maxims

Gricean Maxims

1. The Maxim of Quantity

a. Make your contribution as informative as is required (for the current purposes of the exchange).

b. Do not make you contribution more informative than is required.

2. The Maxim of Quality: Try to make your contribution one that is true.

a. Do not say what you believe to be false.

b. Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.

3. The Maxim of Relevance: Be relevant.

4. The Maxim of Manner: Be perspicuous.

a. Avoid obscurity of expression.

b. Avoid ambiguity.

c. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity).

d. Be orderly.

(Grice 1975: 45-7)

Reference: "Logic and conversation", pp. 41-58 in Syntax and Semantics: Speech Acts, 1975, edited by Peter Cole and Jerry Morgan