Constative Utterances

Definition

Constative utterances are linguistic expressions that describe or represent a state of affairs in the world. They are statements of fact or belief that can be evaluated as true or false, in contrast to performative utterances which are actions in themselves.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Constative utterances can be verified or falsified based on their correspondence to objective reality.
2. They are the opposite of performative utterances, which bring about the state of affairs they describe through the act of saying them.
3. Constative utterances are central to the philosophical tradition of logical positivism, which sought to ground knowledge in verifiable facts.
4. The distinction between constative and performative utterances is a key part of J.L. Austin's influential speech act theory.
5. Anthropologists examine how constative utterances function in ritual and performative contexts, where their truth value may be less important than their social effects.

Review Questions

• How do constative utterances differ from performative utterances in terms of their relationship to reality?
  • Constative utterances are descriptive statements that can be evaluated as true or false based on their correspondence to objective reality. In contrast, performative utterances do not describe reality, but actually perform the action they name, bringing about the state of affairs they refer to through the act of saying them. While constative utterances represent the world, performative utterances constitute the world.
• Explain how the distinction between constative and performative utterances is central to J.L. Austin's speech act theory.
  • J.L. Austin's speech act theory revolutionized the philosophical understanding of language by analyzing utterances not just as descriptive statements, but as performative actions. The key distinction he drew between constative utterances, which describe the world, and performative utterances, which do things in the world, was foundational to this new perspective on the function of language. Austin's work challenged the view that language's primary purpose was to represent reality, showing how utterances can also create social realities through their performative dimensions.
• Discuss how anthropologists might examine the role of constative utterances in ritual and performative contexts.
  • In ritual and performative contexts, the truth value of constative utterances may be less important than their social effects. Anthropologists might analyze how constative statements function to establish authority, create shared meanings, or reinforce group identity, even when their factual accuracy is not the primary concern. For example, the recitation of sacred texts or the making of oaths during a ceremony may serve to constitute social reality through the performative power of language, rather than simply describing an existing state of affairs. Examining the pragmatic uses of constative utterances in these contexts is a key part of anthropological approaches to language and ritual.

Related terms

Performative Utterances:

Linguistic expressions that do not describe reality, but actually perform the action they name, such as 'I now pronounce you husband and wife.'

Speech Act Theory: The philosophical framework that analyzes language as a form of action, where utterances are seen as performing social functions beyond just describing the world.

J.L. Austin:

The philosopher who developed the distinction between constative and performative utterances as part of his work on speech act theory.