Using performatives

Verbs such as promise, declare, bet, swear, order, which constitute an action by virtue of being uttered, are called performatives. To be used appropriately, their relevant felicity conditions must be met, otherwise a misfire or an abuse will result.

Austin argues that, in the case of performative sentences, we need to look for the set of appropriate conditions that must be met for them to be uttered ‘felicitously’, i.e. for the sentence to work in context. These have become known as felicity conditions, and they fall into three main categories (see Levinson 1993: 229; after Austin 1962: 14–15):

A.

(i) There must be a conventional procedure having a conventional effect.

(ii) The circumstances and persons must be appropriate, as specified in the procedure.

B. The procedure must be executed

(i) correctly and

(ii) completely.

C. Often

(i) the persons must have the requisite thoughts, feelings and intentions, as specified in the procedure, and

(ii) if consequent conduct is specified, then the relevant parties must so do.

Austin distinguishes two types of violation of these conditions: violations of A or B result in what he calls misfires – the intended action simply fails to be realized: for example, a policeman cannot say ‘I am arresting you on suspicion of attempted murder’ if no suspect is present; nor (generally speaking) can a person who is not legally empowered to make an arrest utter these words felicitously.

It is important, too, that the addressee play his/her part: in Austin’s terminology there must be uptake where appropriate. For a marriage to take place, for example, to meet the two conditions under B the celebrant must offer the conventionally prescribed words for a church, civil or other ceremony and the partners must, each in turn, show that they accept what is being asked of them (usually by saying ‘I will’ or ‘I do’).

Violations of the C conditions are what Austin terms abuses, and are less obvious because the speech act itself appears to have been performed felicitously. However, if (for example) an apology or forgiveness offered is insincere, or if one party at a wedding ceremony says ‘I will’ without meaning it, the speech act has not been properly performed and the consequences are likely to come to light later on.