Speech Acts in Patriotic Songs of India

Abstract

The article “Speech Acts in Indian Patriotic Songs” aims to analyze the mechanisms of speech acts manifested in 45 Indian patriotic songs, based on Searle's (1969, 1979) theoretical framework of illocutionary and perlocutionary acts. A quantitative analysis of 858 instances reveals a distinct hierarchy among the five types: the most frequently occurring are Assertives/Representatives (30.43%) and Expressives (27.73%), followed by Directives (23.31%) and Commissives (16.67%). In contrast, Declarations are rarely found (only 1.86%). This hierarchy indicates that the primary function of patriotic songs is to construct belief and emotional solidarity rather than to perform institutional declarations. This study helps academics, students, and interested parties to see the crucial role of language as an instrument for awakening patriotic consciousness and fostering national unity amid the cultural diversity of the Indian people.