Adverbs in performatives: Speaking of truth and falsity

Abstract

I herein present a new case for the truth-evaluability of performative utterances. My argument is based on the observation that their main verb is commonly modified by a descriptive adverb that renders the entire utterance true or false. Thus: “I wholeheartedly promise to attend the banquet”, “I seriously warn you that that bull is dangerous”, or “I strenuously object, Your Honor”. The crux of my argument has to do with the validity of the following inference: I examine another form of argument, that features a performative utterance joined to a truth-evaluable proposition, put forward by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong. Although sympathetic to his ultimate conclusion, I nevertheless show that this particular form of inference can be decisively answered with an Austinian-friendly defense.

Finally, I consider two possible Austinian strategies for answering my own argument. One is to construe promises and the like as distinct types of utterance-force, in the manner of Michael Dummett. The other is to decompose adverbially modified performatives into two conjuncts, of which only one is truth-evaluable. Both strategies have undesirable consequences and are unsuccessful.