ABSTRACT
Known as 'theory of speech acts', the realm of philosophical inquiry initiated by the philosopher J. L. Austin, elaborated upon by J. R. Searle, and currently peopled by many others (viz. Cole and Morgan, 1975) is, in effect, much wider in scope than the terminology of its adherents suggests. There is a conspicuous lack of the term 'semiotic', or its derivatives such as 'semiotics', 'semiotic act', and so on, from the terminology of Austin, Searle, et alia. Nevertheless, the correct context for consideration of the ideas of this group of scholars is that of communication in general, and semiotics in particular (see Bierwisch, 1980). In fact, but for its speech-oriented terminology, and its concentration on linguistic examples, the approach would be more aptly named 'theory of communication acts'.
