Utterances

Nguyn Hng Diu Nguyn Thanh H ng Thu Trang K38A1

Definition
In process sense: utterances are speech acts
In product sense: utterances are inscriptions

Types of product utterances

Constative utterance: state-making utterance
Performative utterance: utterance that performs an act of doing something

Constative Utterance
Represents a state of affair or experience
Eg. Hes the most famous businessman in the world.

=> Can be verifiable

Performative utterance
Brings about a state of affair (bids, blessings, firings, arrests complaints, marrying) Has the function to make a part of the world conform to what is said Eg. I thank you for being here. => Can be either true or false

Performative utterance
Explicit performatives:
Explicitly denote the kind of act that is being performed The subject must be first person
Eg. I request all the passengers to fasten your seat belts.

Performative utterance
Implicit performatives:
Implicitly denote the kind of act that is being performed There is no performative verb in the sentence
Eg. We owed our lives to the skills of the pilot.

Types of speech-act utterances

Three types of acts composing a speech act:
Locution: the actual form of the utterance (what is said) Illocution: the communicative force of the utterance (what the speaker wants to say) Perlocution: the communicative effect of the utterance (the message that the hearer gets & his interpretation)