The coiner of the term "performative" was the philosopherJ. L. Austin. He admitted that it was "rather an ugly word," but it was one that lie thought necessary to distinguish utterances that do something (performative utterances) from those that report on an already-existing state of affairs. If I say "I apologize," or "I name this ship the Queen Elizabeth," or "I bet you sixpence it will rain tomorrow," then "in saying what I do, I actually perform the action" (Austin 1970, p. 235).

Donald MacKenzie, An Engine, Not a Camera, loc. 83