An Analysis of the Maxims of Quality and Relation in Executive English Debate Community (E2DC) Debate Training Activities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58258/c299nt75Abstract
This study aims to identify and describe the types of observance and violation of the maxims of quality and relation occurring within the debate training sessions of the Executive English Debate Community (E2DC) at Mandalika University of Education (UNDIKMA). Driven by the strict seven-minute constraint and impromptu demands of the British Parliamentary debate format, participants frequently encounter pragmatic frictions. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive design wrapped in a pragmatic lens, verbal utterances from eight active debaters across four diverse motion settings were collected using guided non-participant observation, recorded, and transcribed verbatim. The findings show that while the maxim of relation is highly observed especially during the closing halves due to strict structural requirements for direct clash (e.g., specific boundaries breakdown on fan service emphasis) violations of the maxim. of quality are persistently recurrent. Quality violations frequently cluster into unverified generalized claims (such as absolute assertions that children emotionally react rather than rationally analyze), emotionally weighted causal statements linking communication gaps to extreme psychological impacts without data, and vague empirical appeals citing unnamed studies. Conversely, relation violations are concentrated in the opening half, reflecting the cognitive load of extemporaneous second-language delivery over deliberate evasion. These findings offer strategic implications for targeted coaching intervention in EFL debating environments.References
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