Download Searle`s Taxonomy of Illocutionary Acts Dimensions of Variation

Searle’s Taxonomy of Illocutionary Acts
Dimensions of Variation
Name of
Illocutionary
Acts
Assertive
Directive
Examples of Illocutionary
verbs
Declarative
Point or purpose of the Act
Direction of Fit
between the
words and the
world
Differences in
expressed
psychological
states
Boast; complain; conclude;
deduce; describe
Something that can be
literally characterised as
true or false
To commit the speaker to something Words to world
being the case, to the truth of the
expressed proposition
Belief
Ask; order; command; request;
beg; plead; pray; invite; permit;
advise
The hearer (H) does
some future action (A)
Attempts by the speaker to get the
hearer to do something
World to words
Want (or wish or
desire)
Promise
The speaker (S) always
does some future action
(A)
To commit the speaker to some
future course of action
World to words
Intention
Thank; congratulate;
apologize; condole; deplore;
welcome
The expressive verb will
not take that clauses:
e.g. I congratulate you
that you won the race.
To express the psychological state
specified in the sincerity condition
about a state of affairs specified in
the propositional content
N/A: The truth of
the expressed
proposition is
presupposed
Several different
possible variables
Declare
Successful performance
guarantees that the
proposition content
corresponds to the world
Declarational
Both words to world
and world to words
N/A
Commissive
Expressive
Ways of recognising
this class