An underlying assumption in most conversational exchanges seems to be that the participants are co-operating with each other. This principle, together with four maxims that we expect our conversational partners to obey, was first described by the philosopher Paul Grice. The co-operative principle is stated in the following way: “Make your conversational 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” (Grice, 1975: 45). Supporting this principle are four maxims, often called the “Gricean maxims.”

The Quantity maxim: Make your contribution as informative as is required, but not

more, or less, than is required.

The Quality maxim: Do not say that which you believe to be false or for which you

lack adequate evidence.

The Relation maxim: Be relevant.

The Manner maxim: Be clear, brief and orderly.

It is certainly true that, on occasion, we can experience conversational exchanges in which the co-operative principle may not seem to be in operation. However, this general description of the normal expectations we have in conversation helps to explain a number of regular features in the way people say things. For example, during their lunch break, one woman asks another how she likes the sandwich she is eating and receives the following answer.

In logical terms, this reply appears to have no communicative value since it states something obvious and doesn’t seem to be informative at all. However, if the woman is Discourse analysis 147 being co-operative and adhering to the Quantity maxim about being “as informative as is required,” then the listener must assume that her friend is communicating something. Given the opportunity to evaluate the sandwich, her friend has responded without an explicit evaluation, thereby implying that she has no opinion, good or bad, to express. That is, her friend has essentially communicated that the sandwich isn’t worth talking about.