Conversational implicatures in shaw’s ‘how he lied to her husband’

Abstract EN

The researchers have selected various texts from one of Bernard Shaw‟s plays, which is entitled „How He Lied to Her Husband‟, in an attempt to analyze the characters‟ use of language on the basis of Paul Grice‟s proposed maxims which the speakers and hearers are assumed to abide by in their conversations.

In this play, the characters tend to violate or flout these maxims resulting in various conversational implicatures.

Thus, there can be a gap between what is literally expressed and what is intended because the characters lie, manipulate, and deceive in order to achieve their goals.

The results show that in their attempt for hiding the truth, the characters tend to especially violate and flout the maxims of quality and manner the most.