An Examination of Proverbs in the Persian Language from the Perspective of Searle’s Speech Act Theory

Abstract

Proverbs, as an inseparable part of the cultural and linguistic heritage of every society, play a significant role in the transmission of knowledge, values, and norms. Despite the importance of these linguistic structures, relatively few studies have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of their speech-act functions, particularly within the theoretical framework of John Searle’s speech act theory, in the Persian language. The aim of this study was to analyze and classify speech acts (assertive, directive, commissive, expressive, and declarative) in a corpus of Persian proverbs and to identify their frequency and distribution in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the communicative nature and dominant functions of proverbs in this language. This research adopted a qualitative–quantitative design and was conducted using a content analysis approach. The statistical population consisted of Persian proverbs, and a purposive sample of 300 proverbs was selected from authoritative sources (including Amsāl o Ḥekam by Dehkhodā and Shakurzādeh’s Dictionary of Twelve Thousand Persian Proverbs) and analyzed. After data extraction, the proverbs were carefully classified and coded based on Searle’s fivefold taxonomy of speech acts. Subsequently, the absolute and percentage frequencies of each category were calculated. In addition to the quantitative analysis, a qualitative analysis of selected examples was conducted to provide a more in-depth explanation of each speech act. The results indicated that among the 300 Persian proverbs examined, assertive speech acts (200 instances, 67.66%) had the highest frequency, primarily functioning to state facts and describe realities. This was followed by directive speech acts (66 instances, 22%), which play a key role in advising, warning, and guiding the addressee’s behavior. Expressive speech acts (29 instances, 9.67%) were associated with the expression of the speaker’s psychological states and emotions. In contrast, commissive speech acts (5 instances, 1.67%) occurred very infrequently and were mostly related to ethical principles concerning promises and commitments rather than the creation of direct obligations. No declarative speech acts (0 instances, 0%) were identified among the Persian proverbs, which can be attributed to the general nature of proverbs and their lack of institutional authority. Overall, the findings demonstrate that Persian proverbs predominantly serve descriptive (assertive) and guiding (directive) functions and are used less frequently for the direct expression of emotions or the creation of personal commitments, while lacking reality-altering (declarative) capabilities.