SPEECH ACTS - old.unibuc.roold.unibuc.ro/prof/tomescu_v/docs/2016/mar/19_19_06_241SPEECHA… ·...
Transcript of SPEECH ACTS - old.unibuc.roold.unibuc.ro/prof/tomescu_v/docs/2016/mar/19_19_06_241SPEECHA… ·...
SPEECHACTSCourseinstructor:VeronicaTomescu
SPEECHACTS0 Austin1962,Searle1969,1979,BachandHarnish1979,Grice1969
Lemonsareyellow.Whatdoesthissentencemean?
Lemonsareyellow.Whatdoesthissentencemean?Whatdoesthespeakermeanbythissentence?
SPEAKERMEANINGWhatdoesthespeakermeanbythissentence?Grice1969
REFLEXIVEINTENTION0 itisthespeaker’sintentiontohavethepersonaddressedrecognizethatthespeakerwantshim/hertoaccepttheroleofhearerandthereforebetherecipientofthespeaker’smessage
0 speakerintendstheirutterancetohaveaneffectonthehearer->theeffectispartlycausedbythehearerrecognizingthatthespeakerhastheintentiontocommunicatebymeansoftheutterance
0 directaddresseeVS.ratiZiedparticipant(e.g.round-tables,canrejectroleofhearer;withoutbeingrude)
0 non-speciZicaddressee:Congratulationstowhoeverisgoingtowin!
0 overhearer:bystander,eavesdropper
0 rejectroleofhearer:Youheardhimthreatenme,didn’tyou?Iwasn’tlistening!
‘Youdosee,don’tyou,thatshe’sgottobekilled?’CuriouswordsforoneHerculePoirot,detective,tooverhear.HerculePoirotwonderedwhathadoccasionedthewordshehadjustoverheard.Acollaboration,perhaps,overaplayorabook.Hethought,stillsmiling:‘Thosewordsmightberememberedonedayandgivenamoresinistermeaning.’
speechact=acomplexactincludingthefollowing:1. alocutionaryact=utteringasentencewithmeaning
(senseandreference),accordingtospeciZicgrammaticalconventions;itinvolvestheproposition,orthepropositionalcontent;assessableintermsoftruthvalue
2.anillocutionaryact=whattheutterancecountsas,whatthespeakerintendstoaccomplishbymeansofthelocutionandtheconventionalforceassignedtothelocutionpropositionalcontent+performativedimension3.aperlocutionaryact
0 locutionaryact/distinctfrom:illocutionaryact:Whatdoyoumean?Whatisthatsupposedtomean?
0 toperformanIAistoproduceanutterancewithacertainillocutionaryforce-IF=complexcommunicativeintention,goal
0 theIAishappilyperformedonlyifacertaineffectonthehearerisobtained
0 generallytheeffect:understandingofthemeaning0 “thesecuringoftheuptake”cf.speakermeaning
0 discrepancypossiblebetwenillocutionaryforceasconceivedbythespeaker(intendedillocutionaryforce)andasconceivedbythehearer(uptake)
0 ->theremaybemorethanoneillocutionaryforceassignedtoanutterance
0 (intentional)misunderstandingofspeaker’sintention
LEONARD:Whatareyoudoing??SHELDON:Playingthetheremin.LEONARD:No,Imean,whatareyoudoingwithatheremin?SHELDON:Playingit.LEONARD:Sheldon,we’reworkinghere.SHELDON:That’sallright.Icanbarelyhearyouovermytheremin.[Leonardunplugstheremin]SHELDON:Thatwasalittleuncalledfor.Soyourprojectismoreimportantthatmine?LEONARD:Seeingasyourprojectistosabotagemyproject,yes.SHELDON:Don’tbeataroundthebushLeonard,ifyoudon’twantmeherejustsaythewordandI’llleave.
0 illocutionaryacts:statement,contradiction,promise,invitation,oath,request,etc.
