Commissive and Expressive Illocutionary Acts in Political Discourse

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Biljana Mišić Ilić ◽  
Milica Radulović
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Explicit Attitudes ◽  
Personal Involvement ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Political Speeches

AbstractPolitical discourse is primarily identified as political action, the discourse of deliberating which course of action to follow in accordance with specific political goals (Fairclough and Fairclough 2012: 1). A pragmatic analysis of various sub-genres of political discourse can identify the preference for particular speech acts. The first aim of this paper is to analyze commissive and expressive illocutionary acts in political speeches, as indicators of personal involvement of political speakers, notorious for vagueness and avoiding commitment. A corpus of Serbian, American and British political speeches that address the issue of economic standard of living has been examined to identify commissive illocutionary acts as indicators of politicians’ explicit commitment to a chosen course of action, and expressive illocutionary acts as indicators of politicians’ explicit attitudes to their own or other politicians’ chosen practices. The analysis classifies subtypes of commissives and expressives in the corpus and identifies illocutionary force indicating devices (IFIDs) that constitute them in English and in Serbian, after which the resulting classifications are compared and contrasted. The research results are aimed at explaining the hypothesis that a specific use/lack of commissives and expressives can be the politician’s strategy for adding credibility to their speeches, and in that way, swaying public opinion to serve the politician’s interest; conversely, establishing the relation between the use/lack of these illocutionary acts and the politician’s commitment to actions can be a method for exposing the politician’s lack of credibility and accountability.

scholarly journals CLICKBAIT HEADLINES THROUGH THE PRISM OF SPEECH ACTS THEORY

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-36
Author(s):  
I.A. Bitner ◽  
◽  
A.V. Korshunova ◽  
B.O. Luzin ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Main Method ◽  
Direction Of Fit ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Point Condition ◽  
Specific Meaning ◽  
Communicative Success ◽  
Video Makers

Statement of the problem. The article discusses the peculiarities of YouTube video clickbait headlines. Some video makers are profit-conscious and deliberately headline their videos using eye-catching words that often have nothing to do with the real content in order to maximize the number of clicking the links. Such headlines aim at deceiving the recipients as for the content of the text or video, affecting their perception, attracting their attention and making them watch the video after all. Such headlines are known as clickbait, for they trap the reader or viewer with deliberately sensational or incomplete information. In this case promotional impact purposefully overrides the nominative function resulting in the peculiarity of the clickbait. The form of speech acts, including stylistic, lexical, syntactical, spelling and punctuation features, makes them stand out of other texts corpus. Particular attention is paid to discerning them as directive illocutionary acts and to proving that they meet all Searle’s requirements for such phenomena including illocutionary point, condition of sincerity, direction of fit. The purpose of the article is to analyze YouTube video clickbait headlines as directive illocutionary acts. Research methodology. The main method of research is qualitative content-analysis that involves revealing a specific meaning expressed with a clickbait headline as a significant element of a media text, as well as a communicative-pragmatic analysis aimed at identifying directive illocutionary force. Research results. Communicative success of clickbait headlines correlates with the “curiosity gap” manifesting itself in recipient’s information lacuna. The recipient should be able to bridge the former to avoid excessive cognitive attempts, clickbait headlines being a tool for that. Conclusions. Clickbait headlines analysis results in identifying them as directive illocutionary acts, for they foreground the perlocutionary function deliberately neglecting nominative one, thus manipulating an information recipient.

scholarly journals A Pragmatic Analysis of Speech Acts Used by English Lecturers in Languange Teaching at STKIP YDB Lubuk Alung

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Siska Okta Widya
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Classroom Setting ◽  
Coding System ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Research Findings

