THE RELEVANCE OF SPEECH ACTS IN THE TEACHING OF GRAMMAR

Abstract

In this paper, we will attempt at presenting a characterization of the three clauses (declarative, interrogative and imperative) based on findings in the area of speech acts. That is a characterization of what it means to use a statement, a question and a directive. This will include, in the main, pragmatic account, conditions of occurrence (or appropriacy conditions) and varieties of meaning for each, and the like. Our main goal will be to make explicit such interface between speech acts and grammar to draw upon themes in this pragmatic area for pedagogical purposes. That is how grammatical choices are motivated and accounted for by language learners, relying on the Speech Act Theory.