8 Pragmatics branches from semantics and syntax, focusing more on the
interaction and knowledge between users of a language instead of just focusing on linguistic meaning and structure Aitchison 2003:104. If in semantics the
meaning of a word or sentence is relatively static, in the point of view of pragmatics, a sentence may mean different things, depending on the context. For
example, while the sentence 2 “What are you looking at?” may sound like a simple inquiry, an angry person may also use the sentence to express discomfort
for being stared at and to get people to look elsewhere.
2. Gricean Conversational Maxims
Herbert Paul Grice, an American philosopher found that there are conversational maxims that are in effect within conversations which enables how
humans communicate efficiently. It entails four maxims: 1 The Maxim of Quality – Do not provide an information believed to be false
2 The Maxim of Quantity – Provide appropriate amount of information 3 The Maxim of Relevance – Stay relevant to the context of the conversation
4 The Maxim of Manner – Be clear, unambiguous and orderly 1975: 45–46, 49–50
In this study, these four maxims are used as basis to categorize the kinds of maxim floutings.
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3. The Cooperative Principle
Grice also established the Cooperative Principle, which is described this way: “Make your contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs,
by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged” Grundy 1995:37.
This study understands that in conversations, people generally follow this principle: they agree to deliver and comprehend a message, enabling them to
communicate efficiently Thomas 1995:63. People would also assume that those people who are staying in a conversation keep in line with this principle, meaning
everything that are spoken can be interpreted, even when it seems to violate conversational maxims.
4. Maxim flouting
Maxim flouting is the core phenomenon being investigated by this study. It is an instance where speakers deliberately break a maxim, but not with the
intention of misleading the hearer. Instead, maxim floutings are often done in order that hearers would effectively infer a specific message that is, the actual
message according to the context which is not explicitly spoken Thomas 1995:65. Maxims can be flouted for various reasons, such as to create humor, or
to avoid an uncomfortable situation.
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5. Conversational Implicature
