Maxim Violations

Paul Grice

Have you violated one of Grice's maxims lately?  Tell us how it went.
OR
Send us a link to a YouTube video clip that shows someone else doing it.

The Maxims:
Quantity:
Say no less than the conversation requires (Click here for a negative example).
Say no more than the conversation requires

Quality
Don't say what you believe to be false
Don't say things for which you lack evidence

Manner
Don't be obscure
Don't be ambiguous
Be brief
Be orderly

Relevance
Stick to the topic.

Veils

Why do Wisconsinites Talk That Way?

Recommended by Tyler Soden

Grammar, Identity, and the Dark Side of the Subjunctive: Phuc Tran at TEDxDirigo

Enthralled yet?

Ragnarok, the Viking Apocalypse, is said to bring about the end of the world on 22 February (International Business Times)

A little bit of Viking history, anyone? There might be a nugget of linguistic treasure waiting to be discovered in this article from The New York Times, which just came out today.

It's Gothic to me!

"There is a great scene [in Ocean's Twelve] where Danny and Rusty are talking code burglar talk with a prospective client and Linus is completely confused and starts spouting off Zeppelin lyrics. Class today [reminded] me of that scene, since we were having to basically make up whatever the hell those notes said that you passed out." --Tori Watson

Old English

Click here to hear the Lord's Prayer in the West Saxon dialect of Old English.

Fæder úre, ðú ðe eart on heofonum,
Sí ðín nama gehálgod.
Tó becume ðín rice.
Gewurde ðín willa
On eorþan swá swá on heofonum.
Urne dægwhamlícan hlaf syle ús tódæg.
And forgyf ús úre gyltas,
Swá swá wé forgyfaþ úrum gyltendum.
And ne gelæd ðu ús on costnunge,
Ac álýs ús of yfele. Sóþlice.