To answer if Clyne’s revisions to “Grice’s Maxims” is sufficient in universally accounting for intercultural conversation one will to need to look as to why Grice’s Maxims is criticised for its highly ethnocentric nature.
The debate over these (1234) Maxims, otherwise known as the “Cooperative Principle’s” and its applicability in the field of intercultural communication has been highly debated over in the past few decades. Many linguistics have criticised it on the terms of its highly ethnocentric nature, believing its conventions to be based on Anglo-Saxon cultures and normalities (Keenan, 1976; Wierzbicka, 1985; Clyne, 1994; Bowe & Martin, 2007)
As to why this so-called “Anglo-centric” nature of the original Grice’s Maxims is problematic of its applicability in intercultural communication studies. Many cultural value systems that do not share full resemblance to the Anglo-centric cultures; some European, Middle Eastern and especially Southeast Asian cultures have a complete divergence from Anglo-norms. This leaves the maxims inapplicable in many situations and cultures where ambiguity, respect, restraint and harmony are key to communication (Clyne, 1994, p. 192). (which will be mentioned after).
