How to Do Things with Words: Second EditionJohn L. Austin was one of the leading philosophers of the twentieth century. The William James Lectures presented Austin’s conclusions in the field to which he directed his main efforts on a wide variety of philosophical problems. These talks became the classic How to Do Things with Words. For this second edition, the editors have returned to Austin’s original lecture notes, amending the printed text where it seemed necessary. Students will find the new text clearer, and, at the same time, more faithful to the actual lectures. An appendix contains literal transcriptions of a number of marginal notes made by Austin but not included in the text. Comparison of the text with these annotations provides new dimensions to the study of Austin’s work. |
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
| 5 stars |
| ||
| 4 stars |
| ||
| 3 stars |
| ||
| 2 stars |
| ||
| 1 star |
|
LibraryThing Review
User Review - elenchus - LibraryThingIt's worth noting the title is a pun. Austin examines when a speech act is performative and not merely constative: when the 'saying' evokes or conjures rather than (merely) states or describes, and is ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - keylawk - LibraryThingAustin was apparently bothered by the lack of attention given by philosophers (or philologists) to whether a "statement" describes truly or falsely, while grammarians point out that there are also ... Read full review
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accepted achieved action advise already apologize appoint approve argue arise Austin's certain certainly circumstances clear commit conduct consequences consider constative contrast conventional convincing course definition describe descriptive distinction distinguish doubt effect entails equivalent essential example exercitives exist explicit performative expositives expression fact feelings force formula further give given happy illocution illocutionary act implies important indicative infelicity insincere intend involve issuing kind language least lecture matter means mention merely natural normal notes object obvious opposed particular performative utterance perhaps perlocutionary act person physical possible present procedure produce promise pure question reason reference rule running seems sense sentence similar someone sometimes sort speak speech statement suggested suppose taken things thoughts tion true or false truth unhappy verbs verdict void warning whole words wrong
Bibliographic information
| Title | How to Do Things with Words: Second Edition Volume 88 of Harvard paperback The William James Lectures delivered at Harvard University in 1955 William James lectures on philosophy and psychology, Harvard University William James lectures, William James Lectures |
| Authors | John Langshaw Austin, J. L. Austin |
| Editors | J. O. Urmson, James Opie Urmson, Marina Sbisą |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Harvard University Press, 1975 |
| ISBN | 0674411528, 9780674411524 |
| Length | 168 pages |
| Subjects | › › Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / General Philosophy / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |