E. Sedgwick's Account of Performatives

When performative utterances are explicit, then they are usually in the first person present tense. Those features are indexical, reflecting features of the immediate context. The particular verbs used in performative utterances tend to be verbs of speaking or "metapragmatic verbs» that is verbs that draw attention to a particular relation between the utterance or speech form and context. While some linguists and theorists might describe explicit performative utterances as rare occurrences, Eve Sedgwick argues that there are performative aspects to nearly all words, sentences, and phrases. According to Sedgwick, performative utterances can be 'transformative' performatives, which create an instant change of personal or environmental status, or 'promisory' performatives, which describe the world as it might be in the future [6]. These categories are not exclusive, so an utterance may well have both qualities. As Sedgwick observes, performative utterances can be revoked, either by the person who uttered them ("I take back my promise"), or by some other party not immediately involved, like the state (for example, gay marriage vows).

Words on a list can be either descriptive or performative. 'Butter' on a shopping list implies that "I will buy butter" (a promise to yourself). But 'Butter' printed on your till receipt means "you have purchased butter" (simply a description).

Some Examples (Mainly of Explicit Performative Utterances)

• "I now pronounce you man and wife." – used in the course of a marriage ceremony.

• "Go" – used in ordering someone to go.

• "Yes" – answering the question "Do you promise to do the dishes?"

• "You are under arrest." – used in setting someone under arrest.

• "I christen you".

• "I accept your apology".

• "I sentence you to death".

• "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you" (Islamic: Talaq-i-Bid'ah or triple Talaq).

• "I do" – wedding.

• "I swear to do that", "I promise to be there".

• "I apologize".

• "I dedicate this..." (...book to my wife, etc.)

• "This meeting is now adjourned", "The court is now in session".

• "This church is hereby desanctified".

• "War is declared".

References

1. Andersson J. S. How to Define ‘Performative’ / Jan S. Andersson. – Stockholm : Libertryck, 1975.

2. Austin J. L. How to Do Things with Words / John L. Austin. – Oxford : Clarendon, 1962.

3. Austin J. L. Performative Utterances / John L. Austin // Philosophical Papers / [J. O. Urmson, G. J. Warnock (eds.)]. – Oxford : Clarendon, 1961.

4. Bach K. How Performatives Really Work : A Reply to Searle / Kent Bach, Robert M. Harnish // Linguistics and Philosophy. – 1992. – vol. 15. – P. 93-110.

5. Jacobsen K. H. How to Make the Distinction between Constative and Performative Utterances / Klaus H. Jacobsen // The Philosophy Quarterly. – 1985. – vol. 21 (85).

6. Performativity and Performance / [Andrew Parker, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick (eds.)]. – New York : Routledge, 1995. – 239 p.

7. Searle J. R. How Performatives Work / John R. Searle // Linguistics and Philosophy. – 1989. – vol. 12. – P. 535-558.