Speech Acts Theory

A theory from the philosophy of language, originally developed by J.L. Austin and John Searle, which holds that utterances are not just statements of fact but also actions that accomplish things — such as requesting, promising, warning, or commanding. In assistive technology and human-computer interaction, speech acts theory provides a framework for designing system communications that are purposeful and contextually appropriate. For example, a cognitive assistance system might classify its prompts as recalls (reminding), indications (pointing out), or guides (directing), each serving a different communicative function and requiring different user responses.