performatív

Performatív, often rendered as performative in English, is a term in linguistics and the philosophy of language describing utterances whose primary function is to perform an action simply by being spoken. In traditional speech act theory, performatives contrast with constatives, which describe states of affairs and can be judged true or false.

The concept was developed prominently by J. L. Austin in How to Do Things with Words (1962). He argued that some sentences do not merely convey information but actually perform actions through their very utterance, contingent on appropriate circumstances. Later scholars, notably John Searle, expanded the framework by classifying speech acts and introducing the idea of felicity conditions—requirements such as the speaker’s authority, sincerity, and the conventional procedures that make an act successful.

Performatives can be explicit, using performative verbs that directly name the act, as in “I apologize,” “I promise to come,” or “I declare the meeting open.” However, many performative utterances are indirect or context-dependent and do not rely on a clearly identifiable performative verb. The success of a performative often depends on sociolinguistic context, norms, and shared conventions.

In addition to linguistics, the notion of performativity has influenced fields such as anthropology, sociology, and gender studies, where it is used to describe how actions, rituals, or social roles are constituted through language and practice. Critics note that the line between performative and descriptive statements can be blurry, and not all utterances function as actions in every context.