speech act

USAGE SUMMARY

"speech act" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a verbal or written utterance that can have meaningful implications or be used to do something. For example, "Making a promise is a type of speech act that is often used in everyday life."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A speech act verification process, that estimates the conditional probability of a speech act given a sequence of fragments, is used to verify the speech act candidate.

Speech Communication

A speech act coding scheme is also implemented to analyze team communications.

Annals of Nuclear Energy

Speech act theory is used to reveal evolutionary change in the activity diagrams.

Knowledge-Based Systems

Searle also introduced the notion of an indirect speech act, in which the speaker performs one kind of speech act by means of performing another.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"The harm is the dispelling of assurance, and the dispelling of assurance is the speech act".

The New York Times

One way to begin to answer that is to see that terrorism is a speech act.

University of California, Berkeley

We formalize the pragmatics of utterance disambiguation within the Bayesian Rational Speech Act framework.

Stanford University

The act of walking is to the urban system what the speech act is to language.

University of California, Berkeley

Attribution: relation between speech act verbs and the narratives.

Lingua Sinica

SpeechAct-content: relation between speech act verbs and its contents.

Lingua Sinica

And similarly for the attitude expressed by that speech act.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "speech act" in writing, clearly define or exemplify the specific action being performed through language, such as promising, requesting, or declaring.

Common error

Avoid using "speech act" as a generic term for any instance of speaking. Instead, reserve it for situations where the utterance itself constitutes a specific action or has a performative effect.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "speech act" is as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It refers to a specific type of action performed through language. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's generally considered grammatically sound and serves a defined purpose.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

Academia

30%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

News & Media

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "speech act" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun phrase, particularly in academic and scientific contexts. As Ludwig AI states, it refers to an action performed through language, such as promising or requesting. While synonyms like "illocutionary act" exist, "speech act" maintains a distinct meaning and usage. To ensure clarity, define or exemplify the specific action being performed when using the term, and avoid using it as a generic term for speaking. The most authoritative sources using this term include the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ScienceDirect and Springer.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

illocutionary act

This term is closely related, often used interchangeably with "speech act", but specifically refers to the speaker's intention in performing the act.

linguistic action

This phrase focuses on the act being linguistic in nature, emphasizing the role of language in performing the action.

verbal action

Focuses specifically on the verbal aspect of the act, excluding non-verbal elements that might be present in a broader communicative context.

communicative act

This is a broader term encompassing any action that conveys meaning, including non-verbal communication, making it less specific than "speech act".

act of communication

This highlights the communication aspect, emphasizing the transmission of information or intent rather than the specific action performed.

utterance with intent

This stresses the speaker's purpose behind the utterance, highlighting the intentionality of the action being performed.

performative utterance

This refers to utterances that perform an action simply by being spoken, like declaring a couple married; more specific than a general "speech act".

pragmatic function

This refers to the role an utterance plays in context, focusing on its practical effect and use rather than its literal meaning.

discourse act

This phrase broadens the scope to encompass any action performed through discourse, including extended conversations or written texts.

language function

This phrase focuses on the general function of language in performing actions, rather than the specific type of action itself.

FAQs

How is a "speech act" different from a regular utterance?

A "speech act" isn't just about saying something; it's about doing something with words. Examples include making a promise, issuing a command, or declaring something to be true. A regular utterance might simply convey information without performing a specific action.

What are some examples of common "speech acts"?

Common "speech acts" include promising, requesting, apologizing, asserting, and declaring. These actions are performed through specific linguistic expressions within certain social contexts.

Is "illocutionary act" the same as "speech act"?

The terms are closely related. A "speech act" encompasses the entire action, while an "illocutionary act" specifically refers to the speaker's intention or the action the speaker intends to perform by making the utterance.

Where can I learn more about "speech act" theory?

You can explore the works of J.L. Austin and John Searle, who are foundational figures in "speech act" theory. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy also provides a comprehensive overview.