言语行为
Speech act theory言语行为理论
Speech act theory is an important theory in the pragmatic study of language. It was originated with the British philosopher John Austin in the late 50’s of the 20th century.
言语行为理论是语言语用研究中的一个重要理论。它最初是由英国哲学家约翰.奥斯汀在20世纪50年代提出的。
According to speech act theory, we are performing actions when we are speaking.
根据言语行为理论,我们说话的同时是在实施某种行为。
According to speech act theory, a speaker might be performing three acts simultaneously when speaking: locutionary act, illocutionary act, and perlocutionary act.
根据言语行为理论,说话者说话时可能同时实施三种行为:言内行为,言外行为和言后行为。
a) A locutionary act is the act of uttering words, phrases, clauses. It is the act of conveying literal meaning by means of syntax lexicon and phonology.
言内行为是说出词、短语和分句的行为, 它是通过句法、词汇和音位来表达字面意义的行为。
b) An illocutionary act is the act of expressing the speaker’s intention; it is the act performed in saying something.
言外行为是表达说话者的意图的行为,它是在说某些话时所实施的行为。
c) A perlocutionary act is the act performed by or resulting from saying something; it is the consequence of, or the change brought about the utterance; it is the act performed by saying something.
言后行为是通过某些话所实施的行为,或讲某些话所导致的行为,它是话语所产生的后果或所引起的变化,它是通过讲某些话所完成的行为。
American philosopher-linguist John Searle classified illocutionary acts into five general types. Each type has a common, general purpose.
美国的哲学语言学家约翰.舍尔把言外行为分为五类,每一类行为都有一个共同的、普遍的目的。这五大类是:
a) representatives: stating or describing, saying what the speaker believes to be true
阐述类:陈述或描述说话者认为是真实的情况
示例:
I have never seen the man before. / the earth is globe.
b) directives: trying to get the hearer to do something
指令类:试图使听话者做某些事情
示例:
Open the window! / Would you like to go to the picnic with us?
c) commissives: committing the speaker himself to some future course of action
承诺类:说话者自己承诺未来要有一些行为。
示例:
I promise to come. / I will bring you the book tomorrow without fail.
d) expressives: expressing feelings or attitude towards an existing state
表达类:表达对某一现状的感情和态度。
示例:
I’m sorry for the mess I have made. / It’s really kind of you to have thought of me.
e) declarations: bringing about immediate changes by saying something
宣告类:通过说话引起骤变。
示例:
I now declare the meeting open. / I fire you.
Important remark:
All the acts that belong to the same category share the same purpose or the same illocutionary point, but they differ in their strength or forth.
每一类中的行为都有同样的目的,但具有同样目的的言外行为可能具有不同程度的言外之力。