Flouting and Its Types

ASSIGNMENT NO.
02
Title:
Flouting maxims and its types
SUBMITTED TO:
Laiba (21021502-166)
SUBMITTED TO:
Prof, Mudassr jihan
Course title:
Pragmatics
Course code:
ENG-324
Section:
Bs English ©
University of Gujrat
(hafiz hayat)
Flouting maxims and its types

FLOUTING MAXIMS:
Maxim flouting is one of the forms of non-observed Cooperative Principle (Grice, 1975: 49).
That is when the speaker of a conversation intentionally breaks the maxims to convey hidden meanings.
In his definition, Thomas (1995: 65) explains that maxim flouting means intentionally failing to follow the
maxims of Cooperative Principle without any intention to deceive or make a misunderstanding.
EXAMPLE:
If someone asks, "Do you know where the toilet is?” the correct response would be to say
"Yes, it's through the door on the left." If the explanation is left out, the required quantity of information
has not been given, so the maxim of quantity has been flouted.
Types:
Maxim flouting is divided into the same number of the maxims of Cooperative Principle. It is
Grice’s theory that is used as the basic notion. Therefore, there are four types of maxim flouting; they
are quantity maxim flouting, quality maxim flouting, relevance maxim flouting, and manner maxim
flouting.
 Quantity maxim flouting:
It means that the speakers of a conversation fail to fulfill the maxim of quantity which includes whether
the speakers are not as informative as is required or more informative than is required. Speakers
become less informative or more informative when they flout maxim of quantity.
Charlene: I hope you brought the bread and the cheese.
Dexter: Ah, I brought the bread.
Yule (1996: 40)
In this conversation, Dexter tries to say that what is not mentioned is not brought. He intentionally gives
too little information to respond to Charlene's utterance so Charlene as the hearer of Dexter is expected
to understand the unstated meaning of 'Ah, I brought the bread.' By saying that utterance, Dexter has
flouted maxim of quantity because he does not give the required information.
 Quality maxim flouting:

When a speaker flouts maxim of quality, the speaker fails to fulfill the maxim of quality; a maxim that
requires the speaker to make a contribution that is true, that is not saying what is believed to be false
and not saying that for which the speaker lacks of adequate evidence.
Ellie: Ough. Winter has come.
Sam: Right. My house is a refrigerator right now.
By saying my house is a refrigerator; Sam has been flouting maxim of quality. It is because he says
something that is not true. Sam believes that his house is not a refrigerator. Saying thing that he
believes to be false flout maxim of quality. In terms of conveying hidden message, Sam tries to express
his agreement and inform Ellie that his house is very cold as a refrigerator by saying that expression.
 Relevance maxim flouting:
It means that the speakers of a conversation fail to be relevant in communicating. Speakers are usually
being irrelevant in flouting maxim of relevance. However, being irrelevant does not purely mean that
the speakers do not want to be relevant. Sometimes, speakers are being irrelevant because they want to
hide something or to say something to others indirectly.
Annie: Betty, the phone is ringing.
Betty: I'm in the bath.
Cutting (2008: 38)
In this exchange, Betty has flouted maxim of relevance by being irrelevant. Betty states an answer with a
different topic. Here, Annie is expected to be able to receive Betty's unstated message. Since Betty is in
the bath, Annie is expected to answer the phone.
 Manner maxim flouting:
It happens when there are some ambiguities in a conversation. The example of manner maxim flouting:
Daughter: Where are you going, Dad?
Daddy: To the m-a-r-k-e-t.
A father answers his daughter's question ambiguously. Instead of saying 'market' directly, he spells the
word 'market' by its letters. Thee father has flouted maxim of manner since he does not avoid obscurity
of expression.
Related to the meaning and the reason for the father saying that, the context is an important aspect to
observe.
In this case, the father is trying to keep a secret from his littlest daughter so his littlest daughter does not
demand to go along with him. This unstated meaning makes the father flouts maxim of manner, not
violate it.
References and Recommended Reading
Cutting, J. (2008). Pragmatics and Discourse: A Resource Book for Students. New York: Routledge
Mey, J. L. (2001). Pragmatics, An Introduction, Second Edition. Australia: Blackwell Publishing.
Gazdar, G. (1979) Pragmatics, Implicature, Presupposition and Logical Form. New York: Florida Academic
Press, Inc. ltd.
* Grice, H.P. (1975). Logic and Conversation. New York: Oxford University Press.
Yule, G. (1996). Pragmatics. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Levinson, S. C. (1995). Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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ASSIGNMENT NO.

Flouting maxims and its types

 Quantity maxim flouting:

Charlene: I hope you brought the bread and the cheese.

Dexter: Ah, I brought the bread.

Yule (1996: 40)

 Quality maxim flouting:

Ellie: Ough. Winter has come.

Sam: Right. My house is a refrigerator right now.

 Relevance maxim flouting:

Annie: Betty, the phone is ringing.

Betty: I'm in the bath.

Cutting (2008: 38)

 Manner maxim flouting:

Daughter: Where are you going, Dad?

Daddy: To the m-a-r-k-e-t.

References and Recommended Reading

Mey, J. L. (2001). Pragmatics, An Introduction, Second Edition. Australia: Blackwell Publishing.

Yule, G. (1996). Pragmatics. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

Levinson, S. C. (1995). Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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