Assertive speech act used by Evy Poumpouras's motivational speech in tedx talks

This study aims to investigate the use of assertive speech acts in Evy Poumpouras’s motivational speech entitled How to Succeed Without Confidence, Motivation, or Healing in TEDx Talks. The study addresses two research problems: (1) what types of assertive speech acts are used by Evy Poumpouras in her motivational TEDx Talk, and (2) how assertive speech acts function in supporting her motivational communication goals. The study is conducted to fill the research gap in previous studies, which mainly focus on identifying speech act types and frequencies without examining the specific role of assertive speech acts in constructing credibility and enhancing persuasive impact in motivational discourse. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach. The data consist of utterances containing assertive speech acts found in Evy Poumpouras’s TEDx Talk. The data were collected through documentation techniques by watching the video, obtaining and reviewing the transcript, and identifying utterances containing assertive speech acts. The data were then analyzed using Searle’s theory of assertive speech acts through several procedures, namely organizing and preparing the data, reading the transcript repeatedly, coding the data, developing descriptions and themes, and interpreting the findings. The findings reveal that six types of assertive speech acts are used in the speech, namely stating, claiming, informing, predicting, reporting, and concluding. A total of 133 assertive speech acts were identified, with reporting as the most dominant type (47 occurrences), followed by claiming (34), concluding (28), informing (17), predicting (5), and stating (2). The dominance of reporting indicates that Evy Poumpouras frequently relies on personal experiences and factual narratives to deliver her motivational message. Furthermore, the study shows that assertive speech acts function not only to convey information but also to construct credibility, authority, and trustworthiness. Through reporting and informing, the speaker establishes professional credibility, while claiming, concluding, and predicting serve persuasive functions by challenging audience assumptions, encouraging reflection, and motivating positive behavioral change. These findings demonstrate that assertive speech acts play a significant role in enhancing the persuasive power of motivational speeches and contribute to a deeper understanding of assertive speech acts in motivational discourse.