The document discusses Grice's Cooperative Principle, which states that communication involves cooperation between participants to establish meaning. It consists of four maxims: quality, quantity, relation, and manner. Conversational implicatures refer to implied meanings derived through inference rather than what is literally stated. Speakers can implicate additional meanings by observing or flouting the maxims, such as providing less information than required to imply uncertainty. The document provides examples of how speakers can flout different maxims to convey extra meanings.

1. The CooperativeThe Cooperative
PrinciplePrinciple
The seventh weekThe seventh week

2. Key pointsKey points
 The Cooperative Principle and its maximsThe Cooperative Principle and its maxims
 Conversational implicaturesConversational implicatures

3. DifficultiesDifficulties
 The violations of the cooperation maximsThe violations of the cooperation maxims

4. 6.3.2.1 The Cooperative Principle6.3.2.1 The Cooperative Principle
and its maximsand its maxims
 A principle proposed by the philosopherA principle proposed by the philosopher
Paul Grice whereby those involved inPaul Grice whereby those involved in
communication assume that both partiescommunication assume that both parties
will normally seek to cooperate with eachwill normally seek to cooperate with each
other to establish agreed meaning. It isother to establish agreed meaning. It is
composed of four maxims: quality,composed of four maxims: quality,
quantity, relation, and manner.quantity, relation, and manner.

5. The four cooperative maximsThe four cooperative maxims
 [1] The Maxim of Quality[1] The Maxim of Quality
 Try to make your contribution oneTry to make your contribution one
that is true:that is true:
 A. Do not say what you believe toA. Do not say what you believe to
be false.be false.
 B. Do not say that for which youB. Do not say that for which you
lack adequate evidence (Say whatlack adequate evidence (Say what
you believe to be true)you believe to be true)

6. The four cooperative principlesThe four cooperative principles
 [2] The Maxim of Quantity[2] The Maxim of Quantity
 A. make your contribution asA. make your contribution as
informative as is required (for theinformative as is required (for the
current purpose of the exchange)current purpose of the exchange)
 B. Do not make your contributionB. Do not make your contribution
more informative than is requiredmore informative than is required

7. The four cooperative principlesThe four cooperative principles
 [3] The Maxim of[3] The Maxim of
RelationRelation
 Be relevantBe relevant

8. The four cooperative principlesThe four cooperative principles
 [4] The Maxim of Manner[4] The Maxim of Manner
 A. Be perspicuous:.A. Be perspicuous:.
 B. Avoid obscurity of expression.B. Avoid obscurity of expression.
 C. Avoid ambiguity.C. Avoid ambiguity.
 D. Be brief (avoid unnecessaryD. Be brief (avoid unnecessary
prolixity).prolixity).
 F. Be orderlyF. Be orderly

9. 6.3.2.2 Conversational6.3.2.2 Conversational
implicaturesimplicatures
 According to Grice, utterance interpretation is not aAccording to Grice, utterance interpretation is not a
matter of decoding messages, but rather involvesmatter of decoding messages, but rather involves
(1) taking the meaning of the sentences together with(1) taking the meaning of the sentences together with
contextual information,contextual information,
(2) using inference rules(2) using inference rules
(3) working out what the speaker means on the basis of the(3) working out what the speaker means on the basis of the
assumption that the utterance conforms to the maxims.assumption that the utterance conforms to the maxims.
The main advantage of this approach from GriceThe main advantage of this approach from Grice’’s points point
of view is that it provides a pragmatic explanation for aof view is that it provides a pragmatic explanation for a
wide range of phenomena, especially forwide range of phenomena, especially for conversationalconversational
implicautresimplicautres--- a kind of extra meaning that is not literally--- a kind of extra meaning that is not literally
contained in the utterance.contained in the utterance.

10. According to Grice, conversational implicatures can arise from eitherAccording to Grice, conversational implicatures can arise from either
strictly and directly observing or deliberately and openly flouting thestrictly and directly observing or deliberately and openly flouting the
maxims, that is, speakers can produce implicatures in two ways:maxims, that is, speakers can produce implicatures in two ways:
observance and non-observance of the maxims.observance and non-observance of the maxims.
 Ex. (1) Husband: Where are the car keys?Ex. (1) Husband: Where are the car keys?
 Wife: TheyWife: They’’re on the table in the hall.re on the table in the hall.
 The wife has answered clearly (manner) andThe wife has answered clearly (manner) and
truthfully (Quality), has given just the righttruthfully (Quality), has given just the right
amount of information (Quantity) and has directlyamount of information (Quantity) and has directly
addressed her husbandaddressed her husband’’s goal in asking thes goal in asking the
question (Relation). She has said precisely whatquestion (Relation). She has said precisely what
she meant, no more and no less.she meant, no more and no less.