0 examplesofperlocutions:alertingthehearerbywarningofdanger,persuadingviaargumentation,intimidatingbythreatening,etc.–perlocutionsfallundertheinvestigationofbehaviouralpatternsand/orcognitiverepresentations
0 pragmatics:concernedwithintentionalityofspeaker
a. Heorderedmetoshoother.b. Hegotmetoshoother.c. Shesuggestedthatheshouldstealthenecklace.d. Hewasgoadedintostealingthenecklace.
0 aperlocutionaryact=effect:intended/unintendedmistakeillocutionaryeffect;unintendedperlocutionaryeffect:
LEONARD:Ifyou’reworried,wecangoandseeifshe’sallright.SHELDON:Youknow,Iheardinthenews,abobcathasbeenspottedinherneighbourhood.LEONARD:Idon’tthinkAmywaseatenbyabobcat.SHELDON(horriZied):WhothinksAmywaseatenbyabobcat?LEONARD:Youdo?SHELDON:Iwasjustmentioninganinterestinglocalnewsitem.Now,thankstoyou,I’mworriedAmyhasbeeneatenbyabobcat.LEONARD:Forgetaboutthebobcat.SHELDON:HowcanI?Youwon’tstoptalkingaboutit.
Austin‘Howtodothingswithwords.’1963:distinctionbetweenperformativeandconstativespeechactsThecatisonthemat.Ibetyousixpenceitwillraintomorrow.Iadviseyoutodoit.
0 constativeutterances:trueorfalse0 performativeutterances–donotconveyinformation;aperformativesentenceconstituesorispartofanaction
0 performativeutterances:felicitousorinfelicitous
felicityconditions:1.preparatorycondition:circumstances,participantsifcondition1isviolated,actismisinvokede.g.Mysecondswillcallonyou!shrugitoff–conventionsofduellingnolongerapply->exploitedinDonQuixote
felicityconditions:2.Executivecondition:correctandcompleteexecutionàmisexecuted
a. InamethisshipQueenElisabeth(utteredbyarandomonlookerinthecrowd).
b. WeZindthedefendantguilty(utteredintheabsenceofthejudge)
felicityconditions:3.Sinceritycondition-aninsincereact:notvoid!‘abuse’a. Icongratulateyou
felicityconditions:4.Ful<illmentcondition:perlocutionaryeffect
0 implicitvs.explicitperformativesentences:Iorderyoutogothere.IpromisethatI’llbethere.0 performativeverbs:e.g.admit,announce,apologize,ask,congratulate,disagree,swear,warn,etc.
syntacticfeaturesofexplicitperformativeutterances:0 1stpers,simplepresent,activevoice0 formaladverbialstoenhanceperformativevalue:herebyYouareZired??IZireyou.0 -passive,3rdperson-->authorizedagentNoticeisherebygiventhat...Thecourtpermitsyoutostepdown.continuous=descriptiveI’mwarningyouforthelasttime…
‘IwantedtoseeyouoncemoresoIcouldresign.Iresign.’
0 somefelicityconditionsaffectconstativeutterances:insincere:Youarebeautiful.void:John’schildrenarebald(nochildren)IpromisetofeedtheZish.->lie:notfalseI’vefedtheZish.->false0 performativescanbefalse:Iwarnyouthatthebullisabouttocharge(ifnot…)Istatethattheearthisround.=describeastateofaffairs+performtheactofstating
0 CommunicativePresumption(Bach-Harnisch)=themutualbeliefthatwheneveraspeakersayssomethingtoahearerhehasarecognizableintention(reZlexiveintention)
illocutionaryacts:communicativeandconventional(BachandHarnisch)0 communicativeIAs:Constatives:afZirm,announce,claim,report,stateDirectives:advise,forbid,order,permit,suggest,warnCommissives:offer,promiseAcknowledgements:apologize,congratulate,thank,greet0 conventionalIAs:extralinguisticconventions-voting,resigning,marrying,dedicating,baptizing,arresting,acquitting0 utteranceisembodiedinaceremonialact
0 forsuccessfulcommunication,thehearermustrecognizetheintentionofthespeaker:ifane.g.apologyisnotunderstoodassuch,communicationfails:;
0 theactisfelicitousifthespeakerrecognizestheactasarequest/apology/thanksetc.
