Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Reasons for the Present Study-1

1.2 Significance of the Present Study-2

1.3 Organization of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two Previous Studies on PSAs-3

2.1 Rhetorical Features-3

2.2 Communication Mechanism-3

2.3 Social Significance-4

Chapter Three Theoretical Framework-6

3.1 Speech Act Theory-6

3.2 Classification of Illocutionary Act-6

3.3 Indirect Speech Act-7

Chapter Four Speech Acts in English PSAs on Environmental Protection-8

4.1 Illocutionary Act in PSAs on Environmental Protection-8

4.1.1 Representatives-8

4.1.2 Directives-9

4.2 Direct and Indirect Speech Act in PSAs on environmental protection-10

4.2.1 Direct Speech Act-10

4.2.2 Indirect Speech Act-11

4.2.3 Combination of Direct and Indirect Speech Act-12

Chapter Five Conclusion-14

5.1 Major Findings-14

5.2 Limitations of the Present Study-14

References-15

Abstract

Previous studies on public service advertisements (PSAs) mainly involve the rhetorical features, communication mechanism and social significance, and there is no enough attention to the application of speech acts in PSAs. Therefore, this thesis discusses the application of speech acts in English PSAs on environmental protection. The results show that representatives and directives are the two most widely used speech acts; and the indirect speech act is more likely to be accepted by the audience than the direct one in English PSAs on environmental protection. This study may provide some implications for the making of Chinese PSAs on environmental protection.

Keywords:  English PSAs on environmental protection  illocutionary act  indirect speech act