On Language and Action: Performativity of the Word, as Seen by Karol Irzykowski

Maria GOŁĘBIEWSKA

Zespół Filozofii Kultury, Instytut Filozofii i Socjologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, ul. Nowy Świat 72, 00-330 Warszawa, Poland , Poland

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the themes present in the performative theory which may also be found in the diversified works by Karol Irzykowski, writer, journalist, literary, theatre, and film critic, theoretician of literature and film. The aim of the article is to analyze Irzykowski’s claims, which preceded John L. Austin’s theses related to language considered as action. Due to chronological factors, it would be difficult to ascribe Austin’s theories to Irzykowski, and to employ the term ‘performative theory’ directly to the latter’s views. However, it is possible to find a certain convergence of the conceptions of the two discussed authors and to discover performative aspects, i.e., ‘performativity’ in Irzykowski’s works. Performativity is a feature of various acts of utterance and expression performed by the subject using not only language, but also other sign systems. Austin’s theory allows to put the multifaceted output of Irzykowski in a certain order and, in particular, identify the premises and theses regarding the role of language and other semiotic systems, such as painting and film imagery, as well as theatrical gestures. Irzykowski provides varied characteristics of actions performed with words in everyday communication, politics and education, journalism and literary criticism, drama, prose, and poetry. His main performative postulate is to adopt an innovative approach to language while preserving its comprehensibility to its everyday users.

Keywords:

performativity, action, language, sign, utterance, expression