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J. L. Austin: 2 ideas worth knowing

2 ideas from J. L. Austin, each explained in a minute and credited to the original work. Free on Savvy.

• Saying 'I do' doesn't describe a wedding — it performs one

  J.L. Austin noticed that some sentences aren't true or false at all — they're actions. Saying 'I now pronounce you married' or 'I promise' doesn't report on reality, it changes it.…

  — J.L. Austin, How to Do Things with Words

• Saying 'I now pronounce you married' doesn't describe a fact — it creates one

  Philosopher J.L. Austin noticed that some sentences don't describe the world at all; they perform an action just by being said, like 'I promise', 'I now pronounce you married', or …

  — J. L. Austin, How to Do Things with Words

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