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Expressives, directives and assertions : Cognitive dimensions of speech acts

Hågemark, Hubert LU and Gärdenfors, Peter LU (2025) In Language and Communication 101. p.84-104
Abstract

Despite the considerable amount of research devoted to speech act theory, relatively little attention has been paid to the cognitive foundations underlying different speech act classes. This article addresses this gap by introducing a framework of cognitive dimensions associated with the performance of expressives, directives and assertions. Drawing on empirical data, we argue that each class requires distinct cognitive capacities related to acquisition, intention-involvement, intersubjectivity, involvement, detachment, cooperation and natural meaning. In addition, we propose a set of pragmatic criteria that can be used to structure rudimentary instances of speech acts in both primates and human infants.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Animal communication, Assertions, Directives, Expressives, Speech acts
in
Language and Communication
volume
101
pages
21 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85218989717
ISSN
0271-5309
DOI
10.1016/j.langcom.2025.02.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cbb29a68-9338-411e-a88b-58924c1c7b76
date added to LUP
2025-06-19 11:35:21
date last changed
2025-06-19 11:36:43
@article{cbb29a68-9338-411e-a88b-58924c1c7b76,
  abstract     = {{<p>Despite the considerable amount of research devoted to speech act theory, relatively little attention has been paid to the cognitive foundations underlying different speech act classes. This article addresses this gap by introducing a framework of cognitive dimensions associated with the performance of expressives, directives and assertions. Drawing on empirical data, we argue that each class requires distinct cognitive capacities related to acquisition, intention-involvement, intersubjectivity, involvement, detachment, cooperation and natural meaning. In addition, we propose a set of pragmatic criteria that can be used to structure rudimentary instances of speech acts in both primates and human infants.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hågemark, Hubert and Gärdenfors, Peter}},
  issn         = {{0271-5309}},
  keywords     = {{Animal communication; Assertions; Directives; Expressives; Speech acts}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{84--104}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Language and Communication}},
  title        = {{Expressives, directives and assertions : Cognitive dimensions of speech acts}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2025.02.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.langcom.2025.02.003}},
  volume       = {{101}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}