Grices Four Maxims

Grices Four Maxims Grice has proposed four maxims for conversation. Firstly, Grice proposes two maxims under the umbrella of quantity. Speakers have to make their contribution as informative as is required and should not make their contribution more informative than is required. These two maxims are clearly related to the amount of information given between the speakers in their conversation or communication. Grice indicates that the amount of information between the speakers is necessary to let the communication goes on. Speakers need to avoid superfluous information through communication. Clearly, these two maxims are implicitly related to each other. A simple example is A man stops his vehicle in the middle of the road to briefly ask you for directions. He may ask Where is the post office?, the listener may say Not far or Continue on, and make the second left up there. Youll see it (Jacob. 2001, 77). Clearly, the second response is more related to the maxim of quantity. Secondly, Grice posits maxim of quality which indicates that Try to make your contribution one that is true; but, this is separated into two specific maxims: 1. do not say what you believe to be false. 2. do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence. (Grice 1989, 27). These two maxims seem quite distinct. The former requires speakers to always say true things rather false things while the second requires them to have some adequacy of their responses. For example, a speaker may ask Should I buy my son this new sports car?. Speaker B may respond I dont know if thats such a good idea, his car runs fine or Yeah that sounds like a good idea, his car breaks down all the time (Jacob. 2001, 77). Next Grice adds another maxim called maxim of relation. Grice refers to this maxim by simply saying that Be Relevant (Grice 1989, 27). With respect to this maxim, Grice believes that speakers should add relevant input to the conversation being done. For instance, a speaker may ask How are you doing in school?. Speaker B may reply What fine weather were having lately! Or Not so well, Im afraid. Id rather not discuss it (Jacob. 2001, 77). Unfortunately, this maxim has received considerable criticism. Searle, Wilson and Sperber have all rejected and criticized this maxim. Searle added that though it is initially intuitive, it is ultimately problematic (Searle 1992, 14). Lastly, Grice also posits a fourth maxim which indicates that speakers should avoid ambiguity and obscurity of expressions during their communication. They also have to be brief and orderly. A good example is Can you take out the trash? Sure, but we need to talk about how we are assigning the chores around here when I get back. (Jacob 2001, 77). Grice pointed out that maxims of manner may be insufficient and gave it little importance compared to the other maxims. Grice writes that It is obvious that observance of some of these maxims is a matter of less urgency than is the observance of others; a man who has expressed himself with undue prolixity would, in general, be open to milder comment than would a man who has said something he believes to be false (Grice 1989, 27). Critics have argued that maxim of ambiguity is the most important one compared to the other maxims because of its direct relation to what is called equivocation. Grice (1989) also suggests that there are other maxims such as social and moral. He also presents four ways in which speakers violate the four maxims. These ways are violation, opting out, a clash and flouting maxims. Guo (2006) presents a simple explanation of these four ways. The explanation comes in order. First, a speaker may opt out of observing the maxim due to his/her unwillingness to cooperate with another speaker in the way maxim requires. Second, a speaker does not observe the four maxims due to the difficulty of conciliating a maxim with another at the same time. Third, a speaker may also fail in observing the maxim because of his/her intention to force the hearer to look for the meaning which is distinct from the expressed meaning. Lastly, a speaker intentionally violates the cooperative principles which results in lying. In short, these four maxims have come as an assumption to effective communication among speakers; however, speakers may violate these maxims which results in ineffective communication as Grice and his proponents have suggested. It is said that following the four maxims leads to effective communication. Here, the relationship between the four maxims and communication is discussed. Schoolfield (2007) asserted that Communication is considered the basis of Gricean theory. It is also considered the point of conversation as clear communication can occur by means of a dialogue. Conversation is used to send information from one speaker to