A STUDY OF SUICIDE LETTERS IN TERMS OF SPEECH ACT THEORY

Abstract

Language is the window to human mind. It is one of the most complicated behaviours human beings can perform. So, it has been stated that it is through the study of language that we can have some understanding of the human mind and man in general .The present research attempts to uncover the characteristic stamp in the use of speech acts, as classified by Searle's (1971), by suicidal minds through the study of five of their suicide letters that have been dealt with. By so doing we are trying to attract the attention of not only linguists but psychologists also. Further, researches may attempt a similar endeavour with other linguistic aspects.