Conversation as performance

Janet and Penelope are just coming out of a presentation, one which is controversial for them, at a pragmatics meeting where the speaker has talked about conversation, referring to H.P. Grice and suggesting that human language is ultimately reducible to formulaic ritualized procedure.

Janet: I’m sure Grice wouldn’t agree, if he were still alive.

Penelope: I know, we don’t just request and exchange information and maneuver people.

Janet: Of course not. Life isn’t just a series of questions and answers like Noam asking how long until the next bus and Steven answering truthfully, briefly, relevantly and clearly: “Five minutes.”

Penelope: Or a little more interestingly and in a entirely different context, Arthur Dent asking how long they have for the Earth to be destroyed and Ford Prefect answering truthfully, briefly, relevantly and clearly: “Five minutes.”

Janet: Oh, yes. Well. Hmm. Context does change things.

Penelope: Anyway. Talk is meat and potatoes, conversation is dessert.

Janet: A good conversation is not just Gricean maxims. The Gricean principles are only about effective conversation, the appropriate amount of talk, timing, truth and so on. Grice says nothing about creativity or pleasure in talk.
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