GRICE’S THEORY OF CONVERSATIONAL MAXIMS

A. Introduction

Language is a tool of communication among people. In the conversation, people give

response or not, either true/ false or fact or opinion, based on the questions, or statements
from the others. From the responses or other, maybe there are some pragmatic situations,
especially maxims. Maxims of conversation classified into four categories: quantity, quality,
relation, manner, relationship between speaker and the maxims, flouting, and hedging.

In this paper, the writers analyze a classroom interaction on eighth grade at SMP N 1
Pariangan that learns about descriptive text focuses on reading and writing skills. This report
is based on the observation that group did on Wednesday, at 07.40 until 09.00, and 13th of
November 2013 at SMP N 1 Pariangan.

B. Related Theories

According to Grice in Cruse (2000: 24), there are several types of maxims. They are:

1. Quantity Maxims
a. Make your contribution as informative as isrequired (for the purpose of the
exchanges)
b. Do not make your contribution more informative than is required

The Maxim of Quantity relates to the amount of information provided in

conversations. It is one of the four conversational maxims that make up the Cooperative
Principle. Grice proposes this maxim as an explanation for a certain kind of regularity
in conversational behavior with respect to the amount of information provided in each
turn of a conversation.Example:

John : Do you have the time?

Jean : Yes, it’s 9.30

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 Note: Given the purpose of the conversation, the woman contributes only as much
information as is required.

1) Not excessive like “it’s 9:30 at night, Greenwich Mean Time, 20May 2009, …”
2) Not inadequate like, “it’s night time”

2. Quality Maxims

The maxim of quality is concerned with truth telling, and has two parts:

a. Do not say what you believe to be false

b. Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence

The Maxim of Quality requires informationprovided in conversations to be

genuineand justified.It is one of the four conversational maximsof the Cooperative
Principle.Grice proposes this maxim as anexplanation for a certain kind of regularityin
conversational behavior with respect tothe authenticity of information provided ateach
turn of a conversation. Example:

John : Do you know where The Big Ben Clock Tower is?

Jean : It is in London

3. Relation Maxims

The Maximof relation requires you tobe relevant. The Maxim of Relation is one of
the four conversational maxims of the Cooperative Principle. Grice proposes this maxim
as an explanation for a certain kind of regularity in conversational behavior with respect to
the relevance of information provided at each turn of a conversation. Example:

John: How do you like your steak cooked?

Jean: Medium rare, please

Note: The woman contributes what is relevant for the purposeof the conversation.

1) Not irrelevant like “I like steak very much” or“What nice weather!”

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4. Manner Maxims

When engaged in conversation, the Maxim of Manner requires you to be

perspicuous. Includes (but not restricted to):

a. Avoid obscurity of expression

b. Avoid ambiguity
c. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity)
d. Be orderly

The Maxim of Manner is related to howsomething is being said in the

conversation. It is one of the four conversational maxims that are part of the Cooperative
Principle. Grice proposes this maxim as an explanation for a certain kind of regularity in
conversational behavior with respect to the way information is provided at each turn of a
conversation.

5. The Relationship Between the Speaker and the Maxims

What can a speaker do with regard to the maxims? In the first place, he or she can
straightforwardly observe the maxims. Second, he or she can violate a maxim. For
example, he or she may breach the first sub maxim of Quality by telling a deliberate lie.
Third, he or she can opt out of a maxim. This can be demonstrated by a speaker’s use of
hedges in conversation.

There is thus evidence that speakers are not only aware of the maxims, but they are
trying the follow them. Fourthly, a speaker can ostentatiously flout or exploit a maxim, to
be illustrated shortly.

6. Flouting Maxims

According to Grundy (1995:40) flouting a maxim is a particularly salient way of

getting an addressee to draw an inference. Flouting maxim is the prototypical way of
conveying implicit meaning.A cooperative speaker can intentionally disobey a maxim, as
long as (s) he or the context. It provides enough indicators for the hearer to notice it. This
is called flouting a maxim and is used to indirectly convey information (e.g., using
sarcasm or irony).

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Example:
What an amazing baseball player John is!
This can either be a positive comment on John's abilities (maxim of quality obeyed) or
negative comment on John's abilities through irony (maxim of quality disobeyed, Clear to
hearer, e.g., when said right after John didn't catch the ball).

