the doing of an action; they cannot be said to
be true or false.

Performative verbs: name, bet, etc.

I do.


I name this ship Queen Elizabeth.
I bet you sixpence it will rain tomorrow.

XXX，你是否愿意娶xxx为妻，按照圣经的教训与他 同住，在神面前和她结为一体，爱她、安慰她、尊重 她、保护他，像你爱自己一样。不论她生病或是健康、 富有或贫穷，始终忠於她，直到离开世界？ Groom: I do.

Features of performatives


The first person singular

The study of language in use, the study of how speakers of a language use sentences to effect successful communication. The study of meaning in context.


Sentence meaning: What does X mean? Utterance meaning: What do you mean by X?
Utterance meaning is based on sentence meaning. Sentence
meaning is abstract and de-contextualized and utterance meaning is concrete and context-dependent. Ex. 1. Dog! 2. My bag is heavy.

It’s cold here.

Contextual Meaning: meaning in context

The meaning of the sentence depends on who the speaker is , who the hearer is, when and where it is used.
2. Speech Act Theory


John Austin
How to Do Things with Words (1962)
speech acts: actions performed via utterances

Constatives vs. performatives Constatives: utterances which roughly serves to state a fact, report that something is the case, or describe what something is, eg:


Utterance Meaning vs. Sentence Meaning


Utterance vs. Sentence
Sentence: abstract units of the language system. Utterance: units of language in use.
Chapter Eight Language in Use (Pragmatics)
1. Introduction: Definition of Pragmatics



Pragmatics is a comparatively new branch of study in the area of linguistics. It developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Morris first proposed the word “pragmatics” in his “Foundations of the Theory of Signs”. He said that the study of semiotics includes three parts: syntax (sign---sign); semantics (sign---word); pragmatics (sign---its user). 1977 Journal of Pragmatics published in Holland signified the start of pragmatics.


I go to the park every Sunday.
I teach English.

Performatives: utterances which are used to
perform acts, do not describe or report
anything at all; the uttering of the sentence is
• Context-----context is regarded as constituted by all kinds of knowledge assumed to be shared by the speaker and the hearer. • The notion of context is essential to the pragmatics study of language. It is generally considered as constituted by the knowledge shared by the speaker and hearer. • The shared knowledge is of two types: (1)The knowledge of the language they use • (2)The knowledge about the world, including the general knowledge about the world and the specific knowledge about the situation in which linguistic communication is taking place.
Y3 你带的钱不够，就下次再买。
A意欲传递的意义 B所获得的意义
Y4 我不想借钱给你。
B通过T2意欲传递的意义 交际结果
1
2
Y1
Y1
Y1
Y1
Y3
Y4
—M(无误解)
DMI
3
4 5 6 7 8
Y1
Y1 Y2 Y2 Y2 Y2
Y2
Y2 Y2 Y2 Y1 Y1
Y3
Y4 Y3 Y4 Y3 Y4
M
M DMI —M M M

It was a hot Christmas day so we went down to the beach in the afternoon and had a good time swimming and surfing.

Semantic meaning: the more constant,


I give and bequeath my watch to my brother.
I promise to finish it in time. I apologize. I decare the meeting open. I warn you that the bull will charge.
Felicity conditions: A. (i) There must be a relevant conventional procedure. (ii) the relevant participants and circumstances must be appropriate. B. The procedure must be executed correctly and completely. C. Very often, the relevant people must have the requisite thoughts, feelings and intentions, and must follow it up with actions as specified.


Conclusion:
The distinction between constatives & performatives cannot be maintained.

All sentences can be used to do things.

Illocutionary Act Theory
Minister: addressing the groom) (Groom’s Name), do you take (Bride’s Name) for your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?


Problems with felicity conditions
No strict procedure for promising.


I promise.
I give my word for it.