The Phenomenon of the Term Performative in the Concept of John Langshaw Austin

The stages of formation of John Austin’s theory of performativity are characterised – from the identification of performatives to the development of a general theory of speech acts. The scientific research of J. Austin is described. Austin’s scientific research in determining the criteria for distinguishing between performative and assertive statements, in particular through the correlation of the criteria of success/failure and truth/falsity, the identification and qualification of the types of failures associated with the use of performatives, as well as the conditions for the smooth and happy functioning of the performative; criteria (tests) for identifying explicit (pure) performatives and differentiating between non-pure performatives, or semi-descriptions, and pure messages. The article focuses on the differentiation of primary and explicit performatives, the role of context in determining the functional load of primitive performatives. The author characterises J. Austin’s attempts to answer the question of the existence of a grammatical (lexicographic) criterion for distinguishing performative use, which resulted in his attempt to compile a list of performative verbs and subsequently to develop a classification of speech acts. The significance of J. Austin’s theory of performativity and the relevance of the issues under study are emphasised, and the prospects for the development of the theory of performativity are outlined.