7. Hedging Maxims

Hedges may intentionally or unintentionally be employed in both spoken and

written language since they are crucially important in communication. Hedges help
speakers and writers indicate more precisely indicate how Grecian maxims (expectations
of quantity, quality, manner, and relevance) are observed in assessments. For example:

a. All I know is smoking is harmful to your health

In (1), it can be observed that information conveyed by the speaker is limited by adding
all I know and as you probably know. By so saying, the speaker wants to inform that she
is not only making an assertion but observing the maxim of quantity as well.

b. They told me that they are married

If the speaker only says that “they are married” and they do not know for sure if they are
married, they may violate the maxim of quality since they say something that they do not
know to be true or false. Nevertheless, by adding they told me that, the speaker wants to
confirm that they are observing the conversational maxim of quality.

c. I am not sure if all of these are clear to you, but this is what I know

The above example (3) shows that hedges are good indications the speakers are not only
conscious of the maxim of manner, but they are also trying to observe them.
Opting out hedges in English:
1) Quality

As far as I know,

I’m not sure if this is true, but…

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 I may be wrong, but…

2) Quantity

As you probably already know,

I can’t say anymore,

I probably don’t need to say this, but…

3) Relation

Oh, by the way,

I’m not sure if this is relevant, but…

I don’t want to change the subject, but…

4) Manner

I’m not sure if this is clear, but…

I don’t know if this makes sense, but…

This may be a bit tedious, but…

C. Data of Video

Transcript of Classroom Interaction

Place : SMP N 1 Pariangan, Pariangan sub- district, Tanah Datar regency

Time : Wednesday, at 07.40 – 09.00, 13th of November 2013

Teacher : Rita Karmila, S. Pd.

Topic : Descriptive Text

Skill : Reading and Writing

Teacher : Okay,Good morning students

Students : (1)Good morning teacher

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Teacher : How are you?

Students : (1) I am fine (together)

Teacher : Baik, sekarangkitalanjutkan, our study the last meeting yaitu?

Students : (1) Descriptive Text

Teacher : KD kitayaitu reading and writing.

Kemaren sudah kita bahasa tentang listening dan speaking, deskriptif text itu
menggunakan?

Students : (2) Present Tense

Teacher : Present tense

Menggunakan adjective, kalo kemaren kucing apa yang diapunya? Bagaimana

ciri-cirinya?

Apa structurenya kemaren descriptive text?

Students : (1) Identification

Teacher : Identification

Selanjutnya, description. Sekarang coba kamu open your LKS, page –Sri-
page 52. LKS, Rahman duduk. Oke, now look at aktivity eight, activity eight.
Rahmi, where is your LKS? Rindi ada LKSnya? Aldi ada LKSnya?

Students : Halaman berapa buk?

Teacher : (3) Fiftytwo. Activity eight.You read it, after that you answer the questions
number one until number four. Kamu baca baru translate together, kita
terjemahkan bersama, setelah itu, kamu nanti jawab pertanyaan nomor satu
sampai empat. Please read first paragraph.Sri, first paragraph.

Sri : (Sri reads the paragraph one)

Teacher : Apaartinya, what is the meaning on?

Students : (6) Satu

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Teacher : On,satu? Apa katanya this is the corner, corner, corner.

Students : Sudut

Teacher : Sudut, disalah satu sudut, my dressing table

Students : Meja

Teacher : Meja, iya sit some toys, one of my toys is barby doll, salah satu, one of
artinya salah satu, boneka barby, which sit on tiny plastic box, yang mana
duduk di box, kalo 3 suku kata kita ambil dulu dari belakang, kotak plastic
tiny, the synonym of tiny is small. Kecil. It is …. Ini adalah hadiah, klo letak
that ditengah kalimat artinya, yang I receive, yang saya terima last summer,
yang saya terima dari teman terbaik saya. Okay, Viona next paragraph. Ooy
Rahman, don’t make the voice.

Students : (Viona reads the text)

Teacher : I call her Barbara, saya memanggilnya Barbara, Barbara has attractive
appearance that makes her beautiful. Barbara mempunyai, the synonym of
appearance is performance, interest menaik. Barbara has, mempunyai
penampilan menarik, that make her beautiful, her hight 30 cm. mempunyai
high tapa arti hight?

Tall untuk manusia or person, klo ini untuk?

