Oral Communication: Types of Speech Acts and Communicative Strategies

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on speech acts, communication strategies, styles, processes, models, and skills.

Speech Act

An utterance a speaker makes to achieve an intended effect (e.g., apology, greeting, request); length can vary from a single word to multiple sentences.

Locutionary Act

The actual act of uttering words.

Illocutionary Act

The social function of what is said (the intended purpose, e.g., asking, ordering, apologizing).

Perlocutionary Act

The effect of what is said on the listener, produced in context.

Indirect Speech Act

A speech act where there is no direct link between form and intended meaning.

Performatives

Utterances that perform an action by stating them (e.g., I now pronounce you husband and wife) when spoken by an authorized person.

Assertive

A type of illocutionary act expressing belief about the truth of a proposition (e.g., suggesting, concluding).

Directive

An illocutionary act that makes the addressee perform an action (e.g., asking, ordering, requesting).

Commissive

An illocutionary act committing the speaker to a future action (e.g., promising, planning).

Expressive

An illocutionary act expressing the speaker’s feelings or emotions (e.g., thanking, apologizing).

Declaration

An illocutionary act that brings a change in the external situation (e.g., blessing, firing, baptizing).

Nomination

A communication strategy that introduces a topic for discussion and establishes it collaboratively.

Restriction

A strategy that limits responses to a standard or imposes speaker-imposed limits.

Turn-taking

A strategy to pause speaking and allow others to contribute.

Topic Control

A strategy that leads the conversation by asking questions and guiding discussion.

Topic Shifting

A strategy that introduces a new topic or changes the subject.

Repair

A strategy to address problems in speaking, listening, or comprehension.

Termination

Close-initiating expressions that end a topic or conversation.

Intimate Style

Communication between close relationships with private meanings.

Casual Style

Informal communication among friends or acquaintances, often with slang.

Consultative Style

Everyday conversations requiring professional or mutually acceptable language.

Formal Style

One-way communication that transmits information without inviting participation.

Frozen Style

Speech that is fixed and unchanging, often ceremonial (e.g., Preamble, Lord’s Prayer).

Nature of Communication

A process involving two or more people, expressed through words, actions, or both.

Speaker

The source of information or the message.

Message

Information, ideas, or thoughts conveyed by the speaker.

Encoding

Converting thoughts into words, actions, or other forms for communication.

Channel

The medium through which a message is transmitted (spoken or written).

Decoding

Interpreting the encoded message by the receiver.

Receiver

The recipient who decodes or interprets the message.

Feedback

Reactions or information provided by the receiver to the sender.

Context

The environment in which communication takes place.

Barrier

Factors that distort or interrupt the flow of communication.

Shannon-Weaver Model

A foundational communication model with five elements (Source, Transmitter, Channel, Receiver, and no feedback); does not include feedback.

Transactional Model

A two-way, interactive model that includes feedback and mutual understanding; acknowledges that barriers like noise can disrupt communication.

Schramm Model

A model elaborated by Schramm (1954) that modified Shannon-Weaver to account for feedback and field of experience.

Active Listening

Giving full attention, maintaining eye contact, and asking clarifying questions.

Clear Message

A concise message that conveys the intended meaning.

Nonverbal Communication

Body language, facial expressions, and tone used to convey meaning beyond words.

Emotional Intelligence

Recognizing and managing one’s own emotions and empathizing with others.

Adaptability

Adjusting communication style to suit different contexts, audiences, and situations.

Intercultural Communication

Communication across cultural differences; involves cross-cultural competence and linguistic awareness.

Completeness

Providing all information the receiver needs to respond or evaluate.

Conciseness

Being direct and to the point; removing unnecessary information.

Consideration

Taking into account the receiver’s mood, background, and needs.

Courtesy

Respect for the culture, values, and beliefs of the receiver.

Clearness

Using simple, specific words and focusing on a single objective.

Correctness

Grammar accuracy to avoid negative impact on reception.