Introduced by J.L.

Austin in his 1962 book, How to Do Things with Words, the theory explains that when we speak, we are not just conveying information, but also performing action.

There are three main types of speech acts.

One, locutionary act.

Locutionary act is the act of saying something with a specific meaning.

Focuses only on the literal meaning of the words, not the intention or effect.

Two, elocutionary act.

Elocutionary act is the intention behind the statement, like requesting, promising, or apologizing, which is more than just the words themselves.

It's about what the speaker is trying to achieve through their statement.

Three, prelocutionary act.

The prelocutionary act is about the outcome or effect of the statement on the listener, which is separate from the speaker's intention.