sentence uttered by speaker that can be understood by interpreting the meaning based on the context.
Cooperative principles is first coined by Grice 1975. Speaker attempts to be cooperative in conversation Briner, 2012: 21. Similar to Briner, Yule argues
that people involved in a conversation will cooperate with each other 1996:36- 37. Related to the focus study, cooperative principles is claimed to be able to
explain language in humor. Raskin 1985: 272-273 states that a basic assumption which underlies the following remarks is that a large number of humor involves
breaking one or more of Grice’s maxims. Hence, cooperative principles will be discussed further.
3. Cooperative principles
Cooperative principles requires speaker to contribute the conversation such as required, at the stage it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the
talk exchange in which speaker and hearer are engaged Yule, 1998: 37. According to cooperative principles, both speaker and hearer converse with the
willingness to deliver and interpret a message. The speaker and hearer cooperate to communicate efficiently.
Hence, to achieve effective communication, speaker and hearer have to fulfill cooperative principles which consists of four maxims: quality, quantity,
relation, and manner. There are two possibilities of conducting the maxims: the one is doing an observance of maxim and the other is doing a non-observance of
maxim. When the maxim is fulfilled, it is assumed that speaker has successfully observed the maxim called observance of maxim. Meanwhile when speaker fails
to observe maxim, it is called non-observance of maxim. a.
Observance of Maxim Observance of maxim happens when speaker successfully follows four
maxims to achieve effective communication. 1
Maxim of Quality Maxim of quality requires speaker to make contribution that is true and
not to say things that are false Yule, 1998: 37. Hence, fulfilling maxim of quality means the speaker tries to avoid saying things they lack adequate
evidence. An example of maxim of quality is shown below. A
: What is the capital of Venezuela? B :
Caracas Flowerdew, 2012: 96
In the interaction, speaker B achieves maxim of quality because the speaker tells the truth that the capital of Venezuela is Caracas.
2 Maxim of Quantity
Maxim of quantity requires speaker not to make contribution more or less informative than what is required Yule, 1998: 37. Thus, observing maxim of
quantity means speaker will give right amount of information and not give more information than what a situation requires. An example of maxim of quantity is
shown below.
A : Hi, what would you like?
B : Two hundred grams of the shaved ham thanks.
Paltridge, 2006: 62 In the interaction, speaker B observes maxim of quantity because the speaker
gives exactly right amount of information needed. 3
Maxim of Relation Maxim of relation requires speaker to say something that is relevant to
what has been said before Cutting, 2002: 35. Maxim of relation requires speaker to be relevant to the context and situation in which the utterance occurs. An
example of maxim of relation is shown below. A :
Now I mentioned yesterday that you should look at both sides
of the same coin. You should look at those who argue for audience as guerilla readers, you know post-modern theorists
will see audience as being involved in interpretative free for all
O’Keeffe et al, 2011: 62 The example is taken from a university lecture. Speaker A observes maxim of
relation because the speaker points to what has been said before by uttering I mentioned yesterday.
4 Maxim of Manner
Maxim of manner requires speaker to describe things orderly and clearly Cutting, 2002: 35. Maxim of manner requires speaker to avoid ambiguity as
well as obscurity. An example of maxim of manner is shown below. “She dusted the shelves and washed the walls”
Cummings, 2005: 12
