1. of or relating to the act of speaking or utterance; concerned with the literal meaning of words as spoken
Usage: philosophy of language, linguistics; often contrasted with illocutionary and perlocutionary acts in speech act theory

Examples

• The locutionary act is the basic act of saying something with a particular sense and reference.
• In speech act theory, the locutionary dimension focuses on what is literally said.
• The philosopher distinguished between the locutionary meaning and the intended force of the statement.
• Understanding the locutionary content requires knowing the meanings of the words used.
• The locutionary act occurs whenever someone produces a meaningful utterance.