The research was intended to describe types of speech acts performed by English lecturers in learning process at STKIP YDB Lubuk Alung. This research was descriptive qualitative. The data of this research were the English utterances performed by English lecturers. The researcher obtained the data by means of note-taking technique. First, the researcher recorded the English teaching in the class using a video camera. Next, the researcher made transcripts of the dialogues. Then, the transcribed dialogues were recorded into the data sheet. Finally the data were classified according to Searle’s classification of speech acts. In the data analysis the researcher applied interactive qualitative method and applied coding system. The research findings show that there were four types of speech acts performed by the English lecturers, namely representatives, directives, expressive and commissives, whereas declarations were not utilized by the English lecturer. The most frequently used illocutionary acts were directives (53%), while the least frequent illocutionary acts went to commissives (5%). The frequent use of directives indicates that the lecturer seemed to be aware of their status as a lecturer which was believed to be more powerful than her students. In such restricted context like classroom setting, it is common that the lecturer status is higher than her students since the relation between them is inherently asymmetrical. It was through directives the lecturers exerted her power over the students 

Online hate propaganda during election period: The case of Macedonia

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-334
Author(s):  
Zorica Trajkova ◽  
Silvana Neshkovska
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Political Context ◽  
Expressive Speech ◽  
Rhetorical Figures ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Linguistic Strategies ◽  
The One ◽  
The Given

Abstract The paper offers a critical discursive and pragmatic analysis of a corpus of hateful Facebook and Twitters status updates of politicians, political activists and voters in the 2016 pre-and-post election period, in Macedonia. Aiming to determine how power is exerted on social media, the paper focuses on identifying the stance social media users take when posting messages with political content. The analysis first attempted to unveil what speech acts the hateful posts are predominantly composed of (e.g. assertive, directives, expressives), what roles the authors of the posts normally assume, who the hateful political discourse in the given socio-political context is directed to, as well as what are some of the predominant linguistic strategies underlying the analysed hateful comments. The results show that, by using mostly assertive and expressive speech acts, social media users assume mainly the roles of analysts and judges and only subsequently the one of activists, they mostly address politicians directly and they use a lot of negative lexis, rhetorical figures and boosters as interpersonal metadiscourse markers to express their negative stance and exert power and dominance.

scholarly journals “Polycode” irony as a sign of modern media-political discourse

2020 ◽  
Vol 88 ◽  
pp. 01024
Author(s):  
Natalya Bozhenkova ◽  
Tamara Kalichkina
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Cultural Interpretation ◽  
Rhetorical Devices ◽  
Modern Media ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Media Space ◽  
The Russian Language ◽  
Mapping Units

The purpose of this research is to conduct a comprehensive linguoculturological analysis of verbal and non-verbal means of expressing “polycode” irony in modern Russian political discursive practices. In the process of problem-solving research uses different methods and approaches of discourse analysis: a functional analysis of corpora of political texts of the Russian language; pragmatic analysis of speech acts and communicative; stylistic analysis revealing the specifics of genre specific political practices; the linguistic and cultural interpretation; the descriptive-logical methods of categorical mapping units and their subsequent economicaly. The article deals with the main functions and roles of “polycode” irony in political media space. In the study, the authors identify the key functions, high significance and abundance of “polycode” irony in media-political discourse. The article contains a linguistic analysis that has contributed to identifying main rhetorical devices most commonly used to create “polycode” irony.

scholarly journals PRAGMATICS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AN ANALYSIS OF OBASANJO’S LETTERS

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-74
Author(s):  
Tolulope Iredele
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Relative Frequency ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Political Decisions

The study investigates the role of language in civic engagement and demonstrates how language is used as a viable tool to propel civic actions. Hence, it focused on the locution and illocutionary acts of Obasanjo's letters to two presidents in Nigeria. Sixty sentences were selected from three open letters. The findings showed that the overall relative frequency percentages are: commissive 15%, assertive 20%, directive 48.3%, declarative 6.7%, and expressive 10%. Results show that Obasanjo, in his letters relied more on sentences that performed directive acts more than other speech acts. However, in his letters to Buhari, he used sentences with assertive acts more than he used in his letter to Jonathan. Hence, the data is characterized by a preponderance of directive, assertive and commissive acts as rhetoric strategies. The study confirms that language use in political discourse is rarely neutral. It further demonstrates that civic engagement drivers manipulate language to influence political decisions and reconstruct public opinion by propelling certain actions or inactions.  

