Conversational Maxims (or How to Have Really Awkward Conversations)

 My husband, Tyson, the English major has adopted a kind of social experiment from one of his class lectures.  It is a very awkward yet hilarious way of responding to people in a manner they are not expecting. There are unspoken rules of conversation called the conversational or Gricean maxims.  I am sure you’ve all had exchanges at one point in your life that have just been completely uncomfortable (I think I have them daily when I ride the light rail…) But those conversations you’ve had were probably because these rules of speech were broken.  Tyson’s favorite victims are Wal-mart cashiers.  Anyways, the conversational maxims are:

1)      The maxim of quantity- giving more information than anticipating. For example, one person may ask something like, “Hey, how’s it goin?” And the expected response would be an equally simple answer like, “It’s going great. How are you?” To break this maxim, one would say something like, “Well, I am doing ok. I woke up early this morning and I was just really tired but I couldn’t go back to sleep so I got up and played on the internet for a little while. I saw a couple good youtube videos and some that were just ok.  I am really not much of a morning person.  When I was little my mom told me I was a morning person, but that all changed when I hit puberty…” 

2)      The maxim of revelance- giving totally random answers.  For example, “How are you doing today, sir? Did you find everything ok?” “I am going to get a new hamster. A brown and white one that doesn’t bite…”

3)      The maxim of manner- a clear, unambiguous, brief and orderly response.  Example, “Will you take out the trash?” “Well, it is probable that I would take out the trash more often if someone weren't flagrantly wasteful, such that the majority of trash weren't always coming from that person.”

4)      The maxim of quality- people naturally assume that you are going to tell them the truth.  For example, when people enquire after your name, you usually don’t tell them, “Jose Luis” if your name is Tyson Adams.  Also, you wouldn’t give your new home teachers in the ward you just moved into the run around that you’re inactive and afraid to go to church because of the Russian Mafia or something equally ridiculous…

If you know Tyson, I am sure you can picture him breaking all these maxims on purpose just to make people squirm and having a ball with it! Don’t worry though, he usually tells them he is kidding before too long. So whether I am playing along with him or rolling my eyes the whole time, going to Wal-mart is always an adventure with Tyson.