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J.L. Austin

26 March 1911-8 February 1960

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Illocution is the intention behind an utterance (I.E to have someone shut the window for you). It is complemented by perlocution which is the effect produced by the utterance (i.e. Whether they actually shut the window).

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Meaning is dependent not on the truth or falsity of utterances but on how a sentence is used in a given speech context.

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A Performative is an utterance whose function is to perform the action mentioned rather than to express a proposition about it.

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A Performative is an utterance, like 'I promise' or 'I pronounce you married' whereby the reporting and the doing are the same.

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The Perlocutionary effect is, in speech act theory, the effect produced by an utterance (for example the act of someone shutting the window upon your request).