Speech Act Theory

Question 1

what is logical positivism

Answer 1

the most important principal for language - verificationism

conditions for establishing the truth of a sentence

Question 2

what were the origins of speech acts

Answer 2

constative utterances :describe the world
-snow is white

performative utterances: do things in the world
-now pronounce u man and wife

BUT ALL ARE BOTH

Question 3

what are speech acts

Answer 3

an act that a speaker performs when making an utterance

Question 4

what are the 3 speech acts

Answer 4

locutionary:
illocutionary: general act
perlocutionary: effect in addressee

Question 5

give an example of a sentence with speech acts

Answer 5

the police are round the corner

locutionary: declarative
illocutionary: warning
perlocutionary: running away

Question 6

what are felicity conditions

Answer 6

conditions need to successfully apply speech acts

Question 7

give the felicity conditions

Answer 7

1. an accepted conventional procedure with a certain conventional effect must exist
   - people and circumstances must be appropriate for the invocation of the procedure
2. procedure must be executed by all correctly and completely
3. often people must have certain thought/intentions specific to the procedure
   - specifies certain conduct which must be adhered to

Question 8

what are the 5 main speech acts

Answer 8

representatives
directives
commissives
expressive
declarative

Question 9

explain the representative speech act

Answer 9

the speaker is committed, in varying degrees, to truth of a proposition

Question 10

give examples of representative verbs

Answer 10

affirm, believe, conclude, deny, report

Question 11

explain the directive speech acts

Answer 11

the speaker tries to get the hearer to do something

Question 12

give examples of directive verbs

Answer 12

ask, challenge, command, request, insist

Question 13

explain the commissive speech act

Answer 13

when the speaker is committed to a course of action

Question 14

give examples of commissive verbs

Answer 14

guarantee, pledge, promise, swear, vow

Question 15

explain the expressive speech act

Answer 15

the speaker expresses an attitude about a state of affairs

Question 16

give examples of expressive verbs

Answer 16

apologise, congratulate, thank

Question 17

explain declarative speech act

Answer 17

the speaker alters the external status/condition of an object solely by making the utterance

Question 18

give examples of declarative verbs/phrases

Answer 18

you’re fired, i resign

Question 19

explain the relationship between speech acts + politeness

Answer 19

assumptions: that we all have, and know eachother to have face

certain rational capacities: consistent modes of reasoning from end to the means that will achieve them

Question 20

define face

Answer 20

the public self imagine that we want to claim for ourselves

Question 21

what are the two types of face

Answer 21

positive

negative

Question 22

explain positive face

Answer 22

our positive consistent self image

including the desire to have this self imagine appreciated

Question 23

explain negative face

Answer 23

the desire to be unimpeded by others

a basic claim to personal preserves, right to non distraction

Question 24

give examples on intrinsic face threatening acts for negative acts

Answer 24

• put pressure on A do/refrain from something
• pressure on A to accept/reject B’s positive act + possibly incur a debt
• give A a reason to believe that he may have to protect the object of S’s desire

Question 25

give examples of pressuring A to refrain or do somethin

Answer 25

invitation, order, threat, dare

Question 26

give examples of pressure A to accept a positive act and incur debt

Answer 26

offer, promise

Question 27

give examples of making A believe they need to protect the object of Bs desire

Answer 27

compliments, expression of envy/strong negative emotions towards A

Question 28

give examples of intrinsic face threatening acts to positive face

Answer 28

showing B to have a -ve evaluation of some aspect of As +ve face OR B to be indifferent to As +ve face

Question 29

give examples of having a negative eval of As +ve face

Answer 29

disapproval, criticism, ridicule

Question 30

give examples of being indifferent to As +ve face

Answer 30

interruption irreverence misidentifications

Question 31

How would you offend a speaker's negative face

Answer 31

expressing thanks acceptance of A's thanks/apology excuses

Question 32

how would you offend a speakers positive face

Answer 32

apologies confession admissions of guilt

Question 33

what are the calculating strategies

Answer 33

social distance of S and A Relative power of S over A Intrinsic face threatening content of act

Question 34

explain the social distance of S and A

Answer 34

Would ask your sister for help differently to how you would ask a friend or stranger -give us a hand/could you please help me

Question 35

explain the relative power of S over A

Answer 35

superior or peer? | would it be alright if?/mind if I?

Question 36

give examples for the intrinsic face threatening content of act

Answer 36

terribly sorry to bother you but... got change for a fiver?

Question 37

what factors influence face strategies

Answer 37

the desire to communicate the content of the FTA -do you really need the fiver? the desire to be efficient/urgent -face considerations can be suspended in extremes (MIND YOUR HEAD) the desire to maintain our As face

Question 38

what types of FTA strategies

Answer 38

on record

Question 39

explain an on record strategy

Answer 39

unambiguous-I promise I'll come tomorrow

Question 40

what are the advantages of on record

Answer 40

S can enlist public pressure can get credit for honesty+trust can avoid the danger of being seen as manipulative avoid misunderstanding

Question 41

give the 3 options for on record strategy

Answer 41

badly, without redress +ve politeness -ve politeness:

Question 42

what is an advantage of negative politeness

Answer 42

satfisfies As negative face

Question 43

explain negative politeness

Answer 43

avoidance based, acknowledging A's right to be undisturbed, assuring minimal interference of their freedom of action

Question 44

explain positive politeness

Answer 44

treat A as someone whose personality is known and liked

Question 45

what is an advantage of positive politeness

Answer 45

can satisfy As positive face

Question 46

explain badly, without redress

Answer 46

in the most unambiguous way possible | -sit down

Question 47

what is an advantage of badly, without redress

Answer 47

efficient

Question 48

what is off record? give examples

Answer 48

ambiguous -metaphors, hints, irony =damn! i forgot my purse

Question 49

what are advantages of off record

Answer 49

credit for being tactful+non coercive avoid face damage gives A the chance to be seen to care for S

Question 50

positive politeness techniques (first 5)

Answer 50

1.attend to As needs (notice a haircut) 2.exaggerate interest (how fascinating) 3.intensify interest (took 1000 years) 4.use in group identity markers (slang:fag? forms of address: mate) 5.seek agreement (safe topics/pseudo agreement:when am i next seeing you)

Question 51

positive politeness techniques (second 5)

Answer 51

1. avoid disagreement (you're english yh? well i was born here) 2. presuppose common ground (gossip, POV switch, presuppositions:as u know) 3. joke:okay if i tackle that cake now 4: assert/presuppose Ss knowledge or and concern for As wants(I know you like these but they only had these) 5. offer, promise (I'll see you tomorrow

Question 52

positive politeness techniques (last 5)

Answer 52

1. optimism: you dont mind do you 2. include both in the actvity:give US a break 3. give/ask for reasons 4. assume reciprocity 5. give gifts (sympathy: must be awful)

Question 53

negative politeness techniques (first 5)

Answer 53

1. be conventionally indirect(have u got the time) 2. question/hedge (states at 8ish) 3 be pessimistic: dont suppose 4 minimise imposition: just a sec 5.give deference: mr president

Question 54

negative politeness techniques (last5)

Answer 54

1. apologise (admit impingement: hope it wont be too shit/express reluctance: dont want to bother you/overwhelming reasons:cant think of anyone else/beg forgiveness: excuse me) 2. impersonalise S and A (IT broke) 3. state the FTA as a general rule (smoking is not permitted) 4: nominalise (degrees of formality) 5: go on record as incurring a debt (id be grateful if)

Question 55

define illocutionary force

Answer 55

intention in making the utterance