An illocutionary act is the communicative action performed in saying something, such as requesting, promising or warning. Its force depends on context and conventions rather than solely on grammatical form or the speaker’s private intention, so the same words can perform different acts in different situations.
- Entry typeKey concept
- Category of its source unitTheories & Explanatory Models
- DomainMeaning & Clarity
What these mean
Editorial orientation · Entry type
Key concept
Key concepts are the working vocabulary of the field: the terms that the models and tools rely on and that a decision about communication has to use precisely. Each entry defines the term and sends you to the brief or the self-guided audit where it is put to work.
Editorial orientation · Category
Theories & Explanatory Models
Explains how or why a communication process works by relating mechanisms, conditions or variables. Its value is an account that can guide inquiry into what produces an outcome, rather than a name for the outcome alone.