Felicity Conditions - Definition and Explanation (speech acts)

Searle (1969) has set some more detailed rules concerning felicity condition for each illocutionary acts. In his accordance, several conditions ... Pages Home Thinkers Topics ArticleSummaries BookSummaries Explained&Defined Thursday,January4,2018 FelicityConditions-DefinitionandExplanation(speechacts) ThetermFelicity conditionofFelicityconditionsisreferredtotheeffectivenessofspeechactsuseofthespeaker. Austinheldthatinusingspeechactsonehastofulfillcertain conditionsregardingtheactthatisbeinguttered.Forexample,whenoneis makingapromisetoanotherperson,he/shehastofulfilltheconditionofthat thehearerorthepromiseetohavea needsomethingtobepromised,andthespeakerorthepromiserwillhavetheintentiontofulfillthatneed;therefore theactofpromisingwillbevalidtoberegardedasfelicitouscondition.Bydefinitionfelicityconditionsareastatewhentheutterancesmadehasmetthe appropriateconditionssuchas,appropriatecontext,conventionalexistence, authority,andalsospeaker’ssincerity.Thesekindsofutteranceareonlyvalidlyrecognizedasa felicitousspeechactsifthespeakermeetsrequiredconditiontobeableto validatethecontext.Thiskindofutteranceisusuallyusedbyapriestorany otherreligiousleadertopronounceamarriagebetweenamanandwoman.Then thiskindofutteranceshouldbebroughtupontheweddinginaforinstance, church.Moreover,withoutthespecialprivilegeofapriest(oranyother individualsgiventhespecialprivilegetomarrypeople)thiskindofutterance willnotberecognizedasanappropriateuseofspeechactsorithasa differentintention. YuleandSearleonFelicityConditions According toYule(1996),thereareseveraltypesofpre-conditions,thefirstthereisa generalconditionswhichreferredtotheparticipants,forinstance,the languageusedmustbeunderstoodbybothspeakerandheareranditisusedin seriousmatter.Second,therearecontentconditionswhichconcernthecontent oftheutterance;ithastobeaboutfuturematterwhichaffectsthefutureact ofthespeaker.Searle (1969)hassetsomemoredetailedrulesconcerningfelicityconditionforeach illocutionaryacts.Inhisaccordance,severalconditionshavetobefulfilled forasentencetobefelicitous.Theserulesmostlyregardingwith psychologicalandthebeliefsofthespeakerorhearerandeachoneofthemhas tobefulfilledinordertocreateafelicitousact.Theserulesareprepositional content,preparatorycondition,sinceritycondition,andessentialconditionas explainedinthefollowing: 1.     Propositional content:Propositionalcontentconditionexplainsabouttheillocutionaryforces specifytheacceptableconditionsregardingwithpropositionalcontent.In otherwords,itistheproposedconditionofthespeakerorhearer. 2.     Preparatory condition:Inattempttoconductafelicitousillocutionaryactthespeakerhas tohaveacertainbeliefsaboutthespeaker'sactandconditionsandalso,the speakerisrequiredtohavethepowerofauthorityoverthehearer. 3.     Sincerity condition:Inperformingfelicitousacttheperformermusthaveacertain psychologicalattitudeconcerningthepropositionalcontentoftheutterance. Forexample,whenapersonismakingapromise,he/shemusthaveanintention ofkeepingit. 4.     Essential condition:Essentialconditionofanutterancehastodowithitsintentionto getthehearertoperformtheintendedact.TypesandexamplesofFelicityConditions These aresomefelicityconditionsasproposedbySearle(1969,p.66-67): 1.      Felicity conditions:Request            Propositionalcontent:FutureactAofH.            Preparatorycondition:(i)HisabletodoA.(ii)Itis notobvioustobothSandH  thatHwill doAinthenormalcourseofeventsofhisownaccord.            Sinceritycondition:SwantsHtodoA.            Essentialcondition:CountsasanattempttogetHtodo A. 2.      Felicity conditions:Asserting/Stating            Propositionalcontent:Anypropositionp.            Preparatorycondition:(i)Shasevidence(reasons,etc) forthetruthofp.(ii)Itis notobvious forbothSandHthatHknows(doesnotneedtoberemindedof, etc)p.            Sinceritycondition:Sbelievesp.            Essentialcondition:Countsasanundertakingtothe effectthatprepresentsan    actualstate ofaffairs. 3.      Felicityconditions:Question            Propositionalcontent:Anyproposition.            Preparatorycondition:(i) Sdoesnotknowtheanswer(ii)ItisnotobviousthatH willprovidetheinformationwithoutbeing asked.            Sinceritycondition:Swantsthisinformation.            Essentialcondition:Countsasanattempttoelicitthis information. 