Halyna D. Malyk Speech Acts and Events

Analyse the structure of the following letters. What devices are used to make them polite?

Elements of Analysis	A Letter
Attention-getter	For the attention of the Sales Manager
Salutation	Dear Sir or Madame,
Acknowledge inquiry	Thank you for your inquiry of November 5.
Inform about price - lists/ catalogues	We have enclosed our winter catalogue and price-list.
Draw attention to goods	Though we will see we offer a wide selection of watches, may we draw your attention to pp.30-35 which we think might suit the market you are dealing with?
Mention reputation/ guarantees	As you are probably aware, all our products are fully guaranteed and backed by our world-wide reputation.
Encourage further contact	If there is any further information you require, please contact us.
Complimentary close	Meanwhile, we look forward to hearing from you soon.
	Yours sincerely,
	xxx

3. 
   Analyze the following letters. Determine which speech acts dominate in them (request, apology, inquiry, etc). Determine their main elements.
   

1.	A Letter of ………….
	I am replying to your letter of 2 May asking us to clear our April balance.
	I apologize for not setting the account sooner, but due to unfortunate accident with our accountant, we were unable to settle our outstanding balances.
	Please find enclosed our cheque and accept our apologies for any inconvenience,
	Yours sincerely,
	xxx
2.	A Letter of …………..
	Dear Sir or Madame,
	I would like some information about about your TOEFL courses held in summer.
	Please send me a prospectus, details of your fees accommodation. Thank you.
	Yours sincerely,
	xxx
3.	A Letter of …………
	Dear Mr…
	Thank you for your letter. Unfortunately, we do not feel we can offer discounts which you have asked for. Therefore, I regret that we have to turn down your order.
	Yours sincerely,
	xxx

4.You have been on an exchange program and lived with a host family. Write a thank-you note.

	Appendix 1
	Major Taxonomies of Illocutionary Acts and Speech Act Verbs

1.	1.J.Austin
Verdictives	Acquit, hold, read as, reckon, place, put it at, grade, assess, characterize, convict, interpret as, rule, estimate, date, make it, rank, value, diagnose, find, understand, calculate, locate, measure, take it, rate, describe, analyse
Exercitives	Appoint, dismiss, order, sentence, levy, choose, bequeath, warn, degrade, excommunicate, command, fine, vote for, claim, pardon, advise, demote, name, direct, grant, nominate, give, resign, plead, pray, urge, proclaim, countermand, enact, dedicate, entreat, press, announce, annul, reprieve, declare closed, beg, recommend, quash, repeal, veto, declare open
Commissives	Undertake, am determined to, mean to, propose to, envisage, guarantee, vow, dedicate myself to, adopt, espouse, convenant, bind myself, intend, plan, shall, engage, pledge myself, agree, declare for, champion, oppose, contract, give my word, declare my intention, purpose, contemplate, swear, bet, consent, side with, embrace, favour
Behabitives	apologize, thank, deplore, commiserate, compliment, condole, congratulate, felicitate, sympathize, resent, don’t mind, pay tribute, criticize, grumble about, complain of, applaud, overlook, commend, deprecate, blame, approve, favour, welcome, bid you farewell, bless, curse, toast, drink to, wish, dare, defy, protest, challege
Expositives	1. Affirm, deny, state, describe, class, identify;
	2. remark, mention, interpose;
	3. inform, apprise, tell, answer, rejoin,
	3a. ask
	4. testify, report, swer, conjecture, doubt, believe
	5. accept, concede, withdraw, agree, demur to, object to, adhere to, recognize, repudiate
	5a. correct, revise,
	6. postulate, deduce, argue, neglect, emphasize
	7. begin by, turn to, conclude by
	7a. interpret, distinguish, analyse, define
	7b. illustrate, explain, formulate
	7c. mean, refer, call, understand, regard as

2.Searle & Vanderveken
Assertives (70)	assert, reassert, negate, deny, correct, claim, affirm, state, disclaim, declare, tell, suggest, guess, hypothesize, conjecture, postulate, predict, forecast, foretell, prophesy, vaticinate, report, retrodict, warn, forewarn, advise, alert, alarm, remind, describe, inform, reveal, divulge, divulgate, notify, insinuate, sustain, insist, maintain, assure, aver, avouch, certify, attest, swear, testify, agree, disagree, asent, dissent, acquisce, object, recognize, acknowlwdge, admit, confess, concede, recant, criticize, blame, accuse, calumniate, reprimand, castigate, denounce, boast, complain, lament
Commissives (32)	commit, pledge, undertake, engage, promise, hypothecate, guarantee, threaten, vow, avow, swear, assure, certify, accept, agree, consent, acquiesce, abide, reject, refuse, renounce, offer, counter-offer, bid, rebid, tender, dedicate, wager, contract, covenant, subscribe
Directives (56)	direct, request, ask, question, inquire, interrogate, urge, encourage, discourage, solicit, appeal, petition, invite, convene, convoke, beg, supplicate, beseech, implore, entreat, conjure, pray, insist, tell, instruct, demand, require, claim, order, command, dictate, prescribe, enjoin, adjure, exorcise, forbid, prohibit, interdict, proscrice, commission, charge, suggest, propose, warn, advise, caution, alert, alarm, recommend, permit, allow, authorize, consent, invoke, imprecate, intercede.
Declaratives (85)	declare, renounce, disclaim, disown, resign, repudiate, disavow, retract, abdicate, abjure, deny, disinherit, yield, surrender, capitulate, approve, confirm, sanction, ratify, homologate, bless, curse, dedicate, consecrate, disapprove, stipulate, name, call, define, abbreviate, nominate, authorize, license, install, appoint, establish, institute, inaugurate, convene, convoke, open, close, suspend, adjourn, terminate, dissolve, denounce, vote, veto, enact, legislate, promulgate, decree, confer, grant, bestow, accord, cede, rule, adjudge, adjudicate, condemn, sentence, damn, clear, acqui, disculpate, exonerate, pardon, forgive, absolve, cancell, annul, abolish, abrogate, revoke, repeal, rescind, retract, sustain, bequeath, baptize, excommunicate.
Expressives (28)	approve, compliment, praise, laud, extol, plaudit, appaud, acclaim, brag, boast, complain, disapprove, blame, reprove, deplore, protest, grieve, mourn, lament, rejoice, cheer, boo, condole, congratulate, thank, apologize, greet, welcome.

