Grammar, society, and the speech act: Renewing the connections (original) (raw)

The division of language into syntax, semantics, and pragmatics is widely accepted. In this vidw, speech acts cannot be specified on the basis of lexicogrammatical criteria. Instead, they belong in a separate 'pragmatics' of utterances in their contexts-of-use. We see this as an 'exporting' model of language, as it 'exports' speech acts out of grammar, and recognises as grammatical only such structures as encode propositional meanings. 'Importing' models, on the other hand, 'import' what others would see as pragmatic into grammar itself, and allow speech acts to be specified on the basis of lexicogrammatical criteria. The paper examines the classic speech act theorists (Austin, Searle) and some recent developments in linguistic pragmatics (Leech, Levinson, Sperber and Wilson). These theorists rely on orthodox conceptions of grammar. Recent developments in functional and discourse-based grammars provide an alternative perspective. Here, the relationship between grammar and discourse is a central concern. Many problems in the theory of speech acts can be solved by these developments. We also discuss Habermas's re-reading of speech act theory. For us, the ethical and political dimensions of speech acts (cf. validity claims) and iexicogrammar are not separable. Two text analyses conclude the article.