Semanticsby John I. Saeed

Chapter 8Function of Language: Speech as Action

Presented by:Siti Nawangsih Rohana Barit

Introduction

Learning to communicate in a language involves more than acquiring the pronunciation and grammar.

We need to learn how to ask question, make suggestion, greet and thank other speakers.

In other words we need to learn the uses to which utterances are conventionally put in the new language community and how these uses are signaled.

Introduction

The terminology of such function of language is called speech acts (J.L. Austin,1975).

In discussing speech acts we are examining the union of linguistic and social behavior

There are two important characteristics of speech acts: interactivity and context-dependence

Interactivity

Communicating functions involves in coordinated activity with other language users.

e.g: - asking a question

- greeting someone

Context-dependence

1. Speech acts which supported by institutional facts. It relies on social convention to support them Every society has procedures and ceremonies

where some participants words carry special function.

A judge -> I sentence you to hang by the neck until dead.

A priest-> Now I pronounce you husband and wife.A president-> I declare a state of national

emergency.

Context-dependence

2. The local context of speech act. An utterance may signal one

speech act in one situation and another elsewhere.e.g.If the asker already knows the answer

then the question can be a request.Can you tell me the time?

Context-dependence

When there is a conventional match between grammatical

form and speech act function we can identify a sentence type

Sentence Type

Speech Acts Example

Declarative Assertion Amir will go to the mosque.

Interrogative Question Will Amir go to the mosque?

Imperative Orders Amir, go to the mosque

Optative Wishes If only Amir would go to the mosque.

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