Gricean Maxims are a vital part of how we understand each other: a set of... well, maybe "rules" is a bit strong. They're guidelines that we follow without realising it. And it's the reason that "asbestos-free cereal" sounds suspicious.


Written with Molly Ruhl and Gretchen McCulloch. Gretchen's podcast Lingthusiasm is at http://lingthusiasm.com/

Gretchen's book BECAUSE INTERNET, all about the evolution of internet language, is available:
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Graphics by William Marler: https://wmad.co.uk
Audio mix by Graham Haerther: https://haerther.net

REFERENCES:
Munroe, R. (2009). "Free". https://xkcd.com/641/
Grice, H.P. (1975). "Logic and Conversation," Syntax and Semantics, vol.3 edited by P. Cole and J. Morgan, Academic Press. Reprinted as ch.2 of Grice 1989, 22–40.

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