Speech Styles and Acts

Intimate style

Private language used among close people; shared experiences and private codes.

Casual style

Informal communication among peers using slang, jargon or colloquial language.

Consultative style

Professional, customary interaction using mutually acceptable professional language.

Formal style

Structured, impersonal language used in official contexts and speakers addressing audiences.

Frozen style

Static, ritualistic, often archaic language used in ceremonies and unchanged over time.

Speech act

An utterance that performs a function such as apology, request, invitation, compliment, etc.

Locutionary act

The actual act of uttering words with pitch, stress, pauses (the literal utterance).

Illocutionary act

The intended function of the utterance (e.g., request, order, promise).

Perlocutionary act

The effect the utterance produces on the listener (to persuade, cause action).

Indirect speech acts

Utterances where form and intended meaning are not directly connected