WEBVTT 00:00:06.351 --> 00:00:07.021 Have you ever seen 00:00:07.021 --> 00:00:10.301 a big, red "No Running" sign at a public pool? 00:00:10.301 --> 00:00:11.159 For the most part, 00:00:11.159 --> 00:00:13.438 the pace on the deck reflects this statement. 00:00:13.438 --> 00:00:15.532 But while the sign accurately describes 00:00:15.532 --> 00:00:16.925 the patrons' movements, 00:00:16.925 --> 00:00:18.491 isn't it true that people are walking 00:00:18.491 --> 00:00:21.290 because the sign tells them no running? 00:00:21.290 --> 00:00:24.171 So, is this sign portraying the pool's environment, 00:00:24.171 --> 00:00:25.763 or is it doing something else, 00:00:25.763 --> 00:00:27.932 something more powerful? 00:00:27.932 --> 00:00:30.600 The difference between a statement that describes 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:31.797 and one that commands 00:00:31.797 --> 00:00:35.553 is an idea developed by British linguist J. L. Austin. 00:00:35.553 --> 00:00:37.096 He defines this distinction 00:00:37.096 --> 00:00:39.316 as two separate parts of speech: 00:00:39.316 --> 00:00:40.267 constatives 00:00:40.267 --> 00:00:41.633 and performatives. 00:00:41.633 --> 00:00:42.995 Constatives are sentences 00:00:42.995 --> 00:00:45.274 that describe something as true or false, 00:00:45.274 --> 00:00:46.857 and performatives are sentences 00:00:46.857 --> 00:00:48.562 that denote an action. 00:00:48.562 --> 00:00:50.637 In other words, a constative is, 00:00:50.637 --> 00:00:52.546 and a performative does. 00:00:52.546 --> 00:00:55.329 To help us distinguish these two parts of speech, 00:00:55.329 --> 00:00:57.289 let's start by examining constatives 00:00:57.289 --> 00:00:59.457 around the park outside the pool. 00:00:59.457 --> 00:01:01.507 The first sign we encounter says, 00:01:01.507 --> 00:01:03.922 "The park closes at 6 p.m." 00:01:03.922 --> 00:01:06.345 After checking with a friendly park official 00:01:06.345 --> 00:01:08.682 that the park does, indeed, close at 6, 00:01:08.682 --> 00:01:10.067 we can confirm that this statement 00:01:10.067 --> 00:01:11.809 is a true constative. 00:01:11.809 --> 00:01:13.608 Nearby, there's a man on a bench 00:01:13.608 --> 00:01:15.731 with a newspaper, and the headline reads, 00:01:15.731 --> 00:01:17.016 "Heatwave!" 00:01:17.016 --> 00:01:20.024 However, the sky is cloudy and it feels quite chilly. 00:01:20.024 --> 00:01:22.522 Today's headline is a false constative 00:01:22.522 --> 00:01:24.859 as it has proven to be incorrect. 00:01:24.859 --> 00:01:26.781 Before the rain starts to fall, 00:01:26.781 --> 00:01:28.477 let's throw away our can of soda 00:01:28.477 --> 00:01:30.782 at the blue trash bin that says, "Recycle." 00:01:30.782 --> 00:01:32.067 It's a performative. 00:01:32.067 --> 00:01:33.565 Performatives are sentences 00:01:33.565 --> 00:01:35.823 that are meant to inspire actions. 00:01:35.823 --> 00:01:37.702 Rather than conveying a message, 00:01:37.702 --> 00:01:39.229 it acts upon the world, 00:01:39.229 --> 00:01:40.661 it does something. 00:01:40.661 --> 00:01:43.249 In this case, the performative of "Recycle" 00:01:43.249 --> 00:01:45.113 is requesting people to put their trash 00:01:45.113 --> 00:01:46.895 into the proper receptacle. 00:01:46.895 --> 00:01:49.258 Words not only bring about actions, 00:01:49.258 --> 00:01:51.732 sometimes words themselves are actions. 00:01:51.732 --> 00:01:54.484 This is what is known as speech acts. 00:01:54.484 --> 00:01:56.869 These actions include, but are not limited to, 00:01:56.869 --> 00:01:57.649 ordering, 00:01:57.649 --> 00:01:58.477 promising, 00:01:58.477 --> 00:01:59.436 apologizing, 00:01:59.436 --> 00:02:00.397 warning, 00:02:00.397 --> 00:02:01.279 sentencing, 00:02:01.279 --> 00:02:02.142 christening, 00:02:02.142 --> 00:02:03.781 and even marrying. 