Definition
illocutionary
adjective
- relating to or denoting an utterance or speech act that performs an action beyond merely stating something, such as commanding, promising, or warning
Usage: linguistics, philosophy of language
Examples
- The illocutionary force of the sentence 'Close the door' is a command, not just a statement.
- In speech act theory, an illocutionary act is what a speaker does by saying something.
- The illocutionary purpose of a promise is to commit oneself to a future action.
- Understanding the illocutionary meaning requires knowing the speaker's intent.
- A warning has a different illocutionary force than a simple observation.