CONVERSATIONAL IMPLICATURES IN THE MOVIE “SPOTLIGHT”

Abstract

Based on the theory of conversational implicature by Grice (1975), the article discusses the ways to express implicature, with the data being the conversations in the famous movie, Spotlights, which was awarded an Oscar in 2015. The samples for analysis are the conversations in which the main characters who are members of the Sprotlight investigators participate. The
total of 41 analyzed conversations show the “intended violation” of conversational maxims. By means of reference, the authors infer the conversational implicature of the characters. According to the result, most of the examples of implicature are created by violating the “relation” and
“quality” maxim, while the “manner” maxim is the least violated.