Butler opens her article with the title of J.L. Austin's book, How to Do Things with Words (Butler, 1996). Butler references Austin's preliminary question, "What does it mean for a word not only to name, but also in some sense to perform and, in particular, to perform what it names" (Butler, 1996, p.199)? Confused yet?
Austin's title suggests, although the suggestion is implied, that things can be done with words (Austin, 1962). Whatever does he mean? Butler writes, "Austin, of course, distinguishes between illocutionary and perlocitionary sets of speech (Austin's words), between actions that are performed by virtue of words, and those that are performed as a consequence of words" (Butler, 1996, p.199). The distinction may look clear, but it is anything but. With an illocutionary word, the word performs itself. Butler writes, "the pronouncement is the act of speech at the same time it is the speaking of the act" (Butler, 1996, p.199).With a prelocutionary word, the word is instrument to the accomplished action, but the word is not itself the action which it helped to accomplish. The prelocutionary word and the thing done are not the same, unlike the illocutionary word, which is.
Most of us live our lives assuming that all of our words are prelocutionary words when a different reality is true. What does it mean or look like when an illocutionary word is active? Right now you are having a hard time imagining how such a situation could be real, and that is due to the use of Austin's jargon, but what if a different picture was painted? We can take our cue from Genesis 1 and the creation of the world. God utter illocutionary words to create, if we were to label his words according to our own words. These words produced actions that were performed as consequences of the words.
Now, let me pause here to clarify. I am not suggesting or even implying that Butler and Austin were referencing anything spiritual or even supernal, but that does not stop me from doing so. We are part of God's creation, and we are the part that has been given the imperative to have dominion over His creation until He comes to claim what is rightfully His. Why is it such a stretch to think that He has also given us some of His natural God-given powers to answer this call? Adam was given the honor of naming the animals. We are all given the ability to create... children. And, we are also given the ability to speak in illocutionary terms.
Our words have power. Words form language and are a gift from God. We can encourage with our words, and we can also harm with our words. Recently, a teenage girl committed suicide over the endless bullying of her, and most of that bullying was due to social media. Rumors, gossip and lies... all, if told over and over again, eventually become reality. Truth, if never told to anyone, never acts or impacts reality.
Our words are powerful and will produce acts with consequences. We must be careful when receiving them and use them even more carefully when giving them because there is power associated with them. As Believers, we have an even greater call placed on us regarding our words. I wonder, sometimes, if we are any better than anyone else with our words. What do you think?
References:
Austin, J.L., (1962). How to Do Things with Words. Harvard Press. 1962.
Butler, Judith. (1996). Burning Acts: Injurious Speech.Heinonline: University of Chicago School of
Law Roundtable. 1996.
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