another. The efficiency of this sending is determined by communication. Moreover, the similarity between Grices four maxims and the communicative goal of conversation, they require the cooperative principle to lead to effective communication. When one approaches conversations in terms of communication, the four maxims must be mentioned. For instance, if a speaker does not give true information during his dialogue while his aim is communication, this seems that he does not act in a cooperatively. Schoolfield (2007) discussed the relationship between the four maxims and communicatio n. He points out the first maxim Make your contribution as informative as is required, is necessary in communication. Speakers provide an amount of information to communicate the intended idea while others provide insufficient information as a violation to the maxim so that they will not achieve the goal of communication. Thus, if the person has the goal of communication, he/she must include relevant facts related to the topic of the dialogue. As for Do not make your contribution more than is required,, Grice (1989) believes that it is not necessary in communication. Culturally, this is clear in English-speaking countries where people find it desirable not to give excessive information during communication, as Grice notes, a waste of time (Grice 1989, 26). Communication requires do not say what you believe to be false, as there will be a failure in communication if one is not honest in the information he/she states. Schoolfield (2007) this maxim is far necessary in cooperative infor mation communication so that the information must not express something false. In addition, Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence, is an acceptable rule for communicators. Therefore, Schoolfield (2007) argues that there must be at least some basic level of understanding as to what can count as evidence or they may be very serious breakdowns in communication. Relevance maxim is most desirable in communicative conversations because when we receive certain information, communication requires responses that are relevant to the information given; however, it is sometime irrelevant in achieving the goals of communication. (Hintikka 1986 argued that relevancy is important in cooperative and effective communication; however, many other have reduced the importance of relevance to efficiency. As to manner maxim, as Grice states, Avoid obscurity of expression, it is also necessary for effective communication since one must have clear and coherent communication. Schoolfield (2007 ) believes that if there is not some clarity in communication, then much confusion will arise or increase for the listeners. Likewise, avoid ambiguity will be necessary for cooperative communication (Grice 1989, 27). Schoolfield (2007) explained that ambiguity arises due to two interpretations that come from one statement. Thus, the avoidance of ambiguity, with regards to effective communication, must only be followed when it can occur. Next is, Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity), (Grice 1989, 27). Schoolfield (2007) believes that brevity is a cultural norm and helpful in communication. Thus, while a consideration for avoiding unnecessary prolixity is acceptable, any issue of brevity being required for cooperative communication will be only decided within a conventional framework. Lastly, Be orderly (Grice 1989, 27). Schoolfield (2007) indicated that this maxim is not necessary in effective communication. Instead, he has given much attention to the speed of giving information ra ther the orderliness of giving information. The Gricen theory is believed to be true not just for conversation, but also for written communication. Cooper (1982:112) maintained that this theory is also common in writing and what Grice says about conversation applies equally to all communication. In conclusion, through this brief discussion of the four maxims and their role in communication, I can say that some of Gricean maxims are not necessary in communication while others are. Gricen maxims play a crucial role in communication. However, his theory is always argued by many scholars and researchers. First, its not clear whether the maxims work in other languages and cultures as some cultures such as Malagasy follow completely different maxims in their communication. In their culture, speakers are not willing to share information. They tend to evade direct questions and reply incomplete answers. Second, they are not a complete listing of the rules we follow in conversation; for example, there are also rules about, say, politeness, which are not addressed in his maxims. Third, the Gricean Maxims, despite their wording, are only meant to describe the commonly accepted traits of successful cooperative communication.

