Oral Communication: Speech Act & Speech Context & Speech Style

Speech Act Theory

Is concerned with the ways in which words can be used not only to present information but also to carry our actions. Apology, greeting, request, complaint, invitation, compliment, or refusal.

Locutionary Act - The Utterance Act

Refers to the message, the act of making a meaningful utterance. The utterance should have sense, and most importantly, should have the same meaning to both the speaker and the listener. LITERAL OR SEMANTIC MEANING

Illocutionary Act - The Intention of the Speaker

This act is not just saying something, but the act of saying something with the intention of stating an opinion, confirming, or denying something, making a prediction, a promise, issuing an order or decision, and giving advice or permission. THE INTENTION OF THE SPEAKER

Assertives

Utterances that tell how things are in the world. Ex: Statements, descriptions.

Directives

Attempt by the speaker to get the listener do something. Ex: Orders, commands.

Commissives

Commit the speaker to some future actions. Ex: Pledges, vows, oaths.

Expressives

Utterances that represents the speaker’s emotions. Ex: Thanking, apologizing, congratulating.

Declaratives

Utterances that change the world in the form of social and political transformation.

Perlocutionary Act - The Impact

This is seen when a particular effect is sought from either the speaker, the listener or both. Illocutionary Act refers to only one act while Perlocutionary Act can be multiple because there are many ways of responding to an Illocutionary Act. HOW THE MESSAGE IS PERCEIVED

Speech Context

The environment where communication happens and how the message is relayed during the process.

Intrapersonal Communication

• Intra - Within

• Talking to oneself.

• Doing self-reflection.

• Takes place within a person. Non-verbal behavior may include smiling, frowning, doodling, scratching your head.

Self-Concept

Determines how a person sees themselves.

Perception

Focuses on how a person looks at the world.

Expectations

Messages intended for a future event.

Internal Discourse

Involves thinking, concentration and analysis.

Solo Vocal Communication

Involves talking aloud to oneself.

Solo Written Communication

Refers to writing to oneself.

Interpersonal Communication

• Communicating with someone other than oneself.

• The source is different from the receiver of the message.

• Non-Verbal Behavior, body movement, posture, eye contact, facial expressions, changes in voice dynamics, distance and proximity.

Dyad

Two persons communicate directly with each other. Each sends a message overtly to the other.

Small Group

Comprises more than two persons who meet for two main reasons: 1. Establish relationship (Interpersonal Talk), 2. Achieve a goal (Transactional Talk).

Public Communication

A speaker delivers a message before an audience. There are two forms, public speaking and mass communication.

Public Speaking

Involves a speaker’s formal presentation of his/her speech before an audience.

Mass Communication

• A type of communication to significantly large audience carried by media.

• Is the transmission of information to large numbers of people through the aid of mass media technology.

Speech Style

According to Joos (1976) speech style refers to the form of language which is characterized by the degree of formality.

Intimate

It is private, non-public speech style that uses private vocabulary and includes non-verbal messages. (A secret)

Casual

Is used among friends and acquaintances that do not require background information. There are so social barriers to follow. (Chitchat)

Consultive

Is a professional discourse, does not share common experiences or meaning. (Consultation with a doctor)

Frozen

Is a formal style whose quality is static, ritualistic, and may even be archaic. (Prayers, pledges, and oaths)

Formal

Used only for imparting information, does not allow interruptions, and technical vocabulary and exact definitions. (Paper Defense)

Communicative Competence

Underlying knowledge that affect or influence communication.

1. Context-Specific

2. Relative, not absolute.

3. Dynamic, not static.

Grammatical Knowledge

Knowledge of the linguistic system. What is possible in a language.

Sociolinguistic

Understanding of social context, what is appropriate. When to say anything, or something.

Strategic

Strategies to compensate for limitations in our knowledge.

Discourse

Interpretation and expression of “a global meaning that is always greater than the sum.”