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speech act theory

Speech act theory (1930S-1960S).

Also ‘illocutionary act theory’.

Originally formulated by the British philosopher John Langshaw Austin (1911-1960), and developed by the American JOHN ROGERS SEARLE (1932- ), it is a branch of PRAGMATICS.

When saying something, one is simultaneously doing something. An ‘utterance act’ is performed in voicing words and sentences; a ‘propositional act’ is carried out by referring to entities and predicating states and actions.

The interpersonal act performed in speaking is an ‘illocutionary act’ (the central concept): ‘I promise to pay you $5.00’ counts as an act of promising if certain SINCERITY CONDITIONS or FELICITY CONDITIONS are fulfilled.

The intended effect on the addressee is a ‘perlocutionary act’.

Also see: negation, emotivism, prescriptivism, performative theory of truth, subjectivist theories of probability

Source:
J L Austin, How to Do Things with Words (Oxford, 1962);
J R Searle, Speech Acts (Cambridge, 1969)

Table of Contents

    • 0.1 Related:
  • 1 Videos
  • 2 Related Products
    • 2.1 Imprecation as Divine Discourse: Speech Act Theory, Dual Authorship, and Theological Interpretation (Journal of Theological Interpretation Supplements)
    • 2.2 What is a Speech Act? A brief introduction to Searle's theory on speech acts
    • 2.3 Preaching as the Word of God: Answering an Old Question with Speech-Act Theory
    • 2.4 Speech Act Theory and Pragmatics (Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy (10))
    • 2.5 Words in Action: Speech Act Theory And Biblical Interpretation
    • 2.6 Toward a Speech Act Theory of Literary Discourse
    • 2.7 Foundations of Speech Act Theory: Philosophical and Linguistic Perspectives
    • 2.8 Christian Ethical Implications of the Presence of the Kingdom as God's Performative Action in the Light of Speech Act Theory (Theologie)
    • 2.9 Essays in Speech Act Theory (Pragmatics & Beyond New Series)
    • 2.10 Hume and Searle: the Is/ought Gap Versus Speech Act Theory (IASH Occasional Papers)

Related:

  • attitude theories
  • negation performative theory
  • non-cognitivism
  • performative (or ditto) theory of truth
  • John Langshaw Austin

  • Videos

  • Related Products

     
    Imprecation as Divine Discourse: Speech Act Theory, Dual Authorship, and Theological Interpretation (Journal of Theological Interpretation Supplements)

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    What is a Speech Act? A brief introduction to Searle's theory on speech acts

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    Preaching as the Word of God: Answering an Old Question with Speech-Act Theory

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    Speech Act Theory and Pragmatics (Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy (10))

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    Words in Action: Speech Act Theory And Biblical Interpretation

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    Toward a Speech Act Theory of Literary Discourse

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    Foundations of Speech Act Theory: Philosophical and Linguistic Perspectives

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    Christian Ethical Implications of the Presence of the Kingdom as God's Performative Action in the Light of Speech Act Theory (Theologie)

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    Essays in Speech Act Theory (Pragmatics & Beyond New Series)

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    Hume and Searle: the Is/ought Gap Versus Speech Act Theory (IASH Occasional Papers)

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  • Last update 2020-06-17. Price and product availability may change.

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