Students : (1) Benda

Teacher : Things, tingginya kira-kira tiga puluh sentimeter, and she has slim body,
tubuhnya ramping atau langsing. She has long strait blonde hair, kosa kata
baru untuk kamu, apaitu blonde? apaitu blonde, yaitu pirang, ia mempunyai
rambut pirang lurus yang panjang. Her round face,

Her round face apa itu round, mukanya bulat a pair blue eyes, and small nose,
mukanya bulat cocok dengan sepasang mata yang blue, thin pink lips, bibir
pink yang tipis. Small nose hidung yang kecil.Maota jo lae, ndak ado ibuk
maajak maota do. Jam bara wak masuak. Sit with..sudah tau ndak punya buku.
Oke suara.Oke siapa lagi.Pepi four until shoes on her feet.

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Students : (Pepi reads the text)

Teacher : Apa artinya, untuk membuat penampilan Barbara lebih menarik, dia
didukung oleh gaun, sebenarnya Barbara mempunyai banyak gaun, Rahmi.
Tapi dia selalu memakai warna merah, karena itu merah warna favorit saya.
Pita merah tua, yang mempunyai bentuk seperti rose, yang terletak disebelah
kanan gaun. Dan juga meletakkan tas hitam kecil di lengannya. Anting emas
di masing-masing telinga. Dan sepatu berhak tinggi hitam dikakinya. Putri
reads until desk.

Putri : (Putri reads the text)

Teacher :Sebagai hadiah berharga dari teman terbaik saya Yani, saya selalu ingin
menjaga Barbara dengan baik, untuk itu saya tidak pernah membiarkannya.
Saya biasanya menutupnya menggunakan kotak plastic transparan. Dan
meletakkannya dimeja. Zulhardi

Zulhardi :(He talks with his friend)

Teacher : Apa katanya, but sometimes, suatu saat, kadang-kadang jika saya tidak punya
teman untuk bermain saya membuka tutupnya dan bermain dengan Barbara,
dengan menggerakkan tangannya dan kakinya atau mengganti gaunnya.
Walaupun Barbara tidak pernah merespon apa yang saya katakan.
Ayi.Sekurang-kurangnya itu membuat sayamersa bahwa saya memiliki
sesuatu yang akan selalu ada buat saya. And now you answer questions
number one until number four. Satu sampai empat.
jawab nomor satu sampai empat ambil buku. Nah Rahman are you finish? Nah
kerjakan. (After several minutes………). Siap?

Students : Siap?

Teacher : Ari siap? Ok activity nine, Aldi. Ari read the first paragraph, baca paragraph
pertama.

Students : (Ari reads the text)

Teacher : Tau artinya? You know sportfans?

Students : (6) Penyanyi

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Teacher : Penggemarspor, olah raga, you are pasti tau nama Jordan ia adalah pemain
basket terkenal, meski pun karirnya sebagai pemain telah berakhir his name
atau namanya akan hidup untuk beberapa tahun yang akan datang. Aldi.

:Aldi bisa duduk tenang. Micle Jordan seperti seorang bintang, dia mempunyai
tubuh yang sangat, bagaimana tubuhnya? Tegap.Dia memiliki mata coklat
yang manis. Dia itu selalu kelihatan bagus dengan pakaian bahkan dalam
pakaian santai, atau pakaian jas. Personality, apa artinya? Sama terkenalnya
dengan ability, kemampuannya bermain, Mikel orang yang sangat?Apa artinya
determine, where is your dictionary? Ibuk bawa dictionary ndak didengarnya.
Revi, where is dictionary.

Students : (6)Aacaribuk?

Teacher : Determine, cek your dictionary. Apa artinya, menetap kan, merumuskan,
menetapkan, apa artinya? Michael bermain sebagai orang apa namanya?
Bukan sukses, bintangnya, dalam kelompoknya, dalam groupnya, ini yang
membuatnya sebagai pemain basket yang sukses, Michael Jordan not only the
great atlet.

Students : Michael Jordan tidak seorang

Teacher : Tidak seorang? Michael Jordan tidak hanya atlet yang besar but also seorang
yang sangat peduli.Ini bukanlah suatu yang biasa sehingga, banyak anak laki-
laki, dream, ingin menjadi seperti dia. Answer number one until number five,
jawab satu sampai lima. What is the meaning number one. What is tell us
about. Number two why …. Number three which paragraph Michael Jordan
physical look? Famous, apa artinya famous, what is synonym? Nah
selanjutnya, kenapa banyak anak laki-laki suka pada Michael Jordan.Nah
jawab sekarang jawab di buku latihan, Silviana tidak ada bawa LKS?

