Channels, Fall 2018

Page 26 Yost • Speech Act of Naming While not always recorded in Scripture, the following is also implied and necessary: S – a naming sentence I then drafted the following schema of illocutionary rules for the act of naming: A speaker intends to name while uttering a naming sentence. If the speaker takes responsibility for the conceptually necessary conditions, and if they are in place for naming, the speaker has the authority within the community to name. However, the conditions must be appropriate for the exercise of that authority, and by uttering the naming sentence, the speaker can name the name-receiver. In Alston’s (2000) format, this is written as follows: U O’d in uttering S iff in uttering S, U R’d that: 1. Conceptually necessary conditions for E. 2. U has the authority within C to produce E. 3. Conditions are appropriate for the exercise of that authority. 4. By uttering S, U is bringing about E of X. I will now expand each rule of the schema to further clarify and lay out the conditions within the I-rules. 1. Conceptually necessary conditions for E. As explained by Arcadi (2013), these are conditions necessary within the act itself. For example, X needs to be identifiable by means of a name. If this were not necessary, naming would not be needed. Related, if X is to be distinguished from others, X must be a singular entity. 2. U has the authority within C to produce E. C must recognize and ascribe authority to U or E will not hold. C would simply disregard the attempt. This authority comes from social conventions most often, but at times it is divine authorization. 3. Conditions are appropriate for the exercise of that authority. Arcadi (2013) explains these as the conditions external to the act, or in other words the contextual circumstances. Here, I say someone must hear U O, otherwise the name will not be put into use. Additionally, the circumstances should expose the need for E. Most frequently this is because a new baby has entered the world, however, in cases of renaming, it might be due to a new position whether in role or identity. 4. By uttering S, U is bringing about E of X. Based on the above conditions, U now expects the name to hold. Because of the authority of U within C, this is perhaps socially enforced.