11. (2) He is a tiger.(2) He is a tiger.
 Example (2) is literally false, openlyExample (2) is literally false, openly
against the maxim of quality, for no humanagainst the maxim of quality, for no human
is a tiger. But the hearer still assumes thatis a tiger. But the hearer still assumes that
the speaker is being cooperative and thenthe speaker is being cooperative and then
infers that he is trying to say somethinginfers that he is trying to say something
distinct from the literal meaning. He candistinct from the literal meaning. He can
then work out that probably the speakerthen work out that probably the speaker
meant to say thatmeant to say that ““he has somehe has some
characteristics of a tigercharacteristics of a tiger””..

12. (3) Tom has wooden ears.(3) Tom has wooden ears.
 Sentence (3) is obviously false in mostSentence (3) is obviously false in most
natural contexts and the speaker innatural contexts and the speaker in
uttering it flouts the first maxim of quality.uttering it flouts the first maxim of quality.

13. Conversational implicaturesConversational implicatures
 Meaning: semantic meaningMeaning: semantic meaning
 intended meaning conventional meaningintended meaning conventional meaning
 unconventional meaningunconventional meaning
 (conversational(conversational
 implicatures)implicatures)

14. Conversational implicaturesConversational implicatures
 Unconventional meaning generalizedUnconventional meaning generalized
 scalarscalar

particularizedparticularized

15. The flouting of cooperativeThe flouting of cooperative
principlesprinciples
 It is important to note that it is speakers whoIt is important to note that it is speakers who
communicate meaning via implicatures and it iscommunicate meaning via implicatures and it is
listeners who recognize those communicatedlisteners who recognize those communicated
meanings via inference. The inferences selectedmeanings via inference. The inferences selected
are those which will preserve the assumption ofare those which will preserve the assumption of
cooperation. But in fact, the speakers often floutcooperation. But in fact, the speakers often flout
the cooperative principles and are still thought tothe cooperative principles and are still thought to
be cooperative. What they convey is thebe cooperative. What they convey is the
conversational implicatures.conversational implicatures.
 (Flout: to disobey intentionally (a rule or low), or to avoid(Flout: to disobey intentionally (a rule or low), or to avoid
intentionally (behavior that is usual or expected)intentionally (behavior that is usual or expected)

16. The flouting of the maxim ofThe flouting of the maxim of
qualityquality
 Ex. (4) Tom does not appreciate classicalEx. (4) Tom does not appreciate classical
music so we should not invite him to themusic so we should not invite him to the
concert.concert.
 Ex. When we moved here, the room isEx. When we moved here, the room is
5x4, now it is 3x4.5x4, now it is 3x4.

17. The flouting of maxim of quantityThe flouting of maxim of quantity
 Ex. (5) A: Where does C live?Ex. (5) A: Where does C live?
 B: Somewhere in the South of France.B: Somewhere in the South of France.
 Ex. Dear Sir,Ex. Dear Sir,
 Mr. XMr. X’’s command of English iss command of English is
excellent and his attendance at tutorialsexcellent and his attendance at tutorials
has been regular, yours, etc.has been regular, yours, etc.

18. The flouting of the maxim ofThe flouting of the maxim of
relation:relation:
 Ex. (6) A: IEx. (6) A: I’’m out of petrol.m out of petrol.
 B: There is a garage round the corner.B: There is a garage round the corner.
 Ex. A. WhereEx. A. Where’’s Bill?s Bill?
 B. ThereB. There’’s a yellow VW outside Sues a yellow VW outside Sue’’s house.s house.
 Ex. A. What time is it?Ex. A. What time is it?
 B. The mail has already come.B. The mail has already come.
 Ex. A. The hostess is an awful bore, donEx. A. The hostess is an awful bore, don’’t yout you
think?think?
 B. The roses are lovely, arenB. The roses are lovely, aren’’t they?t they?

19. The flouting of the maxim ofThe flouting of the maxim of
mannermanner
 Ex. (7) A: Shall we get something for theEx. (7) A: Shall we get something for the
kids?kids?
 B: But I veto I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M.B: But I veto I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M.
 Ex. Miss X produced a series of soundsEx. Miss X produced a series of sounds
that corresponded closely with the scorethat corresponded closely with the score
ofof ““Home, Sweet HomeHome, Sweet Home””..

20. Tautology: it is uninformative byTautology: it is uninformative by
virtue of its semantic contentvirtue of its semantic content
 Ex. (8) If he comes, he comes.Ex. (8) If he comes, he comes.
 (9) Girls are girls.(9) Girls are girls.
 (10) War is war.(10) War is war.

21. assignmentsassignments
 I. Define the following terms briefly:I. Define the following terms briefly:
 (1) the Cooperative Principle(1) the Cooperative Principle
 (2) conversational implicature(2) conversational implicature
 II. What are the four maxims of theII. What are the four maxims of the
Cooperative Principle?Cooperative Principle?
 III. Which maxim does this speaker seemIII. Which maxim does this speaker seem
to be particularly careful about:to be particularly careful about:
 Well, to be quite honest, I donWell, to be quite honest, I don’’t think shet think she
is ill today.is ill today.