PERFORMATIVES AND THEORIES OF NARRATION

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to link speech acts theory (Austin) to a reference issue, i.e. the attribution (Donnellan), with a view of analyzing the protagonistsʼ voice in novels or fictional discourses. Does the fact that the speech is fictional (Searle) or true change the nature of the speech act? Beyond the opposition constative/performative, speech acts theory had highlighted the importance of the direction of fit of mental states to the world (Anscombe), crucial for reference in general, as well as for reported speech in fictional discourse.