FL-SAS: Formal language speech act scenario

Scott A. Moore
University of Michigan Business School
samoore@umich.edu

Last modified: 04/30/98

This paper is work-in-progress. It is not even close to being complete. It may change from day to day. Do not cite this work. All rights reserved. © 1998 Scott A. Moore.

Introduction

All of this is explained in more detail in a paper I've written. The FL-SAS is based on theory presented in Bach & Harnish's theory (see the list of citations at the end of this page).

The purpose of the MMS (message management system) is to interpret FLBC messages and respond to them appropriately. Bach & Harnish proposed that the SAS (for natural language communication) accurately models how humans communicate. Here I am proposing a model for automated electronic communication based on the SAS. I call this new model the formal language speech act scenario.

FL-SAS

S is the speaker (or sender) of the message; H is the hearer (or recipient) of the message. In the following let G= <flbcMsg><simpleAct speaker="S" hearer="H"><illocAct force="F">C</illocAct></simpleAct><context>X</context></flbcMsg>.

S intends H to reason as follows:

  1. S sends a message m.
  2. S means G by m.
  3. S is saying that *(...G...).
  4. S is F-ing to H that C and considers X to be the minimal set of MCBs.
  5. S could be F-ing to H that C considering X and other MCBs.
  6. S is F-ing to H that C.
  7. S could not be merely F-ing to H that C.
  8. There is some F1-ing that C connected in a way identifiable under the circumstances to F-ing that C, such that in F-ing that C, S could also be F1-ing that C1.
  9. S is F-ing that C and thereby F1-ing that C1.

Underlying assumptions

Linguistic presumption
The members of the community share a set of illocutionary forces, a message format, and a vocabulary. If a message is well-formed and valid, then the hearer can know or has the capability to come to know the meaning of the message.
Communicative presumption
When a speaker sends a message to a hearer, the speaker has a recognizable intent for doing so.
Requirement of literalness
When a speaker sends a message, he is required to speak literally.
Mutual contextual beliefs
Mutual contextual beliefs that the speaker believes would help the hearer understand the message are contained within the context term of the message.

Citations

Kent Bach & Robert Harnish, Linguistic Communication and Speech Acts, MIT Press, 1979.