puheakteja

Puheakteja refers to speech acts, a concept in linguistics and philosophy of language. The theory of speech acts posits that uttering a sentence is not merely describing a state of affairs but performing an action. These actions can range from making a promise, asking a question, giving an order, or making a statement. J.L. Austin is a key figure in developing this theory, particularly in his work "How to Do Things with Words." He distinguished between constative utterances, which describe or report, and performative utterances, which actually perform an action.

Austin further categorized performative utterances into different types. Locutionary acts are the basic act of uttering a meaningful sentence. Illocutionary acts are the intended meaning or purpose behind the utterance, such as warning, requesting, or apologising. Perlocutionary acts are the effect achieved by the utterance on the listener, like persuading, convincing, or frightening.

Later, John Searle expanded on Austin's work, classifying illocutionary acts into categories like assertives (stating facts), directives (commanding), commissives (promising), expressives (apologising), and declaratives (pronouncing sentence). The study of puheakteja is important for understanding how language is used in social contexts and how speakers convey intentions beyond the literal meaning of words. It highlights the performative nature of communication and the social functions of language.