Cooperative Principle in Filipino Authored English Plays

This research aimed to determine the observed and not-observed maxims in the selected plays of the Filipino playwright named Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, and recognize the differences and similarities between his comedic and tragic works. The comedic plays were “Wanted: A Chaperon” and “Basketball Fight,” while the tragic plays were “Three Rats” and “Half an Hour in a Convent.” For the purposes of this qualitative research, documentary, pragmatic, and comparative approaches were used to analyze the data. After that process, the researcher found out that the most unobserved maxim in both tragic plays is the maxim of quality, while in both comedic plays, it is the maxim of quantity. In terms of observance, the tragic plays both frequently uphold the maxim of manner, while the comedic plays differ. Wanted: A Chaperon frequently observes the maxim of quality, and in Basketball Fight, it is the maxim of relevance. Upon analyzing the plays, significant patterns in Guerrero’s writing became apparent. Guerrero’s style of writing tragic plays often sacrifices truthfulness while maintaining clarity. Conversely, his style of doing comedic works often results in saying less or more than necessary while still upholding the truth and being on the topic. These reveal how Guerrero skillfully uses different communication techniques to evoke certain emotions from audiences and achieve storytelling purposes in each genre.