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a. Request in the form of permission is characterized by the speaker who asks the
addressee to do something which is beneficial for him. Example: “Can I have a match please?”
b. Request in the form of invitation is an utterance which functions to invite the
addressee. In this case the addressee’s future action is beneficial for him. Example: “It is my pleasure and privilege now to invite her Royal Highness to
announce his name and to present the prizes.” c.
Request in the form of proposal is uttered by the speaker who convinces the addressee to do something benefit for him in the form of proposal.
Example: “We have to do a few things over.” d.
Invitation in the form of request is an utterance which functions to invite the addressee. If the invitation is obeyed by, it will benefit the speaker.
Example: “I’d love you to join us to have a dinner tonight. Would you?” e.
An offer in the form of request is characterized by the speaker who offers something which is benefit for the addressee.
Example: “Can I help you to carry the bag?”
3. Directives
Tsui 1994 p.116 characterizes Directives as acts which try to get a non-verbal action from the addressee without giving himher the option of refusal. There are
two major subclasses of directives. a.
Advisives are directives which direct the addressee to perform an action for the benefit of his own. There are two kinds of advisives:
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i Advice is directives which advocates a course of action for the benefit of
the addressee, in which the consequence of compliance is desirable. Example: “You had better do it by yourself. You will be very satisfied
with your own result.” ii
Warning is directives which advocates the addressee to do action for the benefit of himself which explicitly or impliedly specifies the undesirable
of non-compliance. Example: “Do not pick up this cattle. It’s burning hot”
b. Mandatives are directives by which the speaker attempts to get the addressee
to do action for the benefit of the speaker himself. There are also two kinds of mandatives
: i
Instruction. The speaker usually has the authority over the addressee to obey what is said.
For example the customer says to the waitress: “Black coffee” ii
Threats. It is a kind of directives to get the addressee to do action. Usually it is uttered by the speaker to talk about something wicked.
Example: “Put your gun or I’ll shoot her”
4. Informatives
Tsui 1994 p.135 characterizes the term of “Informative’ as a more general category which covers not only utterances which provide information, but also
those which report events or states of affair, recount personal experiences and express belief, evaluative judgment, feeling and thought. The subclasses of
informatives are:
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a. Report. It is a subclass of informatives which gives an account of certain
event, states of affairs or personal experiences in the past, present or future. For example: “She is the cleverest student in the class.”
b. Assessments. It is a subclass of informatives in which the speaker asserts his
judgment or evaluation of certain people, object, event, states of affair and so on. There are five types of assessments:
i Compliment. It is the assessment in which the speaker evaluates the
addressee positively. Example: “You are very diligent student.”
ii Criticism. It is labeled by the utterance which judges the addressee
negatively. Example: “You are ugly with that dress”
iii Self-commendation. It is the assessment in which the speaker evaluates
himself positively. Example: “You have to learn from me. I can get my love in a month”
iv Self-denigration. It is the name of assessment when the speaker judges
himself negatively. Example: “I forget about it. I think I’m getting old”
v Assessing. The evaluation is directed neither speaker nor addressee.
Example: “Suzan is a very sexy and smart girl” c.
Expressive are ritualistic acts in which a speaker expresses civility and goodwill toward each other. The subclasses are:
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i Emphaty. The speaker shows concern and empathies with the addressee.
Example: “I hope you will get better soon” ii
Debt-incured. The speaker expresses his feelings toward debt, which he was incurred.
Example: “Sorry to trouble you”
C. Context
