Pragmática y Discurso en Lengua Inglesa Year 2021-2022
Prof. Nuria Calvo Cortés
EXERCISES ON SPEECH ACTS
From: Huang, Yan. (2007) Pragmatics. Oxford: OUP
1.- Of the following utterances, which are performatives and which are
constatives?
-The couple live in a house on the corner of Henry Street.
-I object, your Honour.
-John’s future is full of hope.
-I declare this bridge open.
-I second the motion.
-John is growing a beard.
2.- Of the following performatives, which are explicit and which are implicit?
-All applications must be submitted to the dean by 31st March.
-Who do you tip for the post?
-You are hereby forbidden to leave this room.
-How about going to the British Museum this afternoon?
-Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
3.- In the following, which performative verbs are used performatively and which
are used non-performatively?
-We thanked them for their hospitality
-I hereby declare Tony Benn the duly elected member for this constituency.
-I am warning you not to spend too much on alcohol.
-John withdraws his application.
-All passengers on flight number 36 to Paris are requested to proceed to gate number 9.
-The managing director congratulated everyone in the room.
4.- At the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, Diana stumbled over
Charles’ many times, getting one of his names out of order. Which of Austin’s
felicity conditions do you think Diana violated? Is it a misfire or an abuse?
constative (you're stating)
performative (it's an objection)
constative (stating)
performative (declaring)
performative
constative
explicit: a verb that explicily express the fucntion you're doing)
"must" 2 different meanings -> obligation and "that must be Andrea..."
Implicit
I promise to help you (explicit) , I will help you (implicit)
implicit. the explicit would be "I request you to tell me..."
explicit. the implicit way would be "you can leave this room"
Implicit. explicit would be "I suggest going to the..."
Implicit. explicit would be "i suggest all medicines should be..."
non-performatively since you're just sayind a statement but you don't expect
nothing to happen
performatively (1st person, present and
hereby, you're doing this now)
performatively (1 person, present continuous - emphasizing)
non-performatively (just telling something, althouth it is present simple)
performative (passive)
there is no a person
directly saying, but they
request doing smth
non-performative (past, 3rd person, simply a statement of an action).
ÚLTIMA HOJA, EXTENSION OF THE EXERCISE!!
Misfire because is a violation of number two (he didn't say her name correctly).
