THE COOPERATIVE PRICIPLE BY PAUL GRICE

Usually when we speak the listener expect us to say the truth and to be relevant and clear. The English philosopher, Paul Grice, suggested that in ordinary conversation, the speaker and hearer share a cooperative principle. Speakers shape their utterances to be understood by hearers. Grice analyzes cooperative principle in four maxims: quantity, quality, relevance, and manner.

1- The maxim of quality (“Tell the truth”)

Do not say what you believe to be false.Do not say that for which you lack

adequate evidence.

For Example Imagin this, a husband asking his spendthrift wife how

much you spend on the dress? the assuption behind that question is that she spent alot, but she answered not much! Which is a lie because she always spend alot on buying clothes. So, we can clearly say that she violated the maxum of quality.

2- The maxim of quantity (“Say just as much as is necessary”)

Make your contribution as informative as is required for the current purposes of the

exchange, do not make the contribution more or less informative than is required.

For example

Mum: how was your first day at school?Sara: Fine! Here the mother asked her daughter a question, and

she expected her daughter to give her more details about her first day at school. But, the daughter violates the maxim of quantity by giving her information less than requaired.

But what about if the daughter answered her mother's question by giving her information more than required. Mentioning every and each detail even unnecessary ones, also, in that case she is violating the maxim of quantity by giving her information more than required

3- The maxim of relation / relevance (“Stick to the point”)

Make your contributions relevant.

For example Lets go back to our spendthrift wife. In the

previous example when the husband asked his wife how much you spend on the dress she answered not much, which is a lie. But what if she answered like that (why don’t we eat out for a change?) so, we can understand that she is trying to change the subject, and she is deliberately violating the maxim of relation.

4- The maxim of manner (“Be clear”)" it means to avoid obscurity of expression and ambivalence of

formulation. Brevity and orderliness are also implied by the maxim of Manner.“

For example A brother asking his sister Ahmad: do you know where my phone is? Maha: your phone! Do you know that using phones alot can

damage your brain. They are more dangoures than you think, how about trying to stop using your phone for a week!?

So, as shown above Ahmed asked a question and he was expecting a specific and clear answer, but, we can clearly see that the talkative Maha was not clear. Instead she gave him a speech, so, she is obviously violating the maxim of manner.

The question is can the cooperative principles be applied

on other languages ?

Despite of the different languages that are existing around the world. The cooperative principles can actually be applied in other language. Since it deals with cognitive and implicit information, for example, in Arabic language we can apply the four maxims which are, quality, quantity, relation and manner

We can clearly see that the receiver has violated the maxim of quality by lying .

عمرك؟ كم(How old are you?)

سنة 200عمري (I'm 200 years old)

1- The maxim of Quality

The receiver here is giving information more than it is required so he is violating the maxim of quantity.

عمرك؟ كم(How old are you?)

, عمري إن ً حسنا جيد سؤال من له ياضرب حاصل 10زائد 6في 2هو

من 2مطروحة !(That's a good question. Well, my

age is 2×6+10 -2)

1- The maxim of quantity

The receiver here is not being relevant to the question that he has been asked.

عمرك؟ كم(How old are you?)

القدم كرة أحب إني)I love playing football)

3-The maxim of relation

The receiver answer is ambiguous and not clear

عمرك؟ كم(How old are you?)

بعد أهرم ولم شابه مازلت إننيللتو بدأت قد حياتي !إن

)I still young and I did not get old yet. My life just begin)

4-The maxim of manner

In conclusion, we always use the cooperative principle when we talk. At the same time, we always violate the maxims. But, still the massage that we want to convey is being understood for the most cases. And indeed "Grice’s cooperative principle could be seen as a great contribution in suggesting an effective principle." (Academia)

Thank you

Khulood Bukhari