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Formula type Addressee Syntactic type Primary Surface SP Token
intent
6. Hint – S hints a Persons with shared Any Directive Asser-tion/ I don’t see X
request rules such as action Any here. What
members of the about the X?
family, people living
together, work
groups

Directives can be oriented to various elements of the request matrix (Blum-Kulka
and Olshtain 1984:203):
1. Hearer-oriented: Could you help me?
2. Speaker-oriented: Do you think I could borrow your book?
3. Speaker and hearer-oriented: Could we please clean up?
4. Impersonal: it might be a good idea to get it done.
Directives can be mitigated through various types of linguistic devices (Blum-Kulka
and Olshtain 1984:203-205):
1. Syntactic downdraders or mitigation:
a) Interrogative: Could you do the cleaning up?
b) Negation: I wonder if you wouldn’t mind dropping me home?
c) Past tense: I wanted to ask you for a postponent.
d) Enbedded “if’ clause: I would appreciate if you left me alone.
2. Pragmatic mitigation:
a) Consultative devices (indirectly asking for addressee’s cooperation): Do you think I
could borrow your notes from yesterday?
b) Understaters (minimizing requests): Could you tidy up a bit before I start?
c) Hedges (avoiding commitment): It would really help if you did something about the
kitchen
d) Downtoner (signalling possibility or noncompliance): Will you perhaps be able to
drive me?

Searle’ s Taxonomy
Assertives (70) assert, reassert, negate, deny, correct, claim, affirm, state, disclaim,
declare, tell, suggest, guess, hypothesize, conjecture, postulate,
predict, forecast, foretell, prophesy, vaticinate, report, retrodict, warn,
forewarn, advise, alert, alarm, remind, describe, inform, reveal, divulge,
divulgate, notify, insinuate, sustain, insist, maintain, assure, aver,
avouch, certify, attest, swear, testify, agree, disagree, asent, dissent,
acquisce, object, recognize, acknowlwdge, admit, confess, concede,
recant, criticize, blame, accuse, calumniate, reprimand, castigate,
denounce, boast, complain, lament
Commissives commit, pledge, undertake, engage, promise, hypothecate, guarantee,
(32) threaten, vow, avow, swear, assure, certify, accept, agree, consent,
acquiesce, abide, reject, refuse, renounce, offer, counter-offer, bid,
rebid, tender, dedicate, wager, contract, covenant, subscribe
Directives (56) direct, request, ask, question, inquire, interrogate, urge, encourage,
discourage, solicit, appeal, petition, invite, convene, convoke, beg,
supplicate, beseech, implore, entreat, conjure, pray, insist, tell, instruct,