“In the early part of the twentieth century, the philosopher of language Paul Grice offered four maxims for successful conversation:
The maxim of quantity. Try to be as informative as you possibly can, and give as much information as is needed, but no more.
The maxim of quality. Try to be truthful, and don’t give information that is false or that is not supported by evidence.
The maxim of relation. Try to be relevant, and say things that are pertinent to the discussion.
The maxim of manner. Try to be as clear, as brief, and as orderly as you can, and avoid obscurity and ambiguity.”