Ilocutionary act and conventionality

Authors

  • Manuel Keri UNLP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24215/16696581e708

Keywords:

Speech acts, Conventionality, Intention, Ilocutionary act, Ilocutionary force

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of the conventional character of illocutionary acts in relation to Austin's theory of speech acts. To this end, the text will begin by outlining the general argument found in How to do things with words, emphasizing the treatment of illocutionary acts and their characterization as conventional. Then, Strawson's critique of the thesis of the conventionality of illocutionary acts will be considered. This perspective will be compared with Searle's critique of the Gricean conception of meaning and his elaboration of a conventionalist description of illocutionary acts. Next, Sbisà's effects conventionalism thesis will be addressed and the critique it elaborates with respect to Strawson's and Searle's positions will be considered. Finally, the text will argue for the superiority of Sbisà's position. This superiority lies, on the one hand, in the fact that it constitutes a more faithful reconstruction of Austin's original intuitions. On the other hand, the interpretation proposed by Sbisà is preferable because of its ability to provide a solution to the problem of elaborating a solid description of the perlocutionary acts.

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References

Austin, J. (1990). Cómo hacer cosas con palabras, Paidos, Barcelona, España.

Forguson, L. W. (1966). "In pursuit of performatives", Philosophy, Vol. 41, N° 158 (Oct., 1966), pp. 341-347

Sbisà (2009). "Uptake and intentionality in illocutions", Lodz Papers in Pragmatics 5.1, Special issue on speech actions: 33-52.

------- (2014). "Austin on language and action", en Garvey, B. (ed.), J. L. Austin on Language, Palgrave Macmillan, Ney York

Searle, J. (1994). Actos de habla, Editorial Planeta, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Strawson, J. (1983). "Intención y convención en los actos de habla" en Ensayos lógico lingüísticos, Tecnos, Madrid.

Urmson, J. O. (1977). "Performative utterances", Midwest Studies in Philosophy 2, pp. 120-127.

Published

2022-09-01

How to Cite

Keri, M. (2022). Ilocutionary act and conventionality. Question/Cuestión, 3(72), E708. https://doi.org/10.24215/16696581e708