Story about a Car Wreck Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

â€Å"We have to get them out of there!† I heard voices yelling out in the distance, but was to lightheaded to know where they were coming from. Confused, shocked and fear filled my mind as I lye on my side, gasping for air, trying desperately to stagger onto my knees. A sharp pain suddenly ran up my spine into my forehead and quickly I collapsed back onto the cold damp floor inside this mangled metal coffin in which I was trapped in. Bit by bit I moved my hand closer to my forehead, trying to impede this massive throbbing that was affecting my head. I skimmed my forehead and paused my hand on a huge gash. The pain shot into my head again, but I was able to clutch on to the seat and hold my balance. There was blood pouring down the side of my face, forming a puddle on the floor. As I lifted my head up, all I could see were lights flashing and ghostly shadows moving in all directions. The blood that I had loss slowly took affect on me, feeling disoriented I plummeted to the ground hoping that this twisted metal coffin would not become my tombstone. â€Å"I don’t want to go!† I shouted at my mom. â€Å"Perry get in the car, no questions asked!†She refused to repeat herself. My mom was one of those people who had been through a lot in her life. When you stared in her eyes, instead of her backing down she would stare right back at you with 10 times the force, which literally felt like your eyeballs were being pushed right to the back of your head. She always made dinner for the family, and like any women had a little â€Å"me† time where no one could bother her as she filled her brain with useless T.V drama. â€Å"Hurry your lazy ass up† my little brother swiftly remarked before making his quick exit through the front door. â€Å"I’ am not going to hi... ... was placed over my face. Was it over? I deliberated to myself. I tried not to breathe, but in less than a second I was unconscious again. In no apparent order multiple scenes began to flash through my head. My thoughts turned to nothing, and for one minute all I saw in my mind was an everlasting black abyss accompanied by a single deafening beep. â€Å"Perry...Perry?† A soft peaceful voice echoed in my eardrum. â€Å"Good morning† A beautiful nurse awoke me. I truly thought I was in heaven. â€Å"How are you feeling their big guy?† My curiosity got the better of me â€Å"am I in heaven?† She chuckled â€Å"Of course not† she started running some tests. I slowly pushed my eyelids open, finally coming face to face with reality. â€Å"Is my mom okay?† â€Å"Yea she’s fine, you did a very brave thing back there,† she whispered to me. I whispered back, â€Å"the funny thing was†¦I never wanted to go†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Pros and cons of using technology Essay

For many years, people have invented new technology equipment which became part of our lives. With existence of technology, people tend to depend on modern machines like smartphone, laptop, television and others. Moreover, the sharp development of technology has extremely expressed the human’s intelligence and creativity. Thanks to technology, everything becomes easier, more convenient and enjoyable for us. However, the matter is whether or not we use these technology efficiently. This essay will tell you more about advantages and disadvantages of technology Once upon a time, people did everything by their own hands. They washed clothes beside the rivers, cooked meals by firing wood, walked on foot from one place to others. At that time, the communication was so limited and inconvenient. People who were far from each other were difficult to connect. Nonetheless, technology appeared and obviously changed the whole world so far. Technology apparently has become part of our lives since it brought large benefits to us in communication, entertainment, business, education†¦.It appeared to make people’ matters easier, to save time, to bring people closer and closer. In the past, a woman was always busy with the housework, taking care of children, cooking for meal manually. Contrarily, nowadays everything becomes faster and easier with the support of washing-machine, microwave, television and many technical equipment. Instead of spending more than hour only in order to wash clothes by hands, they save time and energy by putting it into machine and doing other stuff. With microwaves, you just spend few minutes even few seconds for a meal. Thus, with much developed technology, you can save times and feel like you have more than 24 hours a day. With smart phone and internet, we are able to talk and see our friends and relatives who living far from us and feel like they are beside us. Moreover, the development of digital technology helps people not only expand relationships over the world but also learn more new things. With a laptop connected to the internet, we can easily find information from many sources and relax with many online games or music. It is also so amazing that we can find our old friends through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and share information to any part of the world only milliseconds. The communication becomes cheaper and more convenient thanks to people’ great inventions. Especially, we must consider how effective technology can help work. Amount  of modern applications and devices help people easily manage their work and their time such as take-note schedule, remind tasks and important events. In the past, we took at least two or three days to send a letter to another place. Now we can send an email just by click â€Å"send†, it takes only few seconds. Moreover, some people also might choose to work at home and j ust