illocution
C2Specialist, academic, technical (philosophy/linguistics).
Definition
Meaning
An act performed by saying something (e.g., promising, ordering, warning, stating), with a specific force or intention, as distinct from the mere act of uttering words.
In pragmatics and speech act theory, the intended meaning or function of an utterance within a specific context (e.g., a question functions as a request for information). It is the second of three acts: locution (the utterance), illocution (its intended force), and perlocution (its effect).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A central term in speech act theory, coined by philosopher J.L. Austin. It is often discussed in contrast to 'locution' (the act of saying something) and 'perlocution' (the effect of saying something). An utterance can have a single locution but multiple potential illocutions depending on context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage; it is a highly specialised international academic term.
Connotations
None beyond its technical sense.
Frequency
Exclusively used within academic/technical discourse in both varieties, with identical frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the illocution [of NP]to perform an illocutionto analyse/categorise the illocutionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(None; this is a technical term.)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used in standard business contexts.
Academic
Core term in linguistics, philosophy of language, pragmatics, and communication studies. Used to analyse how language performs actions.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Fundamental to speech act theory, discourse analysis, and computational linguistics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The illocutionary force of 'Can you pass the salt?' is a request.
American English
- Her statement had a clear illocutionary point of warning.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In pragmatics, we study the illocutionary force of utterances.
- The sentence 'It's cold in here' can have the illocution of a complaint or a request to close the window.
- Austin distinguished the locutionary act (the words), the illocutionary act (the intended force), and the perlocutionary act (the effect).
- The primary illocution of a parliamentary speech might be to inform, while its secondary illocution could be to discredit the opposition.
- Direct speech acts have a transparent relationship between grammatical form and illocution, unlike indirect ones.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ILLO' (as in 'I will' – showing intention) + 'CUTION' (as in 'elocution' – speaking). The 'intention in speaking'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEECH IS ACTION (e.g., words are tools to perform tasks like promising or warning).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating it as 'иллокуция' (a non-existent word). The standard translation is 'иллокутивный акт' or 'иллокуция' (as a calque, but the latter is a highly specialised linguistic term). Do not confuse with 'allocution' (формальная речь).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'locution' (the words said) or 'perlocution' (the effect).
- Using it in non-technical contexts.
- Misspelling as 'elocution' or 'allocution'.
- Using it as a countable noun without 'act' (e.g., 'He made an illocution' is awkward; 'He performed an illocutionary act' is correct).
Practice
Quiz
What is the core concept paired with 'illocutionary' in speech act theory?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Locution is the act of saying something (the words, their sense and reference). Illocution is the act performed in saying it (its intended force, e.g., a promise). Perlocution is the act performed by saying it (its effect on the listener, e.g., convincing or scaring them).
No, it is a highly specialised technical term used almost exclusively in linguistics, philosophy, and related academic fields.
Saying 'I promise to be there' under appropriate conditions performs the illocutionary act of promising. The utterance itself is the promise.
It is a noun. The related adjective is 'illocutionary'. There is no verb form '*to illocute' in standard use.