Yudith Putrigajevsky (BS A) 1012150028 1. What is the cooperative principle?

The cooperative principle is a principle of conversation that was proposed by Grice 1975, stating that participants expect that each will make a conversational contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange. 2. How many kinds of maxims? Give two examples each other! A. Quality: speaker tells the truth or provable by adequate evidence. Examples: a) Do not say what you believe to be false. (Grice 1975: 46) b) Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence. (Grice 1975: 46)[2]

B. Quantity: speaker is as informative as required. Examples: A: Do you have the time? B: Yes, its 9:30.

C. Relation: response is relevant to topic of discussion. Examples: A: Let's get the kids something. B: Okay, but I veto I-C-E C-R-E-A-M-S.

D. Manner: speaker's avoids ambiguity or obscurity, is direct and straightforward. Examples:

a)

"Its possible the plane will be late." ->Simple positive suggests that the plane may be late as this is often the case.
SEMANTICS Assignment 6B

b)

"Its not possible that the plane will be late." ->Double negative shows that there is a rather minor possibility.

A: I hear you went to the opera last night; how was the lead singer? B: The singer produced a series of sounds corresponding closely to the score of an aria from "Rigoletto". 3. Violation of Maxims Violation, according to Grice (1975), takes place when speakers intentionally refrain to apply certain maxims in their conversation to cause misunderstanding on their participants part or to achieve some other purposes. The following are examples of violation in the four aforementioned maxims: Mother: Did you study all day long? Son: who has been playing all day long: Yes, Ive been studying till know!

SEMANTICS Assignment 6B