Chapter5Exercise17_Woods

Chapter 5, Exercise 17

Determine which of the following are performative sentences by inserting “hereby” and seeing whether they sound right.

·                        "Generally, the performative verb . . . is in the simple present active and the subject is I, but the verb may be in the simple present passive and the subject need not be I: Smoking is forbidden; The committee thanks you for your services. A test for whether a verb is being used performatively is the possible insertion of hereby: I hereby apologize; The committee hereby thanks you.
(S. Greenbaum, The Oxford Companion to the English Language, 1992)

c. I testify that she met the agent.

I hereby testify -  performative

d. I know that she met the agent.
        Not performative

e. I suppose the Yankee will win.

I hereby suppose  - performative

f. He bet her $2,500 that Bush would win.

Not performative

g. I dismiss the class.

I hereby dismiss - performative

h. I teach the class.

I hereby teach - performative

i. We promise to leave early.

We promise hereby - performative

j. I owe the IRS $1 million dollars.

I hereby owe - performative

k. I bequeath $1 million dollars to the IRS.

I hereby bequeath - performative

l. I swore I didn’t do it.

Not performative

m. I swear I didn’t do it.

I hereby swear - performative