cselekvéskifejezéseket

Cselekvéskifejezések, in English often translated as "action phrases" or "performative utterances," are a linguistic concept referring to words or phrases that, when uttered, simultaneously perform an action. Unlike descriptive statements that merely report a state of affairs, cselekvéskifejezések bring about a change in the world through their very utterance. This concept was first extensively explored by the philosopher J.L. Austin in his seminal work "How to Do Things with Words."

The core idea is that some utterances are not just about saying something, but about *doing* something. For instance, saying "I promise" doesn't just describe the act of promising; it *is* the act of promising. Similarly, saying "I apologize" constitutes an apology. Other examples include issuing a command ("Close the door!"), making a declaration ("I now pronounce you husband and wife"), or offering a warning ("Watch out!"). These are all actions performed through language.

Cselekvéskifejezések are distinct from simple statements of fact because their truthfulness is not determined by whether they accurately describe reality, but by whether the conditions are right for the action to be successfully performed. For example, a promise is only valid if the speaker intends to keep it and has the capacity to do so. The success of these linguistic acts depends on various contextual factors, including the speaker's authority, the intended audience, and the appropriate setting.