Perlocution

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pɜləʊˈkjuʃən/

Definitions

1. The process through which spoken expressions elicit specific reactions or feelings in an audience, affecting their perceptions or thoughts in tangible ways
2. The act of influencing others through spoken language, resulting in emotional or behavioral responses that alter the audience's beliefs or actions
3. A communicative interaction where utterances lead to particular reactions or changes in feelings among listeners, impacting their thoughts or behaviors

Etymology: "Perlocution" is formed from the prefix "per-" and "locution," meaning a speech or utterance. The Wiktionary entry is ambiguous about whether the "per-" comes through the sense of "through" or "by," but the combination is transparent: a perlocution is what an utterance accomplishes through its being spoken. The distinction matters because the term is a technical one from the philosophy of language. It sits alongside "illocution," the force a speaker intends by saying something, such as making a promise or giving an order. The perlocution is the result that follows in the listener, such as being persuaded, alarmed, or amused, whether or not the speaker meant it to happen. A single example makes the difference clear. "I'm getting cold" may be an illocutionary request to close a window, while its perlocutionary effect is that someone actually closes it. The word therefore names the consequences of speech rather than the speech itself.

Synonyms: illocution, speech act