TOPIC: Speech Act

LEARNING COMPETENCY: Responds appropriately

and effectively to a speech act

CONTENT STANDARD: The learner recognizes that

communicative competence requires understanding
of speech context, speech style, speech act, and
communicative strategy.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD: The learner

demonstrates effective use of communicative strategy
in a variety of a speech situation.

This module Types of Speech Act was designed to

make you better understands the following:
A. Types of Speech Act;
B. Locution (Utterance);
C. Illocution (Intention); and
D. Perlocution (Response).

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. define speech acts;
2. distinguish types of speech act; and
3. determine the appropriate response in different
social setting; and
4. response appropriately and effectively to a speech
act.

PRE-TEST

LESSON 1: Types of Speech Acts

 when I got home.” Speech acts require not only the
knowledge of the language but also the appropriate
use of language in a given context. One can say that
speech acts are an important aspect of
communication.

As we communicate with others, we use language

without minding whether to use complete sentence
or not. The number of words in a single utterance
does not matter so long as we can get our message
across.

Locutionary Acts

Locutionary acts are, according to Susana Nuccetell

and from Gary Seay (from Philosophy of Language:
The Central Topics) 2007, “the mere act of producing
some linguistic sounds or marks with a certain
meaning and reference.". Locutionary act refers to
any utterances that may contain statements or words
about objects. It may be a word, or even a phrase that
has a meaning.

For example: “It is raining.” “My teacher is wearing a

Definition:
In linguistics (the scientific study of language), a
speech act is an utterance (an utterance is a unit of
speech) that serves a function in communication.

red dress today.” “I love dogs.”

Speech Acts are actions done by saying them. The
listener must first determine the type of act being
performed before he can determine which way a
Illocutionary Acts
speech act is to be interpreted.
Illocutionary act is the acting part of the speech act. It
Speech Act is an utterance that a speaker makes to
carries a directive for the audience. It may be a
achieve an intended effect.
command, an apology, an expression of thankfulness
or just an answer to a question for the information of
It is the action that the speaker wants to provoke in
other people in the communication process.
his/her listener’s thoughts. People perform speech
acts when they want to express an apology, greeting,
There are two kinds of illocutionary acts. The first is
request, compliment, invitation, complaint, warning,
called constantive, or making something true or false
promise, refusal, or declaration. A speech act may
by saying it. This is commonly done by someone in
contain a word like “Sorry” to express an apology like
authority like a judge or an official.
in the sentence, “I am so sorry for not calling you
 1. Assertive – a type of illocutionary act in which the
Examples: I name this dog Chubby. You are free to speaker expresses belief about the truth of a
leave. You are not my friend anymore. The meeting is proposition like boasting, suggesting, asserting,
adjourned. concluding, and swearing

The second is doing something by just saying it. It is Example: I am still the best student in class.
also called performative. No one can love you better than I do.

Examples: I nominate Lancer for president. I accept 2. Directive – a type of illocutionary act in which the
the challenge. I promise to take care of you as long as speaker tries to make the addressee perform an
I live. I challenge you to prove me wrong. You are action by way of commanding, requesting, begging,
invited to my birthday celebration. inviting, pleading, or insisting

Example: Take me to that place.

Perlocutionary Acts Please maintain the cleanliness of our
school.

3. Commissive – a type of illocutionary act which

commits the speaker to future actions such as
promising, planning, vowing, and betting

Example: I will take you to school every day starting

tomorrow.
From this moment on, I will love you and
Perlocutionary act is the third aspect of speech acts. It honor you for the rest of my life.
is a speech act that produces an effect, intended or
not, achieved in an addressee by a speaker’s 4. Expressive – a type of illocutionary act in which the
utterance. Perlocutionary act can bring about a speaker expresses his/her feelings or emotional
consequence to the audience. They have an effect to reactions. Some examples of expressive acts are
the listener in feelings, thoughts, or actions such as thanking, apologizing, welcoming, and deploring
changing someone’s mind. Unlike illocutionary act,
perlocutionary act can project a sense of fear in the Example: I am so sorry for not wearing the complete
audience. uniform today.
Thanks heavens, you came to same me! I owe you my
Consider the following utterance, “By the way, I have life.
a CD of Debussy. Would you like to borrow it?” Its
illocutionary function is an offer, while its intended 5. Declarative – a type of illocutionary act which
perlocutionary effect might be to impress the listener, brings a change in an external situation. Simply put,
or to show a friendly attitude, or to encourage declarations bring into existence, or cause the state of
interest in a particular type of music. affairs which they refer to. Some examples of
declarations are blessing, firing, baptizing, and bidding

Example: You are fired!

By saying that someone is hired, an employee causes

or brings about the person's acceptance to job:
consequently, this changes his external situation.

ASSIGNMENT:

Illocutionary acts can be categorized into common

families of speech acts. The following is John Searle’s
categories of illocutionary acts. Each has its own
illocutionary purpose.
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