Conversational Maxim

A conversational maxim is any of four rules which were proposed by Grice 1975, stating that a speaker is assumed to make a contribution that :

• is adequately but not overly informative (quantity maxim)

• the speaker does not believe to be false and for which adequate evidence is had (quality maxim)

• is relevant (maxim of relation or relevance), and

• is clear, unambiguous, brief, and orderly (maxim of manner).