Speech Act Theory: The Force of an Utterance
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Date
2022
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Publisher
Ichkalat journal
Abstract
Abstract:
One of the most important theories in early Pragmatics is that of Austin’s Speech
Act Theory. In How to do things with words (1962), which was published
posthumously, Austin uncovers the power of language in getting things done.
Calling this power the FORCE of a speech act, Austin situates language within a
larger enterprise of human actions. Speech Act Theory is the level of analysis that
goes beyond naming entities or judging linguistic structures. By focusing on the nonliteral
meaning that arises in language in use, Speech Act Theory fosters a third level
of analysis to language in use. This article attempts to trace the main claims of
Austin’ Speech Act Theory, with much focus on the difference between constatives
and performatives. A major distinction states that while the former are either true or
false, the latter are either happy or unhappy