Conversational Implicature on Selected Episodes of Jklive Talk Show on Citizen Television, Kenya

The study involved an analysis of Conversational Implicature on sampled episodes of the JKLive talk show of Citizen TV in Kenya. The research objective was to determine the observance of cooperative principle maxims on selected episodes of the JKLive talk show. The study used a descriptive research design in which judgmental sampling was employed in selecting the episodes in the talk show that were more relevant to the study. A sample size of two episodes which had a runtime of one hour each, were used for conversational data and then subjected to analysis. Data was collected through audio and video recording based on naturalistic observation of the talk show. The data was then transcribed orthographically to identify the language features required for the study. Data analysis was guided by the theory of Conversational Implicature by Grice (1975), which he termed as an indirect speech whereby, what is meant by an utterance may go beyond what is communicated. As a theory, Conversational Implicature advocates that, in order to simplify the use of language, rules are needed to govern how we bring out information and at what stage, for effective communication to occur. This theory was used to account for observance or violation of cooperative principle maxims, in line with the objective of the study. Prevalence of violations of cooperative principle maxims were observed, particularly instances of quality, quantity, manner and relevance maxims being disregarded in political discourse, and instances of quantity and relevance maxims also being disregarded in economic discourse. Addressing violations of these maxims can improve clarity and coherence, with the host playing a crucial role in moderating discussions to foster mutual understanding, prevent conflicts, and promote constructive exchanges, ultimately enhancing the viewer experience.