00:02:03.781 --> 00:02:06.147 Take a look at the wedding near the gazebo. 00:02:06.147 --> 00:02:08.532 The couple says the words, "I do." 00:02:08.532 --> 00:02:11.202 The speech act here are the words, "I do." 00:02:11.202 --> 00:02:13.623 These words cause them to marry one another. 00:02:13.623 --> 00:02:15.568 "I do" has acted upon them 00:02:15.568 --> 00:02:17.729 and profoundly changed their world. 00:02:17.729 --> 00:02:19.541 However, performatives depend 00:02:19.541 --> 00:02:21.327 on context and reception. 00:02:21.327 --> 00:02:23.820 These are known as felicity conditions. 00:02:23.820 --> 00:02:25.980 Imagine if the mayor showed up to the wedding 00:02:25.980 --> 00:02:28.145 and said, "By the power vested in me 00:02:28.145 --> 00:02:29.336 as mayor of the city, 00:02:29.336 --> 00:02:32.499 I name this gazebo 'The Mayor's Pizza Palace.'" 00:02:32.499 --> 00:02:34.097 His words would be a speech act 00:02:34.097 --> 00:02:35.927 by which he named the gazebo. 00:02:35.927 --> 00:02:37.520 And because he's the mayor, 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:39.622 the gazebo would be known by its new name. 00:02:39.622 --> 00:02:41.366 But if someone who isn't the mayor, 00:02:41.366 --> 00:02:43.176 just a normal passerby, 00:02:43.176 --> 00:02:45.759 decides to name the gazebo after her favorite cat, 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.381 the chances are the name would not change. 00:02:48.381 --> 00:02:50.630 Felicity conditions are the rules 00:02:50.630 --> 00:02:52.734 under which the performative can be enacted. 00:02:52.734 --> 00:02:54.540 These are fairly logical. 00:02:54.540 --> 00:02:56.904 The performative should have proper authority, 00:02:56.904 --> 00:02:58.037 it should be understood, 00:02:58.037 --> 00:02:59.229 it should be clear, 00:02:59.229 --> 00:03:01.483 and it should be able to be executed. 00:03:01.483 --> 00:03:04.152 If the performative doesn't meet these conditions, 00:03:04.152 --> 00:03:05.204 then it doesn't have the power 00:03:05.204 --> 00:03:07.114 to denote action. 00:03:07.114 --> 00:03:09.870 But just because a performative meets its conditions 00:03:09.870 --> 00:03:11.039 and is clearly stated, 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:13.581 doesn't mean that it's implicitly followed. 00:03:13.581 --> 00:03:14.510 Back at the pool, 00:03:14.510 --> 00:03:17.455 a rowdy group of teenagers races to the high dive. 00:03:17.455 --> 00:03:19.087 "No running" does not seem 00:03:19.087 --> 00:03:20.422 to have power over them, 00:03:20.422 --> 00:03:22.056 and they'll have to face the consequences 00:03:22.056 --> 00:03:24.400 of breaking this performative. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:25.114 They may even have to force out 00:03:25.114 --> 00:03:27.560 some performatives of their own, 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:28.705 such as apologizing to the life guard 00:03:28.705 --> 00:03:31.102 and promising to never run again. 00:03:31.102 --> 00:03:32.353 Maybe the life guard will respond 00:03:32.353 --> 00:03:33.639 with another performative, 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:35.652 sentencing them to be banished from the pool 00:03:35.652 --> 00:03:37.261 for the rest of the day. 00:03:37.261 --> 00:03:39.283 After all, these teenagers must learn 00:03:39.283 --> 00:03:41.568 to respect the power of words.