ilocutória

Ilocutória is a concept originating from speech act theory, a field within linguistics and philosophy of language. It refers to the intended meaning or effect a speaker aims to achieve by uttering a statement. While locutionary acts concern the literal meaning of words, and illocutionary acts focus on the speaker's intention, perlocutionary acts describe the actual effect on the listener. The illocutionary force of an utterance is what distinguishes a command from a promise, a statement from a question, or a threat from a warning.

John Searle, a prominent figure in speech act theory, further developed J.L. Austin's original ideas by categorizing illocutionary acts into five types: assertives (stating facts), directives (commanding or requesting), commissives (promising or vowing), expressives (expressing feelings or attitudes), and declaratives (changing the state of affairs through utterance, like "you're fired"). Understanding the illocutionary aspect of communication is crucial for interpreting intentions, resolving misunderstandings, and appreciating the full communicative power of language. It highlights that saying something is not just about the words themselves, but also about what the speaker is *doing* with those words.