: Famous..apa artinya famous??

Students : (1) Terkenal

Teacher : Terkenal, have you finished??

Students : (1) Lumbuk,,

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 (after a several minutes…..)

Teacher : Change jawaban kamu, change with your friend. Ari, siap?

Ok, now, Sri you change with revi, vio with miss, viona-rindi, tiara-putri,
randi-zul, rahman-aldi.

Ok, number one until five exercise 8, ok vio. Nah ari, exercise 8 number five,
what is tell paragraph about?

Students : Physical look

Teacher : Number 1 a. knapa A? karena physical look di dalam text ada look

Teacher : What does the text tell us about?

Kalau disini, apa topiknya?

Students : Mr. Johns

Teacher : Ari!! Haa kalau menanyakan tentang apa?

Kita ambi ldari paragraph?

Students : Modus pertama buk.

Identification tu a buk?

Teacher : Modus paragraph, identification, siapa yang dibahas apa yang dibahas!!

Jadi disini yang dibahas adalah?

Students : (1) Mr. Jordan

Teacher : Number two, Why will Mr. Jordan name lived

Because he is probably!!!

Aldi don’t make noisy!!

Students : Ibuk kalau because of what he lived ..??

Teacher : Karena dia adalah seorang atlit basket yang terkenal.

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 Okay, you can make it true.

Now, number three (3). Which paragraph?

Students : Second paragraph.

Teacher : Yes, second paragraph.

Students : Buk kok paragraph two dibueknyo buk?

Teacher : Iya nggak apa2. Next, number four (4), what is the synonym of famous?

Students : Popular…!!

Teacher : Kalau famous artinya?

Students : (terkenal)..!!

Teacher : Kalau well-known gimana?? Apa artinya?? (sambil mencatat dipapan tulis)

Students : Sama dengan famous buk..!!

Teacher : (3) Iya, well-known sama dengan dicintai banyak orang/sama dengan
famous, artinya terkenal. Oke, sekarang nomor..?

Number five, why so many boys like Mr. Jordan?

Randi ada apa itu? Nanti ibuk liat berapa betul berapa salahnya ya.

Students : Ya buk.

Teacher : Haa kenapa banyak anak muda suka Mr. Jordan?

Students : Because he is a great atlet.

Teacher : Iya, because he is a great atlet and famous.

Sudah?? Kamu tulis berapa betul dan berapa salahnya.

Who check Aldi please come !!Aldi.Yang mencek punya Aldi bawa kedepan,
sekarang yang mencek punya Ari, Indah, M. fadli, who check punya fadli??
Aldi…!! Can you sit down!!

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 (Teacher checks and give score for all of students exercise with call the name
of corrector)

Students : (1) Yes mom.

Bara batua?

Students : 10 (sapuluah)

Ang bara?

Students : Bara ancak?? (sambil tertawa)

Teacher : Oke, now open activity 8 (eight), bukak activity eight.

Siapa yang belum dapat giliran membaca??

Students : awak buk!!

(one of students read the text)

Teacher : Ya, apa artinya? I have a cute cat. Its name is blacky.

Students : Saya mempunyai kucing yang manis. Namanya blacky.

Teacher : My cat is Russians dog.

Students : Kucing saya adalah kucing rusia. Dan dia memiliki bulu yang bintik-bintik
putih. Dia adalah kucing yang lincah.

Teacher : Ari..!! bagaluik jo lai.

Students : Ndak buk.

Teacher : Sekarang siapa yang akan membaca? Ya, kamu silahkan.

Can you hear her? Bisa kamu dengar?

Students : NO..!!

Teacher : Number one until number five what should we do?

Apa yang akan kita lakukan untuk no 1 sampai 5?

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Students : True or False..!

Teacher : Iya, good…!! True and false.

Putri what the meaning of true?

Students : (1) Benar buk.

Teacher : Iya, true artinya benar dan false artinya salah.

Students : False apo artinya buk?

Teacher : Aduhh..Rahmat, baru sabantako ibuk mangatoan baru.

False artinya salah.

Students : Siap buk..!!

