericanphilosopherJohnSearlecontinuedtoadvancethespeechacttheorybydrawingonAustin'sworkaswellasthatofphilosophersLudwigWittgenstein,GeoffreyMidgley,H.PaulGrice,P.F.Strawson,JohnRawls,andWilliamP.Alston.Searledefineddifferenttypesofspeechactsasdescribedinthenextsection.Austindescribedthreemainactionsrelatedtospeechacts,andSearleexpandedontheseideas.Locutionreferstothespecificwordsofaverbalorwrittenmessage.Inotherwords,itisthemeaningofwhatisstated.Theillocutionaryactisrelatedtothespeaker'sintention,orwhatthepersonwhoiscommunicatingthemessagewantstohavehappen.Forexample,considerthequestion,"Canyouopenthewindow?".Theobjectiveofaskingthisquestionistohavethelisteneropenthewindow.Thespeakerisnotaskingifitispossibleforthelistenertoopenthewindow.Instead,theirintentiongoesbeyondtheliteralmeaningofthewordsinordertopromptsomeonetoperformanaction.Finally,theperlocutionaryactofspeechreferstotheeffectthatthewordshaveonthereceiverofthemessage,thepersonwhohearsorreadsthosewords.Whenapersonhearsthestatement,"Canyouopenthewindow?",theymaythenexecutethatrequestbyopeningawindow.TypesofSpeechActSearledefinedfivetypesofspeechacts: Assertives-Statementsthatprovideinformation,stateaconclusion,orexpressthebeliefofthespeaker.Examplesofassertivespeechactsinclude"OttawaisthecapitalcityofCanada"and"Sheisanhonestperson." Directives-Thistypeofspeechisattemptingtocausesomeoneelsetodosomething.Commands,requests,andinvitationsaretypesofdirectives,suchas"Couldyoucomeoverfordinnerthisweekend?" Commissives-Wordsthatcommitthespeakertoanactioninthefuture,suchasmakingapromiseoranoffer."Iwilldriveyoutoschool"isanexampleofacommissivespeechact. Expressives-Speechthatexpressesafeelingoremotion.Anexampleofanexpressivespeechactis"I'msorryformissingyourbirthday." Declarations-LikeAustin'sperformatives,thesespeechactscreateachangeintheworldorcausesomethingtohappen.Forexample,"You'refired"or"Ideclareyouhusbandandwife"aredeclarations. Thevarioustypesofspeechactsdescribetheillocutionaryact,ortheresultthatthespeakerintendstoachievewiththeirremarks. Anerroroccurredtryingtoloadthisvideo. Tryrefreshingthepage,orcontactcustomersupport. YoumustcCreateanaccounttocontinue watching Registertoviewthislesson Areyouastudentorateacher? Iamastudent Iamateacher CreateYourAccountToContinueWatching Asamember,you'llalsogetunlimitedaccesstoover84,000 lessonsinmath,English,science,history,andmore.Plus,getpracticetests,quizzes,andpersonalizedcoachingtohelpyou succeed. Getunlimitedaccesstoover84,000lessons. Tryitnow Itonlytakesafewminutestosetupandyoucancancelanytime. Alreadyregistered?Loginherefor access  Back WhatteachersaresayingaboutStudy.com Tryitnow Alreadyregistered? Loginhereforaccess Comingupnext: SpeechOrganization:ImportancetoSpeaker&Audience You'reonaroll.Keepupthegoodwork! TakeQuiz Watch NextLesson  Replay Justcheckingin.Areyoustillwatching? Yes!Keepplaying. Yournextlessonwillplayin 10seconds 0:02ExploringPragmatics 1:23TheTheoryofSpeechActs 3:27FiveTypesofSpeechActs 4:40LessonSummary Save Save Save Wanttowatchthisagainlater? LoginorsignuptoaddthislessontoaCustomCourse. LoginorSignup Timeline Autoplay Autoplay Speed Speed 20Kviews Video Quiz Course 20K views PragmaticsPragmaticsisthebranchoflinguisticsthatdealswiththeuseoflanguageinsocialcommunication.Itexploreshowthecontextinwhichsomethingissaidcaninfluencethemeaningofwords.Pragmaticsincludesthreemajorcommunicationskills:usinglanguage,changinglanguage,andfollowingrules. Usinglanguageinvolvesputtingwordstogetherforaspecificreasonortoachieveacertaingoal.Forexample,greetingsomeonebysaying"hello"orrequestingsomethingarejusttwoexamplesofusinglanguage. Changinglanguagereferstoadjustingone'svocabularyorgrammaticalstructuretobeappropriatefortheaudience.Aprofessorwouldlikelygivemorebackgroundinformationandspeakinasimplifiedwayiftheyweregivinganintroductorylectureinaclassroomthantheywouldiftheywerehavingaconversationwithprofessionalcolleagueswhohavethesameadvancedlevelofknowledge.Peoplealsospeakdifferentlywhencommunicatingwithchildrencomparedtoadults. Followingrulesisrelatedtoobservingcommonconventionsforconversation.Forexample,takingturnsinaconversation,usingfacialexpressionsandeyecontact,andstayingontopicarerulesthatspeakersfollowwhencommunicatingwithothers.Theseandothercommunicationrulesareinfluencedbyculturalnormsandtraditions. Thefirstskillinthislist,usinglanguage,isthepragmaticskillthatisdirectlyrelatedtothespeechacttheory.LessonSummarySpeechacttheorystatesthatspeechisusedtoachievesomekindofoutcomeorobjective.Thatis,thepurposeofcommunicationistodosomething.Itisalsothetheorythateachwordhasaspeechorillocutionaryact.JohnL.Austin,aBritishphilosopher,firstdescribedspeechacttheory,andAmericanphilosopherJohnSearleadvancedthefield.Aspeechactisanyutterancethatservesafunction.AustinandSearledefinedthreedifferentcomponentsofeveryspeechact:thelocutionaryact,orthemeaningofthespecificwordsused;theillocutionaryact,orwhatthespeakerintendstodo;andtheperlocutionaryact,orwhatthelistenerinterpretsfromthewords.Speechacttheory,therefore,explainstherelationshipbetweenthespeakerandthelistenerincommunication.Therearefivedifferentcategoriesofspeechacts,orillocutions.Assertivespeechactsprovideinformation.Directivescommandorrequestanaction.Commissivespeechactsmakeapromiseforthefuture.Expressivesconveyanemotionorfeeling.Finally,declarationscausesomethingtohappenorcreateachange.Speechacttheoryispartofthestudyofpragmatics,whichdealswithhowspeechisusedinasocialcontext.Therearethreemajorpragmaticcommunicationskills:usinglanguage,changinglanguage,andfollowingrules.Theskillofusinglanguagetoachieveanoutcomeisdirectlyrelatedtospeechacttheory. TounlockthislessonyoumustbeaStudy.comMember. Createyouraccount FrequentlyAskedQuestions Whoproposedthespeechacttheory? JohnL.Austin,aBritishphilosopheroflanguage,firstintroducedspeechacttheory.ThetheorywaslateradvancedbyAmericanphilosopherJohnSearle. Whatarethefivetypesofspeechact? Therearefivetypesofspeechactsthatdefinethevariouspurposesofspeech.Thecategoriesofspeechactsareassertives,directives,commissives,expressives,anddeclarations. Registertoviewthislesson Areyouastudentorateacher? Iamastudent Iamateacher UnlockYourEducation Seeforyourselfwhy30millionpeopleuseStudy.com BecomeaStudy.commemberandstartlearningnow. BecomeaMember Alreadyamember?LogIn  Back WhatteachersaresayingaboutStudy.com Tryitnow Alreadyregistered? Loginhereforaccess Createanaccount SpeechActTheoryConcept&Examples|WhatisSpeechActTheory? Starttoday.Tryitnow Business / PublicSpeaking101:HelpandReview PublicSpeaking101:HelpandReview 14chapters| 94lessons {{courseNav.course.topics.length}}chapters| {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}lessons |{{course.flashcardSetCount}} flashcardset{{course.flashcardSetCoun>1?'s':''}} Ch1. IntroductiontoPublicSpeaking:Help... Goto IntroductiontoPublicSpeaking:HelpandReview Ch2. AnalyzingYourAudience:Helpand... Goto AnalyzingYourAudience:HelpandReview Ch3. ListeningandFeedback:Helpand... Goto ListeningandFeedback:HelpandReview Ch4. SpeechTopic,Purpose&Thesis:Help&... Goto SpeechTopic,Purpose&Thesis:Help&Review Ch5. ResearchingtheSpeech:HelpandReview EffectiveResearchStrategies:SpeakingtoYourAudience&Purpose 6:24 Primaryvs.SecondaryResearch:Difference&Importance 8:12 TypesofSupportingMaterialsforaSpeech 9:35 UsingSearchEnginesforOnlineResearch 8:11 EvaluatingSourcesforReliability,Credibility,andWorth 6:09 SelectingRelevantSupportforYourSpeech 7:35 HowtoConductanInterviewforSpeechSupport 7:27 CitingSourcesWhileResearchingforaSpeech 6:16 UnderstandingWhen&HowtoCiteSourcesDuringaSpeech 8:14 SpeechActTheory:Definition&Pragmatics 5:25 Goto ResearchingtheSpeech:HelpandReview Ch6. OrganizingTheSpeech:Helpand... Goto OrganizingTheSpeech:HelpandReview Ch7. OutliningTheSpeech:Helpand... Goto OutliningTheSpeech:HelpandReview Ch8. LanguageandStyle:Helpand... Goto LanguageandStyle:HelpandReview Ch9. SpeechDelivery:HelpandReview Goto SpeechDelivery:HelpandReview Ch10. SelectingandIncorporatingVisual... Goto SelectingandIncorporatingVisualSupports:HelpandReview Ch11. TypesofSpeeches:Helpand... Goto TypesofSpeeches:HelpandReview Ch12. ReasoningandRhetoricalProof:Help... Goto ReasoningandRhetoricalProof:HelpandReview Ch13. SpeechEvaluation:Helpand... Goto SpeechEvaluation:HelpandReview Ch14. PreparingForanImpromptuSpeech:Help... Goto PreparingForanImpromptuSpeech:HelpandReview SpeechActTheoryConcept&Examples|WhatisSpeechActTheory?RelatedStudyMaterials RecommendedLessonsandCoursesforYou RelatedLessons RelatedCourses RelatedLessons TheCommunicationProcess OscarWildeBiography,Poems&Plays|WhowasOscarWilde? TheTheoryofSocialPresence WhatisPlagiarism?-Definition&Explanation PracticewiththeConicSections TheStyleofaSpeech:Speaker,Audience&Purpose ApplyingPragmaticstoESOLInstruction OutlineOverview,Function&Examples|HowtoWriteanOutline PatternsofOrganizationforPersuasiveSpeeches WhatisPragmatics?ExamplesandRules Sociolinguistics:TypesofVariations&Examples|WhatisSociolinguistics? 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