Thisconcernstheconventionalusesofwordslike“all”,“some”,and“none”in conversation. In which the use of one type implicates that the exploit of stronger
form is unlikely.
C. Cooperative Principles
Paul H. Portner in his book gives definition of cooperative principle, it is, speaker’s meaning should be calculable on the basis of the assumption that
speakers are behaving rationally and cooperatively.
19
Louise Cummings in his book Pragmatics A Multidisciplinary Perspective, it speaks about the cooperative principle states are make your contribution such as
required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchanges in which you are engaged.
20
Levinson in his book Pragmatics describes four maxims are follows:
1. The maxim of quantity
The first maxim of the cooperative principle is the maxim of quantity, which says;
a. Make your contribution as informative is required for the current purpose of
the exchange. b.
Do not make your contribution more informative than is required.
21
19
Paul H. Portner, What is Meaning? Fundamentals of Formal Demantics USA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2005, p. 199.
20
Louise Cummings, Pragmatics A Multidisciplinary Perspective UK: Edinburgh University Press, 2005, p. 10.
21
Stephen C. Levinson, Pragmatics USA: Cambridge University Press, 1983, p. 101.
People who give too little information risk their hearer not being able to identify what they are talking about because they are not explicit enough; those
who give more information than the hearer need risk boring them For example:
a. As you probably know, I am terrified of bugs.
b. So, to cut a long story short, we grabbed out stuff and ran.
22
2. The maxim of quality
Try to make your contribution one that is true: a.
Do not say what you believe to be false. b.
Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.
23
For example: a.
AsfarasIknow,they’remarried. b.
Hecouldn’tlivewithouther,Iguess.
24
3. The maxim of relation
Make your contribution relevant.
25
For example: a.
Idon’tknowifthisisimportant,butsomeofthefilesaremissing. b.
Not to change the subject, but is this related to the budget?
26
22
George Yule, 1996, Op.cit, p. 38.
23
H.P Grice, 1975, Op.cit. p. 46.
24
George Yule, 1996, Loc.cit.
25
H.P Grice, 1975, Loc.cit.
26
George Yule, 1996, Op.cit, p. 39.