Lokution

Lokution is a linguistic concept that denotes how utterances encode spatial and perspectival information within discourse. It focuses on the locational content and stance embedded in an utterance, and how speakers position themselves and listeners relative to referents. Lokution intersects deixis, speech acts, and discourse analysis, and is distinguished from general locution by its emphasis on spatial anchoring and point of view.

Origin and scope: The term was introduced in the mid-2010s by researchers in spatial linguistics to refine locution theory. Etymologically, it blends Latin locus (place) with the idea of utterance. The concept appears mainly in theoretical and experimental studies and has not been widely adopted in standard grammars.

Core features and types: Lokution analyzes how deictic elements (here, there; this, that), pronouns, demonstratives, and prosody convey spatial orientation and stance. Subtypes include spatial lokution (anchoring utterances to physical space), perspectival lokution (shifting vantage point), and embodied lokution (gestural or affective cues that signal stance). Examples include "Here is the map" and "From my side, this works" where spatial anchoring is explicit.

Applications and reception: Lokution is used in discourse analysis, narrative studies, translation, and human–computer interaction to understand guidance through space or dialogue. Critics argue that the term remains niche and overlaps with established notions such as deixis and speech-act theory; its empirical utility depends on clear definitions and reliable measurement. Ongoing work seeks formal typologies and cross-language validation.