scholarly journals A Pragmatic Analysis of Illocutionary Act in a Selected Presidential Speech on COVID-19

2022 ◽  
Vol 0 (45) ◽  
pp. 84-107
Author(s):  
Rimah Muhy Majeed ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Significant Frequency ◽  
Very Low Frequency ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Presidential Speech ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa

This paper aims at studying the illocutionary speech acts: direct and indirect to show the most dominant ones in a presidential speech delivered by the USA president. The speech is about the most critical health issue in the world, COVID-19 outbreak. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted by observing the first speech delivered by president Trump concerning coronavirus outbreak and surveying the illocutionary acts: directive, declarative, commissive, expressive, and representative. Searle's (1985) classification of illocutionary speech acts is adopted in the analysis. What are the main types of the illocutionary speech acts performed by Trump in his speech?; Why does Trump perform illocutionary acts?; and What is the purpose behind using the most dominant acts? The study is of significant value as it displays how the USA's leader addresses his people linguistically using the illocutionary acts. It helps to understand how language is used to deal with certain actions and how it affects the hearers’ viewpoints. The study concludes that two types of illocutionary acts show a significant frequency of occurrence: representatives and declarative. Such result appears due to the purpose behind the discourse under analysis. The other three types of illocutionary acts are of very low frequency. The purpose of the speech and the identity of the figure who delivers it significantly influence the choice of the illocutionary acts. Since the figure who delivers the speech is the president, he has the authority to declare the issue, give instructions concerning the actions that will be taken in the light of this issue and clarify the situation.

THEORY OF SPEECH ACTS AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCES: PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE ILLOCUTIVE ACT “EXPRESSION OF REFUSALS”

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 77-81
Author(s):  
Sayyora Azimova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
English Language ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Pragmatic Interpretation

This article is devoted to the pragmatic interpretation of the illocutionary action of the speech act “expression of refusals”. The article discusses different ways of reflecting cases of denial. This article was written not only for English language professionals, but also for use in aggressive conflicts and their pragmatic resolution, which naturally occur in the process of communication in all other languages

THEORY OF SPEECH ACTS AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCES: PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE ILLOCUTIVE ACT “EXPRESSION OF REFUSALS”

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-231
Author(s):  
Sayyora Azimova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
English Language ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Pragmatic Interpretation

This article is devoted to the pragmatic interpretation of the illocutionary action of the speech act“expression of refusals”. The article discusses different ways of reflecting cases of denial. This article was written not only for English language professionals, but also for use in aggressive conflicts and their pragmatic resolution, which naturally occur in the process of communication in all other languages

SPEECH ACTS IN BARACK OBAMA SPEECH’S IN ANNOUNCING THE DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-162
Author(s):  
Atiya Mahmud Hana
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Barack Obama ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
White House ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Primary Data Source ◽  
Data Source ◽  
Osama Bin Laden ◽  
Directive Speech Acts ◽  
Directive Speech

  This study aims to observe and describe the use of speech acts by Barack Obama when he announced the death of Osama bin Laden. The writer focuses on illocutionary acts used by Barack Obama. The primary data source is the transcript of Barack Obama’s speech at White House on May 1st, 2011 after the death of Osama bin Laden. The types of illocutionary acts are observed by the writer according to Searle’s Taxonomy of Illocutionary Act. They are representatives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declarations. The result of the study shows that representatives are frequetnly used by Obama in his speech. Representatives are used in 54 utterances (74%); Commissives are used in 11 utterances (15%); Expressives are used in 7 utterances (11%). Barack Obama used none both directive speech acts and declaration speech acts. Representatives are frequently used in Barack Obama speech because the purpose of the speech is to announce the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. The evidence is that most utterances in the transcipt use statements, descriptions, and reports.   