connect with other by network. Even though technology brought us many advantages, have people utilized it as efficient way? It will be negative effort if we abuse of it too much. Unfortunately, almost every one of us are depending on modern equipment and not realizing the unpredictable consequences. While people are able to talk with their friends who are far from us, they may have difficulty in communicating with others around them. They are more comfortable with hiding behind the screens rather than talking face to face. It is actually sad to say that we are becoming less social interaction and insensitive to each other. Young people tend to be alone and passive with smartphone, laptop and uncommunicative to people around them. With state-of-the-art devices, we work more efficiently than before. However, there are also some drawbacks. Abusing of technology might make us become a machine: work, work and work. Some firm owners try to extend more time work and employees probably become workaholic because of the benefit and convenient devices. Businessmen tend to bring work to home and no more time watching TV with their children and family. Obviously, their wives and children extremely don’t like that. Moreover, life of people are under the heavy threat by internet crimes. Exploiting the development of social networks or computer tricks, they steal information, documents from other device. More dangerous, they also rape the young girls who have the habit check in on Facebook, Instagram or kidnap children for a ransom. Therefore, the more developed of technology also internet, the more dangerous people have to face with. Every part of our daily life is almost related to technology and its development continuously satisfy our demands. Unfortunately, our dependence on technology currently is too much, it is considerably alarming. The impact of technology on our lives can be devastating if we don’t keep ourselves in check Technology is like a coin which has both positive and negative sides. We should decide and choose how to use it. The advantages of technology are  very helpful for people if we use it right, it will be effective to our lives and society. Nobody can deny positively development of technology, but it must be the positive developed and shouldn’t have any negative affected in present or future. Comments: Good argument, perhaps you guys can add more argument about using technology, because I saw no clear argument about it. Does people today really using technology effectively? You can write also about the crime using technology. For example: People who rape young girl who they knew from facebook. (Renitha – 02910116) Interesting topic with good explanations and examples. Although there are some unclear parts but in the end, readers can get the points. There are some grammatical and colloquial errors, hope you can put on more attention on it. Overall, this is a fine essay (Danny – 02911741)

Hamlet, By William Shakespeare - 866 Words

Hamlet, the son of the former King of Denmark is in a state of depression due to his father’s murder which was committed by his uncle. This is followed by the marriage of his mother and the same uncle who killed his father; this forces Hamlet into a state of misery. Upon learning that his father was murdered, Hamlet is also told by his father’s ghost to get revenge. Throughout the play, Hamlet often pretends to be insane or in a state of madness. This is all apart of how he will plan to kill is murderer uncle. Hamlet’s love, Ophelia, is ordered by her Father Polonius to not be with Hamlet, because he is thought to be insane. Hamlet later on in the play is kills Polonius, which causes Ophelia to truly slip into madness, unlike Hamlet’s superficial madness. From the very beginning of the play, Hamlet gives the impression that he is insane. Whenever Hamlet interacts with the characters he is unpredictable, and acts like a fool. However, when Hamlet is alone he acts like a totally different person, he is well mannered and sane. The reason for this is simple; Hamlet is not truly mad. Hamlet is completely sane from the opening scene to the moment he dies. At the beginning of the play, before the ghost of his father tells him that Claudius killed him, Hamlet is distressed due his father’s death. Hamlet is also shaken up by the marriage of his mother and Claudius which occurred just after his father’s funeral. Hamlet sarcastically tells Horatio â€Å"the funeral baked meats did coldlyShow MoreRelatedHamlet, By William Shakespeare880 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is praised as the pioneering English poet and playwright whose collection of theatrical works is regarded as the greatest artistic value throughout the hist ory of English literature. Shakespeare delved into the spiritual and mental component of humanity and the consequences that arise from this human spirit when it is disputed. 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A result from this isolation leads Hamlet to become melancholy. Hamlet struggles with suicidal thoughts, wants to kill King Claudius, and is distraught over his mother’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare846 Words   |  4 Pagesalways been a contemplative topic. In Hamlet, the main character Hamlet thinks to himself about suicide. Hamlet was written by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet between 1599 and 1602. William Shakespeare is one of the greatest playwrights in history. Hamlet is about Prince Hamlet of Denmark who is trying to find out about the death of his father after his father s ‘ghost’ comes to him telling him it was his uncle who had killed him. While Hamlet contemplates suicide he gives his famous