The Language of Argument

2 5

S p e e c h A c t s

I am sorry for being late. (This describes one’s feelings and could be

false.)

Yesterday I bid sixty dollars. (This is a statement about a past act and

might be false.)

I’ll meet you tomorrow. (This utterance may only be a prediction that can

turn out to be false.)

Questions, imperatives, and exclamations are also not explicit performa-

tives, because they cannot sensibly be plugged into the thereby test at all.

They do not have the right form, since they are not in the first-person singu-

lar indicative noncontinuous present.

Using the thereby test as described above, indicate which of the following

sentences express explicit performatives (EP) and which do not express explicit

performatives (N) in appropriate circumstances:

1. I pledge allegiance to the flag.


2. We pledge allegiance to the flag.


3. I pledged allegiance to the flag.


4. I always pledge allegiance at the start of a game.


5. You pledge allegiance to the flag.


6. He pledges allegiance to the flag.


7. He doesn’t pledge allegiance to the flag.


8. Pledge allegiance to the flag!


9. Why don’t you pledge allegiance to the flag?


10. Pierre is the capital of South Dakota.


11. I state that Pierre is the capital of South Dakota.


12. I order you to leave.


13. Get out of here!


14. I didn’t take it.


15. I swear that I didn’t take it.


16. I won’t talk to you.


17. I refuse to talk to you.


18. I’m out of gas.


19. I feel devastated.


20. Bummer!


21. I claim this land for England.


22. I bring you greetings from home.

Exercise II

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