My favourite false performative is the last page of the phone bill -- it is entirely blank except for one sentence in the middle. It always reads: "This page is intentionally blank." Julie Krueger ========Original Message======== Subj: [lit-ideas] Re: There's no such thing as a free cremation Date: 11/20/2006 7:17:04 A.M. Central Standard Time From: _donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx) To: _lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx) Sent on: > The reason I asked whether it was a performative -- "I can't > wait" -- is that it does what it says: it doesn't wait AND > it mocks. 'This sentence contains five words.' This does what it says. But it is hardly a performative utterance in Austin's sense. Compare: 'This will make you laugh'. Donal Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html