Rosaldo - The Things We Do with Words: Ilongot Speech Acts and Speech Act Theory in Philosophy

The author introduces the Ilongots and their attitudes toward speech.
Modern theorists view language as a tool for expression or reference, while Ilongots see it primarily as action.
Commands are considered the exemplary act of speech, with less emphasis on subjective meanings and more on social contexts.
The ethnographic sketch outlines how Ilongots think of words and its relation to their practices.
Speech Act Theory is questioned for overlooking situational and cultural constraints on language use.
Searle's taxonomy of speech acts is applied to Ilongot categories, revealing individualistic and asocial biases in Searle's account.
The analysis of Ilongot directives shows how indigenous categories relate to actions and reflect the sociocultural order.
Anthropological analyses clarify how accounts of human action depend on understanding the actors' sociocultural milieu.
Ways of thinking about language, human agency, and personhood are linked, reflecting locally prevalent views about human persons.
Speech Act Theory is both an inspiration and a target, aiming to show the relevance of linguistic and social concerns.
Speech act theorists seek to understand that talking about the world involves propositions and communicative intentions.
Meanings depend on what we say, who we are, and what we hope our interlocutors know.
Speech act theorists have failed to address the implications of their work by focusing on intentions.
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