What is an illocutionary verb?

An illocutionary verb is a verb that, as part of its meaning, expresses

• at least one illocutionary force, or
• a quality of some component of illocutionary force.

• Assert expresses an assertive illocutionary point.
• Advise expresses a directive illocutionary point.
• Announce does not express a particular force, but appears to refer, in part, to a high degree of strength of sincerity conditions.
• Insinuate cannot be used as a performative verb, but is, nevertheless, an illocutionary verb useful in reporting illocutionary acts secondhand.

Searle and Vanderveken 1985 179–182

Context for this page:

• Concept module: illocutionary verb
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): I
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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