Understanding different types of language can help you wield it more effectively.

The contents of this article are a pragmatic, simplified, and adapted version of John Austin’s (1962) work on speech act theory (SAT), first presented at Oxford University between 1951 and 1954 and at Harvard University in 1955, and later developed by John Searle (1979). SAT treats speaking as a set of rules that govern social behaviour, in which people make claims, issue orders, ask questions, make promises, and so on, through utterances.

 

Key points

• There are three main types of language: descriptive, action, and possibility.
• Descriptive language only informs.
• The language of action generates behavior or activity.
• The language of possibility creates a new reality.

 

Three Main Types of Language

As humans, we are essentially linguistic beings. Yet the distinctions between speech acts and their deliberate and effective use remain elusive to many.

Pragmatics linguistics is the study of the use of language in everyday interactions with others, and is closely linked to social psychology. Linguistics helps us understand not only the words someone uses, but also what they mean in a specific context. When people communicate, meaning is constantly shaped and negotiated between the speaker and the listener, and pragmatics explain how this process works.

Simply put, there are three types of language or speech acts, each designed to achieve different outcomes: (1) descriptive; (2) action; and (3) possibility.

 

1. Descriptive Language

As the term indicates, this kind of language “describes” something that already exists – it is either happening right now (immediate present), or it has happened before (past). Stories and reports fall into this category because they describe or report events that have already occurred.

This type of language can be either objective or subjective. Objective language includes making verifiable statements. Some examples include: “Yesterday was Monday,” “Today it is raining,” or “My car is white”. They reflect realities or “truths” shared by most people.

Subjective language, on the other hand, includes opinions, assessments/judgements, interpretations, and complaints. Most people do not necessarily share them, and they can lead to conflict, particularly when they are treated as “truths.”

Whether objective or subjective, descriptive language has little power to move others to action. However, most people tend to overuse this type of language. Consider, for instance, how often you express your opinions, make assessments, judgements, and interpretations of people and/or situations –  very often, right?

When I ask this question in my workshops and seminars, most participants report doing so between 70 and 90 percent of the time. This usage indicates that, at most, they use another language form only 10 to 30 percent of the time. It also explains, of course, why so many people still struggle to achieve their goals or implement change.

However, it would be very different if such individuals were to reverse the percentage of time using the language of action.

 

2. Language of Action

This kind of language, also referred to as ‘‘performative utterances” (performatives) or commissives, is very different from the descriptive language described above in that it generates action itself by committing the speaker to do a future action. Here are some examples.

Requests and offers

Test the following. Ask someone standing or sitting by you to pass you a nearby object (e.g., a pen, a glass of water, or a book). Most likely, the person you ask will hand that object to you –  an action has taken place!

The reason is that your language or speech act was a “request.” Generally, requests generate action. They made something happen – in the example above, the passing of the object itself.

Promises

The “promise” is also a performative, as it assumes an obligation, declaration of intention, or commitment to future action by accepting a particular request. Some examples include “I promise to help you with your assignment,” or ‘I give you my word that I will pay you back,” meaning that “I promise” or “I guarantee” doing something.

Members of high-performing teams and organisations consistently fulfil their promises. This approach is why “promise-based management” is seen by some as the essence of successful execution.

Orders and Commands

The third kind of locutions or expressions that generate action are orders or commands.

These are more direct forms of language, grounded in the exercise of power, used by individuals in authority within hierarchical relationships (e.g., boss and subordinate). Certain organisational cultures, such as the military, police, and emergency services, use this kind of language during operations, as such language enables rapid coordination of action to respond effectively.

So, if you want to make things happen, do not just tell stories (descriptive language); instead, use requests, offers, promises, or commands (the language of action).

 

3. Language of Possibility

This type of language is future-based and creates what is possible –  and it is arguably the language of leadership. Visions and declarations are some examples.

Visions

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” This speech, given by John F. Kennedy, shaped the future by declaring something unimaginable to most people at the time, which became a reality. It is one of the best-known historical examples of the use of the language of possibility.

Effective leaders enlist their constituents/followers by articulating a compelling vision or a new picture of the future. By using the language of possibility, they “implant,” as it were, the new future in their constituents’ minds. As history tells us, the rest takes care of itself.

Declarations

Declarations are arguably the most potent form of language, as they can change the world before us in real time and the future. They literally “create” a new reality. Here are some examples:

• “I now pronounce you husband and wife”, as used by the celebrant at a wedding ceremony.
• “You are under arrest”, an expression used by the police when arresting someone.
• “I apologise”
• “I resign from this job”
• “You are hired”
• “You are fired”
• “I love you!”

Conclusion

If you want to inform, tell stories. However, if you want others to act effectively, use the language of action or the performative: requests, offers, or orders – in exceptional cases.

High-performing teams and organisations use the language of action. Great leaders tell stories. Above all, however, they use the language of possibilities to create new futures. They make bold declarations and enlist others to change the current situation and build a better world.