The observance of gricean conversational maxims by Tanzanian politicians in T.V. hosted interviews

This study aimed at observance of Gricean conversational maxims by Tanzanian politicians in T.V. hosted interviews. The study was established to find out how politicians in interviews observe Grice’s Conversational maxims specifically quality and quantity maxims using two political leaders. The study adopted Grice’s (1975) cooperative principle in finding out politicians’ observance of the Gricean quality and quantity maxims, also examined the forms of non-observance of the conversational maxims in Tanzanian political interviews and thirdly was to evaluate the communicative functions of non-observance of the conversational maxims in Tanzanian political interviews. The interviews are from EATV Mkasi session and involved Honorable Mr B from CCM and Hon. Mr A from CHADEMA. Only their verbal responses were subjected to analysis. Content analysis was used in data collection and we employed an SPSS in analyzing data. The study findings show that politicians did not adhere to these conversational maxims as they responded to questions employing different forms of non-observances, including flouting and opting out of maxims as well as maxim clash. These non-observances were meant to persuade the viewers and gain social and political credibility, achieving politeness, imposing and suppressing/avoid any face-threatening, and building the speakers’ positive images and that of their parties. However, the inferences drawn from the findings were that the two politicians, like other members of public service, did not often observe the maxims, meaning that they intentionally chose to be non-literal and opted for indirect communication. Even in their non-observances of the maxims they communicate in a richer and profound way than if they were literal and direct. Also politicians employed indirectness and generated implicatures just to become polite purposely to abate and/or mitigate their opinions to serve their political goals.