Conversational Implicatures In The TV Series "Sherlock" Studied From The Perspective Of The Cooperative And Politeness Principles

With the further development of technology,globalization and Chinese reform and opening-up,the political,economic,social and cultural communication among people all over the word is becoming increasingly close.In this process a lot of films and television programs are flooding into China and Sherlock is one of the most popular TV series among them.It is beneficial for Chinese audiences to experience foreign culture,expand their horizons and enrich their knowledge.Sherlock,produced by the BBC in 2010,is adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle's novel Sherlock Holmes and its time background has been changed from the 19 th century to the 21 th century,telling the dangerous but extraordinary adventures that Sherlock,the master detective and his friend,Dr.John H.Watson have experienced in London.By 2015,this TV series has won 10 awards from BAFTA(British Academy of Film and Television Arts),including the best series and 7 Emmy awards,covering the best actor,best supporting actor,best scenarist and 21 nomination awards.In addition,Sherlock has broken British cable record since 2001 and been broadcast in more than 200 countries and regions in the world.Based on the Theory of the Cooperative Principle and the Conversational Implicature(CI for short)put forward by P.H.Grice and the Politeness Principle proposed by G.N.Leech,this paper is aimed at analyzing the CIs in dialogs of the TV play,Sherlock,from the perspective of the CP and the PP,in order to understand how the CIs are generated through the violation of the CP and the PP.Under the frame of the CI Theory,the author focuses on the dialogs in Sherlock which violate the CP and the PP,analyzes the CIs generated through the violation of the CP maxims of quantity,quality,relation and manner,and also analyzes the CIs generated through the violation of the PP maxims of tact,generosity,approbation,modest,agreement and sympathy.In addition,the author also explores the main factors in conversations that influence the speakers when they violate the maxims of the CP and the PP.The paper pays special attention to how the CIs are generated through the violation of the CP and the PP.Some factors that influence the generation of the CIs are also explored.It aims to find out both skills and rules applied in conversations of the TV plays,and then provide some helpful suggestions for daily communication as well as for communication in some other fields.