Quotes by J. L. Austin

About J. L. Austin:

John Langshaw was a British philosopher of language and leading proponent of ordinary language philosophy, perhaps best-known for developing the theory of speech acts.
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Going back into the history of a word, very often into Latin, we come back pretty commonly to pictures or models of how things happen or are done.

J. L. Austin

Infelicity is an ill to which all acts are heir which have the general character of ritual or ceremonial, all conventional acts.

J. L. Austin

Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.

J. L. Austin

There are more ways of outraging speech than contradiction merely.

J. L. Austin

In the one defence, briefly, we accept responsibility but deny that it was bad: in the other, we admit that it was bad but don't accept full, or even any, responsibility.

J. L. Austin

But I owe it to the subject to say, that it has long afforded me what philosophy is so often thought, and made, barren of - the fun of discovery, the pleasures of co-operation, and the satisfaction of reaching agreement.

J. L. Austin

Usually it is uses of words, not words in themselves, that are properly called vague.

J. L. Austin

Sentences are not as such either true or false.

J. L. Austin

Author Bio

  • NameJ. L. Austin
  • DescriptionEnglish philosopher
  • BornMarch 26, 1911
  • DiedFebruary 8, 1960
  • CountryUnited Kingdom
  • ProfessionPhilosopher; Educationist; Linguist