A psycho-pragmatic study of the speech act of obsession

Abstract EN

This paper discusses a notion in psycho-pragmatics called "obsession".

This notion is a specific kind of soliloquy, which is persistent preoccupation ideas or thoughts that tell a person to do something bad or shameful things, however normal soliloquy is a normal speech with oneself to express regret or happiness.

It is proved that obsession is an actual speech acts.

A comparison is made between obsession and soliloquy in order to distinguish between these two similar notions.

By doing this comparison, the paper shows the difference between the normal soliloquy and obsession.

Some examples are taken from Arabic, especially from the Holy Qura'an.

When analyzing these examples, the paper explains that soliloquy and obsession meet the three levels of speech act.

Some verses (Ayas) explain the obsessive speeches of Satan to Adam for example and the perlocutionary act of these verses.

Other verses (Ayas) show that soliloquy is a speech act but the speaker speaks to himself to express his thoughts and feelings or to do some actions as the perlocutionary act of his speech.