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Following the discourse is a list of questions. None of the questions is directly answered in the
discourse, but all of the answers are implicated by something that either Daniel or Amy says.
Answer each question. Then tell which line of the discourse contains the implicature that answers
the question and which Gricean maxim you had to appeal to in order to figure out the implicature
a. Daniel: Would you like me to make chocolate chip cookies this afternoon?
b. Amy: Sure. That would be great! Do you have all of the ingredients?
c. Daniel:Well, I meant to go to the bank this morning, and then I was going to stop at the store
on the way home, but I wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t go.
e. Daniel: Just a few things. Do you know whether we have any eggs?
g. Daniel: Then I guess I’ll have to borrow some. Are the neighbors home?
h. Amy: (Looks out the window) I don’t see their car out front.
i. Daniel: That’s too bad. Maybe I should make cookies some other day.
Daniel was planning to bake some chocolate chip cookie but he wasn’t feeling good and
he didn’t buy the ingredients.
iv. How many eggs does Amy think there are in the house?
ix. Which of these activities is Daniel most likely to have wanted to do at the bank?
2.Two basketball players are close friends. One is a very good player and makes every shot that
he attempts. The other is not as good. Their coach has instructed them to try a new and very
difficult drill. Both players try the new drill ten times. Of course, the first player puts the ball
through the hoop all ten times. Afterwards, the friends get together to discuss how their practice
went and have the following conversation:
2nd Player: Well, I made it on my fifth try. I bet you did a lot better than me.
1st Player: Well, yeah, but don’t feel too bad. I made it on my fourth shot.
. Of the ten tries, how many times did the first player make the shot?
ii. What inference is the first player hoping that the second player will draw, counter to this fact,
by saying, “I made it on my fourth shot”?
he was hoping that the first player will feel a little more good abouyt his shoot.
ii. Which maxim is the first player using in order to create this implicature?
iv. Why has the first player chosen to give this answer?
v. Is the first player violating a maxim of quality by saying, “I made it on my fourth shot”?
vi. Has the first player violated any other maxims? Justify your answer.