A Textual Analysis of Zumar Chapter based on Searle's Speech Act Theory

Speech Act Theory is to analyze a text and is to uniquely examine the speech arrangement in texts. Austin first proposed this theory, then his pupil, Searle, annunciated it. According to this theory, speech unit is the speech verb. Searle categorized the types of speech acts to five categories of declaratives, expressives , commissives, directives, and assertives . Focusing on verses texture and context in this chapter, the authors have analyzed these verses based on speech acts theory. The main objective behind such an analysis is to investigate discourse based structures used in these verses and to study how these verses are transferred to the audience. Using a descriptive-analytical interdisciplinary research method and having pondered Zumar's discourse based on Searle's speech act theory, it is concluded that the speech acts used in this chapter's discourse are declaratives, directives, assertives and expressives. Based on the conducted analysis, the expressive speech acts is more frequently used in this chapter of the Qur'an compared to other ones which shows significant exegetical consequences such as stating Divine and Islamic narrations and knowledge in forms of expressive speech acts in Meccan verses such as Zumar chapter which include larger amounts of verses.