0 ifanactisrecognizedassuch:request,thanks,etc.itisfelicitous–sincerityisnotindispensible
‘Whatisthatscentyou’rewearing?Itsmellsgreat.’‘Dandruffshampoo.Ihaveadryscalp.’‘Wellyouhairlooksverynice.’‘Areyouahomosexual?’‘No,Iwasjustgivingyouacompliment.’‘IwouldhavebeenmoreZlatteredifyouwereahomosexual.’
securinguptakeforthetwoacts:0 recognitionofintention0 recognitionofconvention
0 communicative0 conventional
0 communicativeillocutionaryacts–consequences:newinteractionconditions
0 conventionalactsbringaboutinstitutionalchanges0 conventions=reZlexiveintentions0 locutionspeci;ic:votesarecastwithaye/nay,verdict:guilty/notguilty
1.EFFECTIVESYouareZired.2.VERDICTIVESOut.Guilty.
0 Conventionalandcommunicativeactsarenotseparate:
Youareunderarrest.=conventional+assertionWhatisthedifferencebetween:Thankyou!Guilty.
0 formulaicacknowledgementsVS.conventionalacts:=acknowledgementsobservesocialconventionsbuttheysucceedinvirtueofthehearer’srecognizingtheintentionofthespeaker,andnotbyfallingunderaconvention‘Thankyou’-languageunknowntospeakervs.gettingmarriedinaforeigncountry
BachandHarnisch1979Leech19830 communication=problemsolving0 interlocutors=rationalagentsSpeaker:planning:0 giventhatIwantthementalstateofthehearertochange/remainthesame,howdoIchooseanutterancewhichwillmaketheresultthemostlikely?
Hearer:formshypothesesandchecksthemagainstavailablecontextualevidence“mutualcontextualbeliefs”
0 anillocutionaryactissuccessfulifthespeakergetsthehearertorecognizewhatheisdoing
ILLOCUTIONARYEFFECT=understandingthesentencegeneralconditionsonsuccessfulspeechact1.speakerutterssentenceandmeansit2.thespeakerintendstoproduceinthehearertheillocutionaryeffect3.intentionwillberecognizedinvirtueofthehearer’sknowledgeoftherulesgoverningtheelementsofthesentence
0 Wittgenstein:thedescriptivefallacy(thebeliefthatlanguageisusedforconveyinginformation)
0 usinglanguage,peoplecanplayaninZinityoflanguagegames
ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 Criteria:1.illocutionarypointorpurposethepointofanassertion:….thepointofapromise:….!requestsandcommandshavethesameillocutionarypointbutnotthesameillocutionaryforce
ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 Criteria:2.directionof<itgetthewordtomatchtheworldgettheworldtomatchtheword
ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 Criteria:3.expressedpsychologicalstate*IstatethatpbutIdonotbelievethatp4.othercriteria:thestrength(suggestvsinsist),whetherornotextralinguisticinstitutionsarenecessary(marry,vote)
ClassiZicationofSpeechActs(Searle1975)0 ClassiZication:1.assertives:assert,concludeàtruthvalue2.directives:request,question3.commissives:promise,threat,offer4.expressives:thank,apologize,expressattitude5.declaratives:cf.Austin’sperformativesdirectionofZit:…......
ShesuggestedthattherehadbeenamistakeShesuggestedthatweshouldleaveearly0 hybrids;compoundillocutions:Thefoodisexpensivethere
Questions:0 Preparatorycondition:Hknowsanswer0 Sinceritycondition:SwantstoZindoutanswer0 Propositionalcontentcondition:anyproposition0 Essentialcondition:actcountsasrequestforinfo
0 apparentcounterexamples:teacherquestioningstudent,lawyerquestioningwitness,rhetoricalquestions
Requests:0 Preparatorycondition:….0 Sinceritycondition:….0 Propositionalcondition:speakerpredicatesfutureactofhearer
0 Essentialcondition:actcountsas….
0 distinctionbetweenrequestandcommand:…..
