Food for Thought: A Gricean Pragmatic Analysis in the CSPC Canteen

A Gricean Pragmatic Analysis in the CSPC Canteen

Abstract

This study explores the everyday conversations between vendors and customers in the Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC) canteen, focusing on how these interactions follow or break Grice’s Conversational Maxims. It also looks at the conversational implicatures that emerge during these exchanges. Using a qualitative approach, the researchers analyzed recorded dialogues to identify recurring communication patterns. Although many studies have explored Grice’s theory in formal or classroom settings, few have applied it to real-life, transactional environments like school canteens. This research fills that gap by showing how ordinary conversations reflect or challenge key principles in pragmatics. The findings help explain how meaning is created, negotiated, or implied in routine interactions, thereby offering insights into how language works in practical, day-to-day situations.