In his seminal work , philosopher William P. Alston argues that the meaning of a sentence is fundamentally rooted in its illocutionary act potential . He defines an illocutionary act as the act of saying something with a specific "content," such as a request, an assertion, or a promise. The Core Theory: Sentence Meaning as Potential
The broader framework of speech-act theory, which Alston refines, identifies three distinct layers of an utterance:
Acts that commit the speaker to future action, like promising or vowing. Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning
Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning by William P. Alston
Meaning is determined by a sentence's potential to play the role a speaker intended. In his seminal work , philosopher William P
Utterances that express a psychological state, such as apologizing or congratulating.
A sentence like "It's locked" has a basic meaning because it is usable to perform the act of asserting that something is locked. The Core Theory: Sentence Meaning as Potential The
Acts that bring about a change in status or state simply by being uttered, such as marrying a couple or adjourning a meeting. Key Components of a Speech Act