I Want To Learn English

Like many ELD teachers, I’ve often found myself working with students who encounter snags in learning English. It’s like they hit a wall and it is very difficult to overcome that language hump to reach the prairie of native-like conversation skills. Then, at a conference in the Midwest, I first heard about “Gricean Maxims.” I had no idea my mind was about to get blown.

When English learners reach a certain point in their language journey, they often encounter a plateau — a moment where their progress seems to slow down, particularly when they aim to achieve a native-like level of fluency. For ESL teachers, recognizing why this plateau happens and how to overcome it can be key to helping students continue their growth. Enter the theory that helps explain these challenges: the concept of Gricean Maxims, part of H.P. Grice’s cooperative principle in communication.

Gricean Maxims delve into how conversations operate beyond the literal meanings of words, shedding light on the hidden rules that native speakers follow almost subconsciously. For English learners, mastering these rules is one of the most difficult parts of fluency, which may explain the plateau they often hit when striving for native-like communication.

What Are Gricean Maxims?

Developed by philosopher H.P. Grice in 1975, the Gricean Maxims are four conversational principles that people typically follow to ensure effective communication. These principles aren’t rigid rules but rather guidelines that native speakers intuitively adhere to. The four maxims are:

1. Maxim of Quantity: Give the right amount of information — not too much, not too little.
2. Maxim of Quality: Try to provide truthful information and avoid saying what you don’t believe is true.
3. Maxim of Relation: Be relevant in your conversation.
4. Maxim of Manner: Be clear, brief, and orderly in what you say.

Native speakers of English are rarely taught these maxims explicitly but pick them up through constant interaction in their language environment. English learners, however, may struggle to grasp these nuances because they are subtle and often culturally bound.

As English learners reach higher levels of proficiency, they typically have a good handle on grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. However, achieving native-like fluency involves more than just knowing the right words and syntax. It requires an understanding of the cultural and social contexts that underlie effective communication, which is where the Gricean Maxims come into play.

The plateau that learners often hit can be attributed to a gap between their knowledge of the “technical” aspects of English and the pragmatic use of language — that is, the ability to navigate conversations naturally, fluidly, and with subtlety. Here’s how the Gricean Maxims tie into this challenge.

1. Maxim of Quantity: Not Too Much, Not Too Little

For many English learners, knowing how much information to provide can be tricky. Beginners might err on the side of giving too little information, while advanced learners sometimes overcompensate by providing excessive detail. Native speakers, on the other hand, instinctively balance what’s necessary for the conversation.

This maxim also involves interpreting how much detail is expected. For example, in some cultures, it might be considered polite to provide extra details or explanations, while in others, brevity is valued. English learners may be unaware of the subtle cues that indicate when they’ve said too much or too little, leading to communication that feels stilted or awkward to native speakers. ESL teachers might notice this when students give overly long explanations during conversation practice or, conversely, when they offer very brief answers to complex questions.

Classroom Example: An English learner might answer a simple question like, “How was your weekend?” with either “It was good,” without offering any details, or with a long explanation of every activity they did. This shows a misunderstanding of how much detail is expected in casual conversation.

2. Maxim of Quality: The Difficulty of Being Truthful

The Maxim of Quality is about offering truthful information, which seems straightforward but can be complex for English learners. This principle involves not just truthfulness but also the level of certainty with which information is shared. In English, hedging phrases like “I think,” “probably,” or “might” are used to soften statements or express uncertainty. Learners who are unaware of these subtleties might sound overly confident or unsure in ways that don’t match native speaker norms.

Another challenge with this maxim is cultural differences in how truth is expressed. In some cultures, indirectness or “saving face” is more important than blunt honesty. For an English learner, navigating the balance between truth and politeness can be difficult, especially if they come from a background where avoiding direct disagreement is the norm.

Classroom Example: During discussions, a student might assert something with absolute certainty, such as “The meeting will start at 9:00,” even when they aren’t completely sure. A native speaker might phrase this more cautiously: “I think the meeting starts at 9:00, but I’m not certain.”

3. Maxim of Relation: Staying Relevant

The Maxim of Relation is about being relevant — sticking to the topic and contributing in ways that make sense within the flow of conversation. For English learners, especially at more advanced levels, this maxim can be difficult because relevance isn’t just about understanding the topic but also interpreting what is appropriate to say in different contexts.

Misunderstanding cultural norms or failing to grasp underlying meanings can lead learners to respond in ways that seem irrelevant to native speakers. Additionally, learners might struggle with understanding implicit meanings or jokes, causing them to miss cues in conversation that would guide them to more relevant responses.

Classroom Example: During a discussion about the weather, a student might suddenly start talking about their favorite food, thinking they are contributing to the conversation, but not realizing they’ve veered off-topic. This illustrates a lack of understanding of the Maxim of Relation.

4. Maxim of Manner: Being Clear and Orderly

The Maxim of Manner involves being clear and avoiding ambiguity. English learners might struggle with this because of differences in how clarity is achieved in different languages. For example, languages like Japanese or Arabic might use more indirect expressions to convey meaning, while English tends to favor directness.

Additionally, learners might still be developing their pronunciation or sentence structure, making their speech harder to understand for native speakers. ESL teachers often observe this when students’ word order or phrasing is technically correct but sounds awkward or unclear in conversation.

Classroom Example: A student might say, “The food that you gave me yesterday, I eat it, and it was very good,” instead of the more natural, “The food you gave me yesterday was delicious.” While both sentences are understandable, the latter is clearer and more direct.

The challenges English learners face with Gricean Maxims highlight the complexities of mastering a language at the level of a native speaker. Native speakers of English aren’t just fluent in the mechanics of the language; they are fluent in the cultural and social expectations that underpin conversation. For learners, this is often the most difficult aspect to master, especially when they’ve already developed a strong foundation in grammar and vocabulary.

The plateau that many learners experience occurs because they are trying to transition from using language in a literal, structured way to using it in a more fluid, contextually appropriate manner. This is where the Gricean Maxims become crucial: learners must understand not just what words mean, but how and when to use them to meet conversational expectations.

As an ELD teacher, there are strategies you can implement to help learners overcome the plateau and better grasp the subtleties of the Gricean Maxims:

1. Role-Playing and Real-Life Scenarios: Incorporating role-playing activities that simulate real-life conversations helps learners practice using appropriate amounts of information, staying relevant, and being clear.
2. Teaching Implicit Meaning and Nuances: Focus lessons on teaching students how to understand implied meaning in conversation. For example, practice interpreting common expressions that rely on context, like sarcasm or indirect requests.
3. Providing Cultural Context: Language is deeply tied to culture, so introducing students to cultural norms of communication in English-speaking countries can help them better understand conversational expectations.
4. Feedback on Conversational Balance: During conversation practice, offer specific feedback on how much detail students are giving, how relevant their responses are, and how clear their sentences are.

The Gricean Maxims provide an insightful framework for understanding why many English learners plateau when aiming for native-like fluency. While grammar and vocabulary are important, the real challenge lies in mastering the pragmatic aspects of conversation — knowing how much to say, how truthful to be, how to stay on topic, and how to be clear. By focusing on these subtle yet essential aspects of communication, ELD teachers can help learners break through the plateau and continue progressing toward fluency.

With a focus on real-life applications and an understanding of the cultural and social contexts of language, English learners can begin to bridge the gap between being proficient and truly fluent in English.