bribe, including Lorne Lutch. Therefore, Nick flouts the maxim of quality by using hyperbole.
d. Using Irony
A speaker also can use using irony in flouting the maxim of quality. In the case of using irony, the speaker expresses a positive sentiment and implies a
negative one. An example of this strategy can be seen in the dialogue between Nick and BR below. It takes place in BR’s office.
Nick : Oh, the 50 million anti teen-smoking campaign? BR
: Yeah.
Nick : Yeah, he gave that the go-ahead. Oh, and he loved your idea to put cigarettes back into movies.
QLIO00:25:52 After Nick came back from meeting Captain, Br asks Nick what Captain
thinks about the 50 million anti teen-smoking campaign. In response to BR, Nick says that Captain agrees with the campaign. Besides, he also says that Captain
also loves BR’s idea to put cigarettes back into movies. His utterance sounds like express a positive sentiment but behind it, Nick implies the negative one. In fact,
the idea to put cigarettes back into movies is Nick’s idea. However, BR says to Captain that it is his idea. Nick feels betrayed by BR because he admits Nick’s
idea as his idea. In short, Nick flouts the maxim of quality by saying using irony. The second example of saying using irony as the strategy to flout the
maxim is the dialogue between Nick and Captain below. Captain: Smart man, that BR.
Nick : Oh, yeah, yeah. And loyal.
QLIO00:21:25
The conversation happens when Nick meets Captain in Winston-Salem. Previously, Captain says that BR has an idea that they should start bribing
producers in Hollywood to make the actors smoke on screen, like in the old days. In fact, that idea comes from Nick. When Nick and BR have a meeting in
Academy of Tobacco Studies office, Nick delivers his idea to BR. However, BR admits Nick’s idea as his idea. He says to Captain that it is his idea to bring
cigarettes back into movie. In response to Captain’s opinion that BR is smart, Nick says ‘yeah’.
Besides, he also says that BR is loyal in a sarcastic tone. Saying BR is loyal is actually the opposite of what Nick thinks. Thus, Nick implies something behind it.
In short, Nick flouts the maxim of quality by giving using irony because he expresses a positive sentiment but implies the negative one.
e. Being Irrelevant
