For most of us, conversation is an intuitive, passive practice. We’re used to the contours of natural speech and writing, and we often make contributions to everyday interactions almost without thinking. Our habits of communication can come as natural as breathing. But when communication breaks down, there’s always the question of where things went wrong. How did we manage to confuse others when trying to convey key information? Or how did a friendly debate turn into a shouting match?
With how important conversation and communication are to our lives, it’s surprising how little we think about them. But before we get to the point where communication goes sideways, a set of conversation “rules” called Grice’s maxims can help us keep conversations on track.