Co-operative Principle Reflection in ‘‘A Cup of Tea’s’’ Dialogues by Katherine Mansfield

Abstract

Interlocutors imply the Cooperative Principle’s Maxims to remain relevant, authentic, ordered and brief in their communication. Rationally, it is an increasing concern in pragmatics to decipher the way communicators use Paul Grice’s approach to Maxims of Conversation to achieve common ends. The purpose of this miniature research paper is to dig out the obeyed maxims in a literary piece of work’s dialogue between different fictional characters. The role Maxims plays in unfolding the variety of aspects of speakers and the way they use it to achieve their intentional purpose by elucidating their conversation through using Paul Grice’s approach. This qualitative research, under Paul Grice’s Cooperative Principle as a theoretical framework, analyses the dialogues between literary characters of the short story ‘A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield. This also portrays the variety of themes emerges during their communication. The inference of this analysis shows that the social, economic and cultural backgrounds of the interlocutors play a significant role in their choice of maxims in communication. Rich people imply more manners and relation maxims in conversation to show their power, property and to elucidate their hypocritical communication. They use more quantity and quality maxims when communicating with those who belong to high strata of society, the same as the speaker. This study definitively answers the question that Maxims make communication clear, but also the social situation. This research implies that it enhances the awareness at the social and psychological level regarding communicators and the use of different maxims according to situation, making communication fruitful.