Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning

What is it for a sentence to have a certain meaning? This is the question that William P. Alston addresses in this major contribution to the philosophy of language.

The late William P. Alston was Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University. He is the author of many books, including A Realist Conception of Truth, The Reliability of Sense Perception, and Perceiving God, all from Cornell.

"This is an impressive book. It is clear, vigorously argued, admirably structured, with conclusions about the nature of meaning, which have retained their freshness, interest and relevance for present researchers, not only those working in speech-act theory but for those devoted to the broader topic of meaning-theory." —Mind

This book deserves all the attention it is bound to get.... It will stimulate a lot of discussion and should be read by any serious philosopher of language.

J. L. Austin's How to Do Things with Words was seen by many as a landmark in analytical philosophy... This lucid and comprehensive study provides a valuable starting point for anyone wishing to build on Austin's legacy.

"Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning makes a significant contribution to both speech-act theory and to speech-act semantics. It is exceptionally well organized and the level of discussion and argumentation is high. Part I contains some of the best and most detailed analyses of illocutionary acts since Austin, and Part II fills a large lacuna in the theory of meaning." —Robert M. Harnish, University of Arizona

Nicholas Wolterstorff, Yale University:

Most of us thought the contribution that speech-act theory can make to philosophical reflection had long ago been realized. This book, in which William Alston develops an account of sentence-meaning as grounded in what he calls 'illocutionary act potential,' shows how wrong we were. With superb philosophical craftsmanship and great intellectual imagination, Alston opens up a whole new area for discussion and inquiry. As he has done with several of his other books, Alston will not only shape but create the discussion.