illocutionary
/ˌɪl.əˈkjuː.ʃəˌnɛr.i/
adjective
- Relating to an act performed by saying something, such as making a promise, giving an order, or asking a question, where the utterance itself carries a specific function or force.
- In linguistics class, we studied how tone of voice can change the illocutionary intent of a sentence.
- The teacher's command 'Sit down' has an illocutionary meaning beyond the words themselves.
- When she said 'I promise to help,' the illocutionary force was a commitment.
Synonyms