spraakacties

Speech acts refer to the actions performed by speakers with their utterances. This concept, central to the field of pragmatics and the philosophy of language, was famously introduced by J.L. Austin in his 1962 book "How to Do Things with Words." Austin distinguished between the literal meaning of words (locutionary act) and the intended effect or purpose of the utterance (illocutionary act). For example, saying "It's cold in here" can have the literal meaning of stating a temperature, but its illocutionary force might be a request to close a window. Beyond the locutionary and illocutionary acts, Austin also identified the perlocutionary act, which is the actual effect the utterance has on the listener, such as persuading them or annoying them.

John Searle later refined Austin's theory, proposing a taxonomy of illocutionary acts. This classification includes directives (commands, requests), commissives (promises, threats), assertives or representatives (statements, assertions), expressives (apologies, congratulations), and declarations (declarations of war, baptisms). Understanding speech acts helps us analyze how language is used in context to achieve social goals, beyond simply conveying information. It highlights that utterances are not just descriptions of the world but also actions that can influence the world and relationships between people.