3.R. Ohmann
Expositives
	Attesters	conjecture, state, submit, postulate, testify, predict, regret, insist, swear. Etc.
	Sequences	conclude, rejoin, infer, answer, respond, deduce, add, etc.
	Positioners	endorse, deny, affirm, subscribe to, withdraw, demur to, object to, agree to, repudiate, etc.
	Emphatics	tell, inform, assure, put it to, etc.
	queries	ask, inquire, demand to know, etc
Status Fixers
	Verdictives	Call, diagnose, judge, value, assess, define, identify, estimate, reckon, analyze, etc.
	Operatives	christen, declare, appoint, name, designate, pronounce, etc.
Future Directives
	Influencers	urge, beg, demand, counsel, order, challenge, warn, dare, permit, request, bid, authorize, implore, etc.
	Commissives	promise, guarantee, vow, offer, agree, resolve, contract, refuse, etc.
	Exhortations
	Wishes	wish, pray,
	Conditionals
Responsibility Establishes
	Ascribers	blame, forgive, thank, censure, accuse, criticize, applaud, credit, protest, etc.
	Implicators	Apologize,admit, boast, take credit, deny, justify, etc.
Executors
	Assigners	give, confer, transfer, present, offer, assign, bequeath, etc.
	Receivers	accept, claim, refuse, relinquish, reject, resign, choose, etc.
	Ceremonials	welcome, greet, present, bid farewell, dismiss, call, summon, salute, bless, exclude, vote for, etc.
	Aligners	dissociate, oppose, concur in, veto, join, bind, affiliate, etc.

4.Bach K. & Harnish R.
Institutional Acts
Non-Institutional Acts
Communicative Illocutionary Acts
1. Constatives	Assertives	affirm, allege, assert, aver, avow, claim, declare, deny (assert … not), indicate, maintain, propound, say, state, submit
	Predictives	forecast, predict, prophesy
	Retrodictives	recount, report
	Descriptives	appraise, assess, call, categorize, characterize, classify, date, describe, diagnose, evaluate, grade, identify, portray, rank
	Ascriptives	ascribe, attribute, predicate
	Informatives	advise, announce, apprise, disclose, inform, insist, notify, point out, report, reveal, tell, testify
	Confirmatives	appraise, assess, bear witness, certify, conclude, confirm, corroborate, diagnose, find, judge, substantiate, testify, validate, verify, vouch for;
	Concessives	acknowledge, admit, agree, allow, assent, concede, concur, confess, grant, own;
	Retractives	abjure, correct, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, recant, renounce, repudiate, retract, take back, withdraw;
	Assentives	accept, agree, assent, concur;
	Dissentives	differ, disagree, dissent, reject;
	Disputatives	demur, dispute, object, protest, question
	Responsives	answer, reply, respond, retort
	Suggestives	conjecture, guess, hypothesize, speculate, suggest;
	Suppositives	assume, hypothesize, postulate, stipulate, suppose, theorize
2. Directives	Requestives	ask, beg, bessech, implore, insist, invite, petition, plead, pray, request, solicit, summon, supplicate, tell, urge;
	Questions	ask, inquire, interrogate, query, question, quiz;
	Requirements	bid, charge, command, demand, dictate, direct, enjoin, instruct, order, prescribe, require;
	Prohibitives	enjoin, forbid, prohibit, proscribe, restrict;
	Permissives	agree to, allow, authorize, bless, consent to, dismiss, excuse, extempt, forgive, grant, licensr, pardon, release, sanction;
	Advisories	admonish, advise, caution, counsell, propose, recommend, suggest, urge, warn;
3. Commissives	Promises	promise, swear, vow
		contract
		bet
		swear that
		guarantee that
		guarantee x
		surrender
		invite
	offers	offer, propose;
		volunteer
		bid
4. Acknowledg- ments	apologize
	condole	condole, commiserate;
	congratulate	compliment, congratulate, felicitate;
	greet
	thank
	bid	bid, wish;
	accept
	reject	refuse, reject, spurn