Teacher : Ya sudah siap, Rahmat sangat pintar, tapi jawabanya banyak salah.

Oke are you finish??

Students : belum buk.

Teacher : Ari have you finish?

Students : Not yet buk.

Teacher : Berarti rahmat lah siap yo.

(guru membahas jawaban siswa)

Teacher : Oke, see you tomorrow.

Keterangan: 1 = Quantity Maxims

2 = Quality Maxims

3 = Relation Maxims

4 = Manner Maxims

5 = the relationship between speaker and the maxim

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 6 = Flouting maxims

7 = Hedging Maxims

D. Analysis

No Quantity Maxims

Sentence Explanation

1. Teacher :Oke, Good Karna informasi yang di berikan tepat dan

morning students singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.

Students :Good morning

teachers,

2. Teacher :How are you? Karna informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.
Students : I am fine

3. Teacher :Baik, sekarang Karna informasi yang di berikan tepat dan

kita lanjutkan, our study the last singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.
meeting??

Students :descriptive text

4. Teacher :KD kita yaitu Karna informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
reading and writing. Kemaren singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.
sudah kita bahas tentang listening
dan speaking, deskriptif text itu
menggunakan?

Students : present Tense

5. Teacher :Apa stucturenya Karna informasi yang di berikan tepat dan

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 kemaren descriptive text? singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.

Students :Identification
6. Teacher :Tall untuk manusia Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
or person, klo ini singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.
untuk?

Students :Benda

7. Teacher : Famous..apa Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan

artinya famous?? singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.

Students : Terkenal
8. Teacher : have you finish?? Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.
Students : Lumbuk
9. Teacher :Jadi disini yang Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
dibahas adalah? singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.

Students : Mr. Jordan

10. Teacher :Can you sit down!! Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.
(Teacher checks
and give score for
all of students
exercise with call
the name of
corrector)

Students : Yes mom.

11. Teacher :Putri what the Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
meaning of true? singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.

Students : Benar buk.

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 12. Teacher : Ari have you Karena informasi yang di berikan tepat dan
finish? singkat berdasarkan pertanyaan.

Students : Not yet buk.

No Relation Maxims

Sentence Explanation

1. Students : Halaman berapa buk? Informasi yang diberikan, ada

penambahannya dari yang dibutuhkan
Teacher :Fivtytwo. Actifity eight.

2. student :Sama dengan famous buk..!! Informasi yang diberikan, ada

penambahannya dari yang dibutuhkan
Teacher : Iya, well-known sama
dengan dicintai banyak orang/sama
dengan famous, artinya terkenal

Flouting Maxims
No
Sentences Explanation

1. Teacher : Apa artinya, what is the Karna jawabannya tidak sesuai atau
meaning on? tidak di harapkan dari pertanyaan

Students :Satu

2. Teacher :You know sportfans? Karna jawabannya tidak sesuai atau

tidak di harapkan dari pertanyaan
Students :Penyanyi

3. Teacher :Revi, where is dictionary. Karna jawabannya tidak sesuai atau

tidak di harapkan dari pertanyaan

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 Students : Aa cari buk?

E. Conclusion

Based on explanation above, we can conclude that a conversational maxim is any

of four rules which were proposed by Grice 1975, stating that a speaker is assumed to
make a contribution that is adequately but not overly informative (quantity maxim), the
speaker does not believe to be false and for which adequate evidence is had (quality
maxim), relevant (maxim of relation or relevance), and clear, unambiguous, brief, and
orderly (maxim of manner). Maxims are hedged when the information is not totally
accurate but seem informative, well founded and relevant. The information is taken by
quoting from other person opinion. Based on that theory, in this paper writer analyzed
maxim in classrooms interaction.

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 References

Yule, George. 1996. Pragmatics. New York: Oxford University Press.

Cruse, Alan. 2000. Meaning in Language: An Introduction to Semantic and Pragmatics.
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Fregolin. 2006. Maxim of Quality. Search on Saturdaya, November 10th, 2012. Available on
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php?title=Maxim_of_quality
Helmi, Maria.2010. A study on flouting and hedging maxims used by the Main characters on
“daddy day camp”. Malang: The State Islamic University of Maulana Malik
Ibrhahim Malang.
Nasution, Zuraidah. 2009. Implikatur Percakapam dalam Acara Debat Kandidat calon
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