ICC theory

Searle (1969) identified five illocutionary/perlocutionary points:

Assertives: statements may be judged true or false because they aim to describe a state of affairs in the world. Directives: statements attempt to make the other person's actions fit the propositional content. Commissives: statements which commit the speaker to a course of action as described by the propositional content. Expressives: statements that express the "sincerity condition of the speech act". Declaratives: statements that attempt to change the world by "representing it as having been changed".

Thus pretty much all we do when we are talking is ______, _____, ______, _____ and _____. In fact we follow two types of rules:

Constitutive rules or Definition rules that create or define new forms of behavior. Regulative or Behavior rules that govern types of behavior that already exist. The meaning of an utterance is thus defined more by convention than the initiative of the reader. When we speak, we are following learned rules.

Edward T. Hall was an anthropologist who made early discoveries of key cultural factors. In particular he is known for his high and low context cultural factors.

Context High context In a high-context culture, there are many contextual elements that help people to understand the rules. As a result, much is taken for granted. This can be very confusing for person who does not understand the 'unwritten rules' of the culture. Low context In a low-context culture, very little is taken for granted. Whilst this means that more explanation is needed, it also means there is less chance of misunderstanding particularly when visitors are present. Contrasting the two French contracts tend to be short (in physical length, not time duration) as much of the information is available within the high-context French culture. American content, on the other hand, is low-context and so contracts tend to be longer in order to explain the detail. Highly mobile environments where people come and go need lower-context culture. With a stable population, however, a higher context culture may develop.

Speech act theory A description

Getting a glass of water is an action. Asking someone else to get you one is also an act. When we speak, our words do not have meaning in and of themselves. They are very much affected by the situation, the speaker and the listener. Thus words alone do not have a simple fixed meaning.

Name and describe the three speech acts

Locutionary act: saying something (the locution) with a certain meaning in traditional sense. This may not constitute a speech act. Illocutionary act: the performance of an act in saying something (vs. the general act of saying something). The illocutionary force is the speaker's intent. A true 'speech act'. e.g. informing, ordering, warning, undertaking. Perlocutionary acts: Speech acts that have an effect on the feelings, thoughts or actions of either the speaker or the listener. In other words, they seek to change minds! Unlike locutionary acts, perlocutionary acts are external to the performance. e.g., inspiring, persuading or deterring.

We maintain two kinds of face: .

Positive face, when others like, respect and approve of us. Negative face, when we feel that others cannot constrain us in any way. Both of these may be threatened when someone makes a request of us. This causes a dilemma, as if I ask in a pleasant way, positive face is satisfied but negative face may lead them to think they can take advantage of us. The reverse is also true, as defensive talk will threaten the positive face. Conformance to the social rules of politeness is treading a central and safe path which neither threatens nor signals that you may be threatened. Politeness means acting to help save face for others. Example When I am with my boss, I show positive face. When I am with the new guy (who seems pretty incompetent) I show negative face. So what? Using it Build trust by being polite. Use negative face with out-group people or those who would dissuade the other person. Defending Just because a person is polite it does not mean they have good intentions towards you

Two types of locutionary act are:

Utterance acts, where something is said (or a sound is made) and which may not have any meaning Propositional acts, where a particular reference is made. (note: acts are sometimes also called utterances - thus a perlocutionary act is the same a perlocutionary utterance).

Being polite therefore consists of

attempting to save face for another. [This definition reflects a limited conception of (im)politeness. Indeed, it may reflect a hegemonic construction. Face is not endemic to all human cultures when displaying politeness or impoliteness.[original research?]]

Politeness theory is the theory that accounts for s.

the redressing of the affronts to face posed by face-threatening acts to addressees. First formulated in 1978 by Penelope Brown and Stephen Levinson, politeness theory has since expanded academia's perception of politenes

Politeness is the expression of

the speakers' intention to mitigate face threats carried by certain face threatening acts toward another (Mills, 2003, p. 6). Another definition is "a battery of social skills whose goal is to ensure everyone feels affirmed in a social interaction".[1]

Performativity occurs where

the utterance of a word also enacts it ('I name this ship...'). It is a form of illocutionary act. This has been taken up by such as Judith Butler in feminism and has been used to indicate how pornography is less a form of speech as a performative act of sexual degradation.