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Paul Grice’s
Conversational Maxims
Marathana Prothro
Feb. 15, 2010
Conversation Analysis
 The attempt to discover – in detail – exactly
what we accomplish by talking to someone
else

 Looks at:
 patterns of language (the back-and-forth, turn-
taking that communicators create)
 The Rules of Conversation
Grice’s conversational maxims

 Maxim?
Grice’s Conversational Maxims

 Maxim: a principle or
rule of conduct.

 Underlying
assumption:
Cooperative
principle
 What you say must
be appropriate
and fit with the
line of
conversation
Maxim 1: Quantity
 What you contribute to a conversation should
contain the right amount of information, not
too much or too little.

 Violation happens when you don’t say enough


or you say too much.
Maxim 2: Quality
 What you say should be truthful.

 Violation happens when you deliberately lie


OR communicate in a way that does not
reflect an honest intention.
Maxim 3: Relevancy
 You should say things that are pertinent to the
conversation at hand.

 Violation happens when you make an


irrelevant comment.
Maxim 4: Manner
 You should be clear and organized in what you
say.

 Violation happens when you are obscure,


ambiguous or disorganized.
Summary
 Quantity: the right amount of info

 Quality: honest info


 Relevance: the right KIND of info


 Manner: direct and easy to understand

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