Cooperative Principle & Conversational Maxims

Linguistics

1. Cooperative principle
and
Coversational Maxims
Discourse Analysis
Level-7

2. Cooperation and Implicature
•Whenpeopletalkwitheachother,theytrytoconverse
smoothlyandsuccessfully.Cooperationisthebasisof
successfulconversations.
•Theconceptandthefunctionofcooperationand
implicaturearefundamentallylinked."Thissenseof
cooperationissimplyoneinwhichpeoplehavinga
conversationarenotnormallyassumedtobetryingto
confuse,trick,orwithholdrelevantinformationfromeach
other"(Yule,1996:35).

3. •Cooperationcanbeunderstoodasanessentialfactor
whenspeakersandlistenersareinteracting,inotherwords,
itistheexpectationthatthelistenerhastowardsthe
speaker.Thespeakerissupposedtoconveytrue
statementsandsaynothingmorethanwhatisrequired.
•Implicaturecanbeconsideredasanadditionalconveyed
meaning(Yule,1996:35).Itisattainedwhenaspeaker
intendstocommunicatemorethanjustwhatthewords
mean.Itisthespeakerwhocommunicatessomethingvia
implicaturesandthelistenerrecognizesthose
communicatedmeaningviainference.

4. Conversational Implicatures
•There is a set of guidelines for effective and rational
use of language.
•Guidelines = a general cooperative principle + Four
maxims of conversation.
A General
Cooperative
Principle
Maxims of
Cooperative
Principle

5. Cooperative principle
•Theideathatpeoplecooperatewitheachotherin
conversingisgeneralizedbyH.PGrice(1975)asthe
cooperativeprinciple.
•Gricesaysthatwhenwecommunicateweassume,without
realizingit,thatwe,andthepeoplewearetalkingto,will
beconversationallycooperative-wewillcooperateto
achievemutualconversationalends.

6. GriceformulatedthisCooperativeprincipleasfollow:
“Makeyourconversationalcontributionsuchasisrequired,
atthestageatwhichitoccurs,bytheacceptedpurposeor
directionofthetalkexchangeinwhichyouareengaged
“Grice,1989:26).
Specifically,therearefourmaximsunderthisgeneral
principle.

7. Maxims of Cooperative Principle
•GriceidentifiedtheCooperativePrincipleasa‘super
principle’ora‘supremeprinciple’(1989)thathe
generalizedfromfourconversational‘maxims’heclaimed
discourseparticipantsordinarilyfollow.
•Grice(1989: 28) identifies the maxims as:
1-Quality 3-Manner
2-Quantity 4-Relation

8. 1. The Maxim of Quality
Try to make your contribution one that is true:
A. Do not say what you believe to be false.
B. Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence (Say
what you believe to be true)
2. The Maxim of Quantity
A. make your contribution as informative as is required (for
the current purpose of the exchange)
B. Do not make your contribution more informative than is
required.

9. 3-The Maxim of Relation
A.Be relevant to the point
B.Context should be maintained not outside information.
4-The Maxim of Manner
A. Be perspicuous:.
B. Avoid obscurity of expression.
C. Avoid ambiguity.
D. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity).
F. Be orderly

10. Example
Clearfulfillmentofthesemaximsmaybedemonstratedinthe
followingexchange:
Husband:Wherearethecarkeys?
Wife:They‘reonthetableinthehall.
Thewifehasansweredclearly(manner)andtruthfully
(Quality),hasgivenjusttherightamountofinformation
(Quantity)andhasdirectlyaddressedherhusband’sgoalin
askingthequestion(Relation)Sheahssaidpreciselywhat
shemeant,nomoreandnoless.

11. Violation of Maxims
Violation,accordingtoGrice,takesplacewhen
speakersintentionallyrefraintoapplycertainmaxims
intheirconversationtocausemisunderstandingon
theirparticipants’partortoachievesomeother
purposes.
Aspeakercanchooseto:
•Violate –be intentionally misleading
•Opt-out –refuse to co-operate
•Flout –be intentionally ironic

12. Conclusion
Toconclude,Grice’scooperativeprincipleismeantto
specifyrules(maxims)thatshouldbefollowedby
speakersinaconversationinordertoachieve
cooperation.
Violatinganyofthemaximsofcooperativeprincipleis
calledtheconversationalimplicatureorindirect
communication.