performative utterance

English

Etymology

Coined by philosopher J. L. Austin (1911–1960).

Noun

Examples
“I now pronounce you husband and wife” (when uttered by the authorized officiator during a marriage ceremony) “You're fired!” (when exclaimed by an employer terminating a person's employment)

performative utterance (plural performative utterances)

1. (philosophy, linguistics) A sentence or other linguistic expression which, when expressed in an appropriate context, actually does or accomplishes something.

Translations

An expression which, when expressed in an appropriate context, actually does or accomplishes something

• French: énoncé performatif m
• German: performative Sprechhandlung f
• Portuguese: enunciado performativo m
• Serbo-Croatian: performativna snaga iskaza
• Spanish: enunciado realizativo m

References

• "performative utterance" in FOLDOP - Free On-Line Dictionary Of Philosophy.
• "performative utterance" in A Dictionary of Philosophical Terms and Names © 1997-2002 Garth Kemerling.

Further reading

• performative utterance on Wikipedia.Wikipedia