The Arabic Language Safety Unit at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad, organized a scientific seminar titled “Speech Act Theory and Discourse Analysis in Radio and Television Studies.” The seminar was presented by Prof. Dr. Hussein Ali Noor and moderated by Assistant Professor Dr. Nibras Hussein Al-Azzawi, with the attendance of faculty members and undergraduate and graduate students.
Dr. Hussein Ali Noor reviewed the theoretical foundations of Speech Act Theory, describing it as one of the leading contemporary linguistic and communicative theories. He explained that language in media discourse is not used solely to convey information, but also to perform speech acts with specific intentions and direct effects on audiences, such as commands, promises, threats, announcements, and justifications.
The presenter discussed the origins of the theory in the work of British philosopher John Austin, who developed its three-part distinction between the locutionary act, illocutionary act, and perlocutionary act, noting that every media statement can involve these three levels simultaneously. He also outlined the theory’s development by John Searle, who classified illocutionary acts into five main categories: assertives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declarations.
Dr. Noor explained how the theory can be applied in analyzing television discourse through three methodological questions: What was said? What was intended? And what effect is expected on the audience? He noted that analyzing statements, news bulletins, and talk shows can reveal the implicit intentions behind linguistic formulations and help researchers distinguish between what is explicitly stated and what is conveyed implicitly.
The presenter also provided practical examples from television discourse, demonstrating how seemingly simple declarative statements can perform functions such as justification, threat, or reassurance, while producing perlocutionary effects ranging from reassurance and anxiety to mobilizing public opinion.
The seminar emphasized the importance of adopting Speech Act Theory as a systematic analytical tool in radio and television studies, given the scientific framework it provides for understanding the linguistic structure of media discourse and its pragmatic, social, and political dimensions.
The seminar featured strong academic engagement from attendees through questions and interventions, reflecting growing interest in strengthening linguistic studies within the media field and contributing to higher standards of academic analysis and a more critical and professional awareness among media students.
