Primary Speech Acts

Descriptions

Breakdowns

Declarations

·   A commitment to a future possibility, producing a reality in which others are able to participate and act (shared dreams)

·   Creates direction into a specific future, which is attainable with a series of reasonable steps. 

·   Lack of commitment to actions called for in declaration.

·   Making declarations that come into conflict with other commitments.

·   Making fantasy affirmations and declarations (It will “just happen”)

Assessments

·   An interpretation of a person, situation, or fact. 

·   A judgment about value.

·   To be powerful, assessments require “grounding” (evidence that  others acknowledge supports assessment). 

·   Fear of hurting others or fear of being hurt by negative assessments

·   Fear of competence to make a good assessment

·   Treating assessments as facts

·   Assessment delivered to unload frustration vs. in support of a future action. 

Assertions

·   “Facts” that are either true or false and not up for debate.

·   Often quantitative in nature (weight, length, height, time, I.Q., etc.). 

·   Assertions are not always accepted without “proof.”

·   Assessments masquerading as assertions reduce trust in speaker.

Requests

·   Action taken when you seek the assistance of another in satisfying an underlying concern. 

·   Not making requests and living with dashed expectations. 

·   Unclear criteria for satisfaction (who will do it, by when, etc.).

·   Other party not competent or able to fulfill request.

·   Not observing the mood of requesting & its effect on listener. 

Promises

·   Indication of commitment to fulfilling a request.

·   Promising when unclear of request.

·   Not declining requests (leads to burn-out or ultimate suspicions of sincerity if many promises are not kept).

·   Breaking promises carelessly.