Pragmatics of the Qur’an: Model Pemahaman Kisah Sayyidah Maryam yang Terikat Konteks

SUHUF ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-342
Author(s):  
Fathur Rosyid
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Linguistic Context ◽  
Pragmatic Approach ◽  
Application Form ◽  
Illocutionary Acts ◽  
Birth Story ◽  
The Relationship

Abstrak Kata Kunci: Pragamtik, Tindak Tutur, Implikatur, Kisah Sayyidah Maryam   Kisah Sayyidah Maryam dalam al-Qur’a>n merupakan salah-satu kisah yang menarik dikaji dengan pendekatan pragmatik. Hal ini disebabkan, secara tekstual, beliau adalah publik figur yang fenomenal, bahkan mengalahkan status sosial perempuan lainnya, sehingga namanya terdokumentasikan dalam satu surat khusus yang populer dengan sebutan ”Surat Maryam”. Kecuali itu, kisah tersebut juga termasuk kisah yang kaya dengan nuansa konteks. Sementara posisi ilmu prgamatik sendiri  merupakan disiplin keilmuan yang mengkaji satuan bahasa dari sudut pandang relasi antara konteks linguistik yang bersifat diadik dan konteks non-linguistik yang bersifat triadik. Penelitian ini hendak mengungkap dua hal; Pertama, apa yang dimaksud pragmatika al-Qur’a>n?. Kedua, bagaimana bentuk aplikasi pragmatik tindak tutur dan implikatur terhadap fragmentasi kisah kelahiran Sayyidah Maryam dalam al-Qur’an?. Tujuan kedua pertanyaan tersebut untuk memahami konsep prgamtika al-Qur’an, juga untuk mengungkap bentuk tindak tutur dan implikatur fragmentasi kisah kelahiran Sayyidah Maryam. Penelitian ini menghasilkan kesimpulan; Pertama, pragmatika al-Qur’an adalah suatu disiplin ilmu yang mengkaji al-Qur’a>n dari sudut pandang relasi antara konteks kebahasaan dengan konteks non-kebahasaan. Kedua, tindak tutur fragmentasi kisah kelahiran Sayyidah Maryam yang terdapat dalam Qs. A<li ‘Imra>n (03): 36, lokusinya berupa kalimat informatif, sementara illokusinya merupakan bentuk kalimat asertif yang bermakna mengeluh. Adapun implikaturnya sebagai pelajaran, bahwa jika segala sesuatu telah dipasrahkan sama Allah swt. maka tidak pantas mencari kesalahan atas peraturan yang telah ditetapkan-Nya.               Abstract Keywords: Pragamtik, Speech Acts, implicatures, Story of Sayyidah Maryam   The story of Sayyidah Maryam in the al-Qur'a>n is one-on-one interesting stories studied with a pragmatic approach. This is due, textually, he is a public figure who is phenomenal, even beating out other women's social status, so the name is documented in a special letter that is popularly known as "Surah Maryam". Except that, the story also included a story rich with nuances of context. While the position pragamatic science itself is a scientific discipline that examines unit of language from the perspective of the relationship between linguistic context that is both dyadic and non-linguistic context that is triadic. This research seeks to reveal two things; First, what is meant pragmatic al-Qur'a>n?. Second, how the application form pragmatics of speech acts and implicatures to fragmentation birth story of Sayyidah Maryam in the al-Qur'a>n?. The second purpose of these questions to understand the concept pragamtic al-Qur'a>n, as well as to reveal the shape of speech acts and implicatures fragmentation of the birth story of Sayyidah Maryam. This research resulted in the conclusion; First, the pragmatics of the al-Qur’a>n is a discipline that examines al-Qur'a>n from the viewpoint of the relationship between linguistic context with non-linguistic context. Second, the speech act fragmentation birth story of Sayyidah Maryam contained in Qs. A<li 'Imra>n (03): 36, locutionary acts be informative sentence, while illocutionary acts an assertive form meaningful sentences complaining. The implicature as a lesson, that if everything was handled the same God, it is inappropriate to find fault with the regulations set his.

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