Page 91 - Communication and the Evolution of Society

68 Communication and Evolution of Society

are embedded in relations to reality in such a way that in an
acceptable speech action segments of external nature, society, and
internal nature always come into appearance together. Language
itself also appears in speech, for speech is a medium in which
the linguistic means that are employed instrumentally are also
reflected. In speech, speech sets itself off from the regions of
external nature, society, and internal nature, as a reality sui
generis, as soon as the sign-substrate, meaning, and denotation
of a linguistic utterance can be distinguished.
The following table represents the correlations that obtain for
a. The domains of reality to which every speech action takes up
relation.
b. The attitudes of the speaker prevailing in particular modes of
communication.
c. The validity claims under which the relations to reality are es-
tablished.
d. The general functions that grammatical sentences assume in their
relations to reality.

Modes of General
Domains of Communication: Functions
Reality Basic Attitudes Validity Claims of Speech

“The” World of Cognitive: Truth Representation
External Nature Ojectivating of Facts
Attitude
“Our” World of Interactive: Rightness Establishment of
Society Conformative Legitimate Inter-
Attitude personal Rela-
tions
“My” World of Expressive: Truthfulness Disclosure of
Internal Nature Expressive Speaker's
Attitude Subjectivity
Language Compre-
hensibility