Method: Speech Act Analysis: Difference between revisions

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Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, since “speech acts are realized from culture to culture in different ways [which] may result in communication difficulties that range from the humorous to the serious.” (Susan M. Gass, “Introduction,” Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, Studies on Language Acquisition 11, ed. Peter Jordens (New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996), 1.) What to one culture, for instance, is a polite yet succinct turndown of an offer, might be a blunt, rude dismissal to another culture. (Ibid.) Because understanding and translating the Bible is a cross-cultural endeavor, it is important to consider both how biblical language “acts” and how the target language performs the same action. (The Bible itself speaks of the active nature of God’s word (cf. Heb 4:12–13; Gen 1:3).)
Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, since “speech acts are realized from culture to culture in different ways [which] may result in communication difficulties that range from the humorous to the serious.” (Susan M. Gass, “Introduction,” Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, Studies on Language Acquisition 11, ed. Peter Jordens (New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996), 1.) What to one culture, for instance, is a polite yet succinct turndown of an offer, might be a blunt, rude dismissal to another culture. (Ibid.) Because understanding and translating the Bible is a cross-cultural endeavor, it is important to consider both how biblical language “acts” and how the target language performs the same action. (The Bible itself speaks of the active nature of God’s word (cf. Heb 4:12–13; Gen 1:3).)


==Example: Psalm 6==
When we come to Psalm 6


Steps
=Steps=
==1. Speech Act Table==
Copy and paste this speech act table [https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lnyaD0Q=/?moveToWidget=3458764520952780171&cot=14 template].
 
'''Sentence type''' refers to the sentence mood: declarative, imperative, or interrogative. There should be only one sentence type per sentence.
 
'''Illocution type (general)''' refers to five different sentence “actions.” The categories are from J. R. Searle (1960’s–70’s), who proposed five different types of illocutionary speech acts:
*Assertive - represents facts (e.g. stating, explaining, or reporting).
*Commissive - commits the speaker to doing something (e.g. promising, vowing, swearing, threatening, offering, or refusing).
*Directive - tries to persuade the addressee to do something (e.g. commanding, decreeing, requesting, or begging).
*Declaratory - do something simply by saying it; change reality (hereby. . .) (e.g. pronouncing a couple married; “We the jury find the defendant guilty”).
*Expressive - express emotion/attitude about the proposition (e.g. thanking, congratulating, apologising, consoling, lamenting, praising, or greeting).
 
As with sentence type, there should be only one illocution type provided (even if you can think of other, secondary ones).
 
Speech acts can be direct or indirect. Direct speech acts require less inference on the part of the addressee. The utterance, “Pass me the salt” is a direct speech act, since its sentence type (imperative) matches its illocution type (directive). The utterance, “Can you pass me the salt?” on the other hand, is an indirect speech act, since its sentence type (interrogative) does not match its illocution type (directive). Indirect speech acts can take many forms (e.g. rhetorical questions) and can function in many different ways (e.g. increase politeness), and require careful attention in interpretation and translation. If there is a “mismatch” between the sentence type and the illouction type, highlight them both in yellow.
 
Illocution type (specific) refers to a second, more precise, illocution that paraphrases the biblical text and makes its illocutionary force explicit. These categories are not limited to only five.
 
Finally, summarise the main speech act sections of the psalm. Use the Speech Act Summary template here.
 
 
Complete the following steps for your psalm:
#Copy the

Revision as of 12:55, 12 October 2022


Introduction

Speech Act Theory assumes that language does something, and it builds on the recognition that there is more to communication than the exchange of propositions. Take, for example, the statement, “I’m tired.” The speaker of this sentence likely intends to convey more than an assertion (i.e. a truth claim). Depending on the situation, the speaker may be doing something else: declining an offer (perhaps to go for a bike ride), complaining (perhaps because the bike ride has gone on too long), agreeing (when a fellow biker comments on post-ride fatigue), or many others.

Speech act analysis is particularly important when communicating cross-culturally, since “speech acts are realized from culture to culture in different ways [which] may result in communication difficulties that range from the humorous to the serious.” (Susan M. Gass, “Introduction,” Speech Acts Across Cultures: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language, Studies on Language Acquisition 11, ed. Peter Jordens (New York: Mouton de Gruyter, 1996), 1.) What to one culture, for instance, is a polite yet succinct turndown of an offer, might be a blunt, rude dismissal to another culture. (Ibid.) Because understanding and translating the Bible is a cross-cultural endeavor, it is important to consider both how biblical language “acts” and how the target language performs the same action. (The Bible itself speaks of the active nature of God’s word (cf. Heb 4:12–13; Gen 1:3).)


Steps

1. Speech Act Table

Copy and paste this speech act table template.

Sentence type refers to the sentence mood: declarative, imperative, or interrogative. There should be only one sentence type per sentence.

Illocution type (general) refers to five different sentence “actions.” The categories are from J. R. Searle (1960’s–70’s), who proposed five different types of illocutionary speech acts:

  • Assertive - represents facts (e.g. stating, explaining, or reporting).
  • Commissive - commits the speaker to doing something (e.g. promising, vowing, swearing, threatening, offering, or refusing).
  • Directive - tries to persuade the addressee to do something (e.g. commanding, decreeing, requesting, or begging).
  • Declaratory - do something simply by saying it; change reality (hereby. . .) (e.g. pronouncing a couple married; “We the jury find the defendant guilty”).
  • Expressive - express emotion/attitude about the proposition (e.g. thanking, congratulating, apologising, consoling, lamenting, praising, or greeting).

As with sentence type, there should be only one illocution type provided (even if you can think of other, secondary ones).

Speech acts can be direct or indirect. Direct speech acts require less inference on the part of the addressee. The utterance, “Pass me the salt” is a direct speech act, since its sentence type (imperative) matches its illocution type (directive). The utterance, “Can you pass me the salt?” on the other hand, is an indirect speech act, since its sentence type (interrogative) does not match its illocution type (directive). Indirect speech acts can take many forms (e.g. rhetorical questions) and can function in many different ways (e.g. increase politeness), and require careful attention in interpretation and translation. If there is a “mismatch” between the sentence type and the illouction type, highlight them both in yellow.

Illocution type (specific) refers to a second, more precise, illocution that paraphrases the biblical text and makes its illocutionary force explicit. These categories are not limited to only five.

Finally, summarise the main speech act sections of the psalm. Use the Speech Act Summary template here.


Complete the following steps for your psalm:

  1. Copy the