Conversing

In Western cultures, linguists often regard conversation as proceeding according to four principles or "maxims set out in 1975 by British philosopher of language Paul Grice.

The maxim of quality: be truthful; do not give information that is false or not supported by evidence.

The maxim of quantity: be as informative as is required; don’t give too much or too little information.

The maxim of relevance: only give information that is relevant to the topic under discussion.

The maxim of manner: be clear, brief, and orderly; avoid obscurity and ambiguity.