1. Topic 9: perlocution and illocution
Introduction to Semantics

2. How to do things with words
Speech act
We make an utterances to perform actions.
Can we really do things with words?

3. Examples of perlocutionary effects
Professor to students: ‘You’ll find the book on semantics very interesting’
The students are very happy because the book sounds interesting.
The students are not amused because they observe the sarcasm in the sentence.

4. Illocutionary act A speech act viewed in terms of social conventions.
Accusing, admitting, apologizing, challenging, complaining, leavetaking, congratulating, declining, greeting, giving permission, promising, proposing, recommending, protesting….

5. Examples of illocutionary acts
I’m grateful for what you’ve done for me.
Thanking
Would you like a cup of coffee?
‘Good evening” (John met Tom at 7:00 PM)
‘Good night’ (John is leaving the party)

6. In what conditions are illocutions used?
Felicity conditions
The condition which facilitates the performance of the action.
Promising
The speaker must intend to carry out the promise.
The thing promised must be something that the hearer wants to happen.

7. apologizing
The speaker must be responsible for the thing apologized for.
The hearer must not want the thing apologized for to happen.

8. sincerity conditions A subtype of felicity conditions
A condition which assumes that the act is performed with sincerity.
Example:
You just won the 1M lottery. Your friend says “Congratulations on your good luck!”

9. Direct and indirect illocutions
The illocution that is directly interpreted literally.
Indirect illocution
The further illocution that goes beyond the utterance may have

10. Examples Can you pass the salt? It is cold in the room.
Direct illocution
Do you have the ability to pass the salt?
Indirect illocution
A request to pass the salt.
It is cold in the room.
Direct illocution?
Indirect illocution?

11. Classes of illocutionary acts
Directive acts
An illocutionary act which involves the speaker to get the hearer to behave in some required way.
Ordering, suggesting
Commisive acts
An illocutionary act which involves the speakers committing himself to behave in some required way.
Promising; apologizing

12. Directive or commissive acts?
Volunteering
Advising
Forbidding
Accepting

13. Meaning again Sentence meaning Utterance meaning What a sentence means
The context and situation of the sentence is irrelevant.
Utterance meaning
What a speaker means when he makes an utterance in a particular situation.

14. Propositional content
The propositional content of a directive illocution
Expression of a declarative sentence describing the action that the speaker requires of the hearer.
The propositional content of a commissive illocution
Expression of a declarative sentence describing the action which the speaker undertakes to perform.

15. The propositional content of a directive illocution
‘I would like you to make a cup of coffee.’
You will make a cup of coffee for me.
‘Don’t panic!’
You will not panic.

16. The propositional content of a commissive illocution
(in a class) you volunteer to offer a solution to a very difficult math problem.
I will solve the math problem.
(talking with your friend) You promise to buy your friend a cup of coffee if she sings a song in public.
I will buy you a cup of coffee if you sing a song in public.