4.      Felicityconditions:Thanking            Propositionalcontent:PastactAdonebyH.            Preparatorycondition:AbenefitsSandSbelievesA benefitsS.            Sinceritycondition:Sfeelsgratefulorappreciativefor A.            Essentialcondition:Countsasanexpressionofgratitude orappreciation. 5.      Felicityconditions:Advising            Propositionalcontent:FutureactAofH.            Preparatorycondition:(i)ShassomereasontobelieveA willbenefitH(ii)Itis   notobvious tobothSandHthatHwilldoAinthenormalcourseofevents.            Sinceritycondition:SbelievesAwillbenefitH.            Essentialcondition:Countsasanundertakingtothe effectthatAisinH‘sbest   interest. 6.      Felicityconditions:Warning Propositionalcontent:FutureeventE.            Preparatorycondition:(i)SthinksEwilloccurandis notinH’sinterest(ii)S       thinks itisnotobvioustoHthatEwilloccur.            Sinceritycondition:SbelievesEisnotinH’sbest interest.            Essentialcondition:CountsasanundertakingthatEis notinH’sbestinterest. 7.      Felicityconditions:Congratulating            Propositionalcontent:Someevent,act,etc.,Erelated toH Preparatorycondition:(i) EisinH'sinterest.            Sinceritycondition:SispleasedatE.            Essentialcondition:Countsasanexpressionofpleasure atE. 8.      Felicityconditions:Greeting            Propositionalcontent:None            Preparatorycondition:Shasjustencountered(orbeen introducedto,etc.)H.            Sinceritycondition:None            Essentialcondition:CountsascourteousrecognitionofH byS. 9.     Felicity conditions:Promising Propositionalcontent:FutureactionAbyS Preparatorycondition:(i)SbelievesHwantsAdone (ii)SisabletodoA.(iii) Ahasnotalreadybeendone.(iv)HwillbenefitfromA. Sinceritycondition:SiswillingtodoA. Essentialcondition:CountsasattemptofStomakeHbelievesaboutthe futureactAtobedonebyS.            Therearealsosomeother revelationoffelicityconditionsbyanotherlinguists.AccordingtoCook (1989),felicityconditionofanorderare: 10. Felicity Conditions:Order Propositionalcontent:FutureactAbyH Preparatorycondition:(i)SbelievesAneedstobedone(ii)Hisableto doA(iii)HhastheobligationtodoA(iv)ShasrighttotellHtodoA Sinceritycondition:SwantsHtodoA Essentialcondition:CountsasanattempttogetHtodoA.(p.36) Thedifferencewiththerequestingisthatin orderingthespeakerneedstohavearighttodosoandthehearerneedsto havetheobligationtodotheact.            Another revelationismadebyAnneBarron(2003).Shededucethefelicityconditionof offeringas2typesofcommisives(offertodox)and commisives-directives asfollowing: 11. Felicity Conditions:Offer(commisives) PropositionalContent:SpredicatesafutureactxofS Preparatorycondition:(i)Sisabletoperformx(ii)HwantsStoperform x Sincerity condition:Sintendstodox            Essentialcondition: CountsastheundertakingbySofanobligationtodox,                                         shouldSwantHtodoso.(p.126) 12. Felicity conditions:Offer(commisives-directive) PropositionalContent:SpredicatesafutureactxofS Preparatorycondition:(i)Sisabletoperformx.(ii)H wantsStoperformx Sinceritycondition:(i)Sintendstodox.(ii)Swants Htodox Essentialcondition:(i)CountsastheundertakingbyS ofanobligationtodox,                        shouldSwantHto.(ii)Asanattempt byStogetHtodo                          x.(p.126) Shealsopointsoutthefelicityconditionforrefusal foranofferasfollowing: 13. Felicitycondition: Refusalofoffer PropositionalContent:SpredicatesafutureactxofH Preparatorycondition:(i)Hisableto(not)performx. SbelievesHisable(not)                           to performx.(ii)ItisobviousthatHwould(not)dox                         withoutbeingasked. Sinceritycondition:SwantsH(not)todox Essentialcondition:CountsasanattempttogetH(not) todox.(p.128)SummaryofHowtoDoThingsWithWordsbyJ.L.Austin     at January04,2018 EmailThisBlogThis!SharetoTwitterSharetoFacebookSharetoPinterest Labels: JLAustin, JohnSearle, linguistics NewerPost OlderPost Home SearchThisBlog Ifyoufoundwhatyouwerelookingforandithelpedyouout,pleaseconsiderhelpingmeoutbytippingwhateveryoufeelisworthyofmyefforts.Thankyou!:) Gotarticlesummeries,reviews,essays,notes,anythingyou'veworkedhardonandthinkcouldbenfitothers?whynotcontributeandmailthemtousandwe'llputthemupforotherstouse(withcredit). 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