Abstract

Cooperative principle consists of four maxims: the maxim of quality, the maxim of quantity, the maxim of relation and the maxim of manner. It is the basic rule for people to follow while communicating with each other. This thesis analyzes Obama’s triumph speech by the four maxims of cooperative principle, and points out its contribution that the principle makes to the successful political speech.

Key Words: communication, Cooperative principle, Obama’s triumph speech, reflection， 

摘 要

合作原则包括四个基本准则，分别为：质的原则、量得原则、关系原则和方式原则。合作原则是人们生活交流中要遵循的基本原则。笔者通过四个准则对奥巴马的获选演讲进行分析，指出了合作原则在这篇演讲中的体现。

关键词：交流；会话原则；奥巴马的获选演讲；体现

1.    Introduction
Cooperative principle makes its first appearance in America through a logician Grice, in Harvard, in 1967. He thinks that while people are communicating, they must obey a principle in order to make the communication continue. After the speech, plenty of studies have been conducted by linguists on this principle. Through the intensive research, the function of cooperative principle is known and further studied by more people. The areas that CP affects include daily conversation, business trade negotiation, politics speeches and so on. It can be said without exaggeration that only when people have a good use of this principle can they achieve the goal they are aiming at while communicating. In a word, the cooperative principle plays an essential role in people’s daily life.
2. Demonstration
2.１　A brief introduction to CP and its four maxims
Cooperative principle is one of the most important principles in linguistics study. In Grice’s “logic and conversation”, he gives people and the whole world an example of the use of CP. In making conversation, the participants must first of all be willing to cooperate; otherwise, it would not be possible for them to carry on the talk. To be specific, it can be understood as follows: make your conversational contribution such as required at the stage at which it occurs by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged. And to be more specific, there are four maxims under this general principle: the maxim of quantity, the maxim of quality, the maxim of relation, and the maxim of manner. In order to make a conversation continue, people must obey the four maxims or some of the four. CP is widely used in people’s daily life, such as in business trade negotiation, in audition, in making friends, even in politics conversations. For example, in Obama’s triumph speech, he has a full use of the four maxims which make his speech so impressive and successful.