Entry N° 4: Speech acts

Words are only words?

Summary:

The British linguist J.L. Austin defines the difference between a statement that describes and one that commands as two separate parts of speech: Constatives and Performatives.
Constatives are sentences that describe something as true or false and performatives are sentences that are meant to inspire actions. Rather than conveying a message.
Words not only bring about actions, sometimes words themselves are actions. This is what is known as speech acts. These actions include, but are not limited to, ordering, promising, apologizing, warning, etc.
However, performatives depend on context and reception. These are known as felicity conditions. Felicity conditions are the rules under which the performative can be enacted. The performative should have proper authority, it should be understood, clear and it should be able to be executed.


Think section. 
1. Which is not one of the parts of speech defined by Austin?
Constatives
Formatives 
Performatives
None of the above

2. If the headline reads, "Heatwave!", but the sky is cloudy and it feels cold outside, what best describes the headline?
It is a performative
The printers accidentally printed yesterday's headline
It is a false constative
It is a grammar error

3. What is a speech act?
When people talk about what they are doing.
When words are actions.
A presentation that incites action
The constitutional amendment that allows for freedom of speech.

4. Which felicity conditions best describe a succesful performative?
Authoritative
Understood
Clear
Able to be executed
All of the above 

5. Just because a performative meets the felicity conditions and is clearly stated, it doesn't mean it's implicitly followed.

True
False.

6. Describe a time when you disregarded a performative that resulted in another performative (for example, you ignored the no running sign and were banished from the pool for the rest of the day).