Grice's Maxims (summery)

Grice's Maxims( cooperative principle)

Grice says that when we communicate we assume, without realising it, that we, and the people we are talking to, will be "conversationally cooperative". This means we will cooperate to achieve mutual conversational ends. This conversational cooperation even works when we are not being cooperative socially. So, for example, we can be arguing with one another angrily and yet we will still cooperate quite a lot conversationally to achieve the argument. This conversational cooperation manifests itself, according to Grice, in a number of conversational MAXIMS, as he calls them, which we feel the need to follow. Here are the four maxims which Grice says we all try to stick to in conversation. 

The conversational maxims

Maxim of quantity (quantity of information)
  -Give the most helpful amount of information.

To not give too much information, not too little, but just right! 

Maxim of quality (quality of information)
  -Do not say what you believe to be false.

It may seem at first sight that it would be simpler for this maxim to be 'Tell the truth'. But it is often difficult to be sure about what is true, and so Grice formulates this maxim in a way that, although it looks more complicated, is actually easier to follow. Evidence of the strength of this maxim is that most people find it difficult to lie when asked a direct question, and we tend to believe what people tell us without thinking, especially if it is written down (presumably because writers normally have more time than speakers to consider carefully what they say).

Maxim of relation
  -Be relevant.

Note that if you join a conversation you can't just begin to talk about whatever you like. You have to connect what you want to say (make it relevant) to what is already being talked about. For example if everyone else is talking about their holidays and you want to talk about Spain, you'll need to connect the two topics together with a remark like 'I went on holiday to Spain last year . . .' Similarly, if, in an exam, you write an essay on a topic slightly different from the question asked you are likely to lose marks.

Maxim of manner

-Put what you say in the clearest, briefest, and most orderly manner.

Good evidence for this maxim is what you get penalised for when you write essays. If your are vague or ambiguous (i.e. not clear) you can lose marks; if you are over-wordy you can lose marks (readers don't like having to read extra words when they don't have to); if you do not present what you say in the most sensible order for your argument you can lose marks. And although you don't lose marks in conversation, you can lose friends if you do not abide by these maxims.