| Conversation is an essential activity in human communications. The study of pragmatics has focused its attention on the difference between the "meaning" and "implicature" of conversation because it is the basis upon which human communications are built up and because many pragmatic problems are raised when a confusion of meaning and implicature occurs.The theory of conversational implicature is the concept of natural meaning, which was first outlined by Herbert Paul Grice in his lectures at Harvard University in 1967. In order to guarantee a successful, accurate and effective communication, the two sides of a communication are required to arrive at a common aim and adopt a cooperative principle throughout communication. Grice called this "cooperative principle" (abbreviated as CP) to which the two sides should equally conform. It consists of four pragmatics sub-principles, or "maxims": maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relation and maxim of manner.According to the CP, both sides of a communication have the desire to ensure a successful, accurate and effective communication. Thus people are required to obey some principles or maxims. It is obvious that an utterance, which violates a maxim, will often lead to an extra meaning: implicatures. The hearer will have much difficulty in making a correct judgment of the extra meaning. Even the understanding of the extra meaning may vary with different individuals.Immediately after the theory came into being, many linguists all over the world showed considerable enthusiasm in it. Leech, Brown and Levinson have done much research work on the theory. Though Grice's theory of implicature is capable ofillustrating the relation between the utterance meaning and the implied meaning, it is inept at clarifying why people are often indirect in conveying what they mean. On the basis of cooperative principle, Leech put forward "politeness principle" (abbreviated as PP), which exerts a great impact on people in communication. Leech proposed his politeness principle in 1983, which enriched the CP theory. It can better conform to the communicative process of conversation. He points out that the Gricean theory can well explain the extra meaning of an utterance, namely the particularized conversational implicature or non-standard implicature, yet there still exist some flaws. Politeness problem often occurs when people communicate and it is the most important premise of communication to be considered. Therefore, Leech's PP theory and its maxims may rescue and further develop Grice's CP in this regard. As a result, PP on some occasions overrules the CP theory and possesses greater restraints. Leech divides it into six maxims: tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim, modesty maxim, agreement maxim and sympathy maxim.Cooperative principle and politeness principle are the two major principles of pragmatics. Conversational implicature is the core content in this respect. In practice, if people observe Grice's CP and the conversational maxims, they may conduct maximally efficient and smooth conversations. From a social point of view, politeness principles and maxims proposed by Leech and the politeness strategies formulated by Brown and Levinson can be employed to maintain a stable and harmonious relationship in human interaction. The face damage can be done indirectly and apparent conflicts or arguments can be avoided. And speakers can successfully realize their conversational goals by employing certain politeness strategies.Grice's theory of conversational implicature cultivates an effective way of understanding utterance beyond words, and has become one of the foundations in all pragmatic theories. The analysis of conversational implicature not only enables us to note that different conversational implicatures exist in different cultures but also helps to enhance people's communicative competence. |
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