Complimentvs.congratulations:0 Preparatorycondition:actisinhearer’sinterest.0 Sinceritycondition:speakerispleasedatit0 Propositionalcondition:0 Essentialcondition:congratulation:speaker-centred:compliment:hearer–centred
0 Notallspeechactshavepropositionalcontent:Huh?Wow!0 atypicalcasesofapology:Sorrytheboysareshoutingsomuch!–apologyonsmbelse’sbehalfSorryyou’vearrivedinsuchlousyweather–apologizeforsomethingyou’venocontrolover
IndirectSpeechActsThedoorisoverthere.0 primaryillocutionaryintent0 secondaryillocutionaryintent0 Zirststep:hearernoticesthatliteralSAisnotrelevantenoughunderthecircumstances=>thespeakercouldnotmerelybestatingp
0 indirectspeechactdiffersfromliteralspeechactbothinillocutionaryforceandpropositionalcontent
Thedoorisoverthere.=Leave!IF:…..
Youcouldbealittlemorequiet.p=bequietIF1:IF2:
Locutionarystrategy:0 speakersays:Thedoorisoverthere0 Literalstrategy:Speakerpointsoutlocationofdoor0 Literallybasedindirectstrategy:Hknowslocationofdoor;thereforeSisirrelevant;=>Hdeducesthatutterance=directive:SwantsHtoleave
Canyoupassthesalt?*YesIcan.0 Salludestopreparatorycondition(isHabletoperformpropositionconveyedbydirective)
‘ButwhatcanIpossiblytellyouaboutit?’‘Idon’tknowwhatyoucantellme,butIknowwhatIwanttoask.
0 mutualcontextualbeliefsarecrucialforunderstandingindirectness:
a. ‘Iparticularlywantyoutorememberthosedates–‘Thejurywrotethemdown.LordPetermurmured:‘Theyallwrotedownontheirslates,Shedoesn’tbelievethere’sanatomofmeaninginit….’
0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts
q preparatorycondition:² directives:HisabletoperformCouldyoubealittlemorequiet?² commissives:SisabletoperformIcandothatforyou.² assertions:thereisevidenceIcansaythatHarryisafool.
0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts
q thepointoftheSA:² directivesIsthedoorclosed?Youhaven’tclosedthedoor.² commissives:Nobodyhashelpedyou.Hasn’tanybodyhelpedyou?² assertions:Haven’tIalreadysaidthat….
0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts
q sinceritycondition:² directives:speakerwishesHtodoIwouldlikeyoutogonow.² commissives:SintendstodoIintendtodoit.² assertions:SbelievespIbelieveheisafool
0 exampleswherefelicityconditionsarehighlightedinindirectspeechacts
q politenesscondition:² metalinguisticutterancesMayIaskyoutohelpme?
0 Theessentialconditioncannotbeuseddirectly(whattheactcountsas)
0 theclosestwecanget:CanIgetyoutohelpme?Canyoubelievethatheisbald?
0 Speakersoftenfeeltheneedtogiveahintregardingthereasonablenessofanact
0 reasons:1.willingness:Wouldyoumind...Woulditbeconvenient/toomuchtrouble...I’dbedelighted...Iwanttosaythat...
0 Speakersoftenfeeltheneedtogiveahintregardingthereasonablenessofanact
0 reasons:2.assertingthepropositionalcontent:OfZicerswillhenceforthweartiesatdinners.YouwillbehereatZive.I’mgoingtodoit.I’llgiveittoyounextweek.
0 Speakersoftenfeeltheneedtogiveahintregardingthereasonablenessofanact
0 reasons:Itwouldn’thurtif...You’restandingonmyfoot.Ican’tseewhileyouhaveyourhaton.should…
0 indirectness=non-literalness:0 irony:I’msurethecatlikestohaveitstailpulled->indirectrequest0 hearerwillinferbothmeanings:theliteraloneandtheindirectillocutionaryforce
SpeechActcanbe:0 directandliteral:Don’tspillfoodalloveryou!0 directandZigurative:Don’tbeapig!0 indirectandliteral:Ilikecleanliness.0 indirectandZigurative:Ihatepigs.