In terms of grammer, indirect speech often employs certain syntactic composition such as content clause like the ‘that’ clause (that she was eating), and at times infinitive phrases. References to queries in indirect speech normally take the shape of interrogative content clauses, also known as the indirect questions (such as whether she was eating). Another way in which indirect speech is often portrayed is when people say things indirectly without really stating what they intend or want to do. According to Pinker indirectness is concerned with the phenomenon that “the speaker utters a sentence, means what he or she says, but also means something more.

 

 

 

 

It is about the case in which one illocutionary act is performed indirectly by way of performing another.There are two types of indirectness. Non-conventional indirectness and Conventional indirectness. Conventional indirectness means statements which are consistent to execute only those functions typically designated for certain functional purposes which are not assigned to them in their grammatical forms. For instance “can you pass the chili?” both the means, i.e., the kind of ability question that is used as an indirect utterances, and the form, i.e. the exact wording conventionalized to signal the illocutionary force. The other type of indirectness is non-conventional indirectiness, also identified as hint. It comprises those statements which are vague in either propositional content or illucionary force or both. For instance, “I have to study for an exam” to an invitation to a movie, the literal meaning of the utterance and the intended meaning, i.e. refusal, do not match. There are no systematic relation between the utterance and rejecting a proposal as there is between the “can you pass the chili” and its directive illocution. Its meaning is very much embedded. Non conventional are rationally vague, heterogeneous in realization, high in deniability potential and infinite in number.Indirect speech is also used to express polite requests, disguised threats, hidden bribes and sexual come-ons.

 

For instance in a sentence, If you could come for my birthday, that would be splendid. Nice phone you got there. Be cautious, there are a lot of thieves around here. (Disguised threats)For the indirect speech to be communicated and to be understood, both the speaker and the hearer must have at least a little knowledge of its meaning. The speaker should know how or where to use the indirect speech, and the hearer should be able to interpret the information being communicated. Since most of the time, indirect speeches are often misunderstood by people. This communication problem usually manifests itself where there’s conflict of cultures. Take for instance, a driver who is has been pulled aside by the traffic police, he is wondering whether to bribe the traffic police or not since he doesn’t know what to expect from the officer so he has to inquire indirectly. Some officer may take it as an offence and prosecute the driver, and others may as well go ahead and accept to be bribed. So indirect speech in away is used to remove the state of discomfort while asking for favors but in a skill full way.