The illocutionary character of an utterance is due to a certain image it projects of itself, according to which it is the source of rights and obligations that need not have an independent existence. To subordinate the illocutionary force of an utterance to the realization of conditions of use creates artificial problems. The phenomenon of performativity is an illusion which is caused by the illocutionary function of utterances. A performative utterance is sui-referential, not because of its syntactical structure but because it has an illocutionary function.