How Can Words Change the World? Performative Language

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How does our speech affect the world around us? How can we measure the changes that our words make? In this week's episode, we take a look at performative language: what you need for your words to work their magic, what different parts make up our speech acts, and how our word choices can change the way we perceive and remember events.

This is Topic #65!

This week's tag language: Hausa!

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Sources:
Austin, J.L. (1962). How to Do Things with Words.
Hall, S. (2000). "Who Needs Identity?" In du Gay, P., Evans, J., and Redman, P. (eds), Identity: A Reader.
Sommerstein, A. H., and Torrance, I.C. (2014). Oaths and Swearing in Ancient Greece. de Gruyter.

Looking forward to next week!

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This guy is logical, provides sources and gets to the point swifty, yet he has 3 640 veiws. Whereas TED video on similar topic has like 83 000 views, provides no sources and straight out gives incorrect information regarding Austin's book. Great

FearlesPK

You make learning linguistics so enjoyable through this series. At first I watched these mainly to supplement my studies for a linguistics course I had to take, but now months after finishing that I still keep coming back to your videos. I suppose that means you're doing something right!

キタミチ-fx

I, Spencer, now publicly proclaim that you, in your use of gestures, body language and facial expressions, have surpassed the abilities of my father and of me who, for many years, have worked on those same skills as public speakers.

I, to be truly honest with you, am utterly and completely shocked by your rapid improvement in your open body language!

You rock! Keep it up! :)

RBLXbranefreez

Anthropologists have always been trying to stablish these connections between magic and word. Thank you for this exposition, this insight is one of the most important ones in changing the comprehension of how things work in the world. :) Your videos are awesome!

loryenipsum

alternatively, if you call shotgun climbing into a horse-drawn carriage, the driver will hand you a literal shotgun and expect you to use it if you're attacked

notoriouswhitemoth

I have t write an essay on how performative speech is used in Doctor Faustus. It was so hard to find a good definition. This video finally made it click.
Also in case anyone stumbles on this and still don't understand: It is when someone says they are going to do something. Usually with an important meaning behind it.

alienatedpoet

This is best I have heard the idea explained, thanks.

primordialsky

I called my cat a duck. My cat is now a duck because words are magic and I am a magician. Yay, this is progress! 🧙

Stevie-J

well explained and very useful! thank you :D

mangoyuka

Hello, I like your videos, they are very helpful. I was wondering if you have a video about Illocutionary acts because I need to study those elements for the next upcoming unit in my course. Thanks

guillermogarcia