| Performative criticism begins in the gap between constative sense and dramatic consequences. |
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| In these terms, his intention may be constative, but it has performative effect, not to mention performative desire. |
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| The argument that the act of stating or describing is in fact performative must take the form of constative statements. |
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| Austin began by distinguishing between what he called 'constatives' and 'performatives.' A constative is simply saying something true or false. |
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| This idea of commitment can also serve to distinguish between assertion proper and weaker constative forms, such as guesses and conjectures, since these differ from assertion with respect to commitment. |
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| Rather it is to argue through the failures of various attempts to draw the distinction that there is no such simple distinction no sorting of sentences into those apt for performative, and those apt for constative, use. |
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| In other words, the meaning of the poem is a reflexive and anguished uncertainty about the nature of poetry itself, a pure lyric refusal of constative or narratable content. |
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