ANALYSIS OF GRICEAN MAXIMS IN ‘THE OYSTER AND THE PEARL’: A PRAGMATIC STUDY

Abstract

Having a conversation is one way to get more information. When the speaker is talking to the listeners, they must have context in it so that there is no misunderstanding between them. To prevent misinterpretation between the speaker and the hearer. This research aims to find out and analyse the type of maxims used in “The Oyster and the Pearl” play. The researcher used descriptive qualitative method to collect and analyse the text by implanting the Gricean Maxims as the theoretical framework.  The results of the study showed that the characters in the one-act play “The Oyster and the Pearl play” used all four of Paul Grice’s maxims.  The researcher coded 24 dialogues and found 8 maxims of quantity, 5 maxims of quality, 8 maxims of relation, and 5 maxims of manner in the play dialogues.  The characters in the play ‘The Oyster and the Pearl’ manipulated all cooperative principles in their utterances, but mostly, used the quantity maxim. It can be concluded that submissive maxims and cooperative principles are mostly obeyed in play, proving the conversation’s effectiveness. The study implies that Gricean maxims, which make the way of talking polite and effective, are very handy in daily conversation