What is a communication act according to Dell Hymes?

According to Dell Hymes, a communication act is a unit of communication that involves both a message and a speech act. It is a specific instance of communication that can be analyzed in terms of its form, content, and context. Communication acts are the building blocks of communication and can be studied to understand how meaning is created and conveyed in social interactions.

According to Dell Hymes, a communication act is a complex event that involves a set of skills and abilities that are used to communicate a message. These skills include the ability to produce and interpret language, as well as the ability to understand and use non-verbal cues. Hymes argues that communication is not simply a matter of sending and receiving messages, but rather a complex process that involves a number of factors, including the context in which the communication takes place, the relationships between the participants, and the purpose of the communication.