The use of terms such as “principle” and “maxim” does not mean that the CP and its maxims will be followed by everybody all the time. People do violate them. For example, there is a reference letter by A for his past student X, who is applying for a lectureship in philosophy, and it reads: “Dear sir, Mr. X's command of English is excellent, and his attendance at tutorials has been regular. Yours, etc.” “A cannot be opting out, since if he wished to be uncooperative, why write at all”. He cannot be unable, through ignorance, to say more, since the man is his pupil; moreover, he knows that more information than this is wanted. He must, therefore, be wishing to impart information that he is reluctant to write down. This supposition is tenable only on the assumption that he thinks Mr. X is no good at philosophy. This, then, is what he is implicating.

Sometimes the first Quantity maxim will be in conflict with the Quality maxim. Suppose A asks B where C lives, and B answers “Somewhere in the south of France”. B has obviously not given enough information, but the reason may be that he does not know the exact answer himself. In order to uphold the Quality maxim, he has chosen to violate the first maxim of Quantity.

The four maxims are all possible to be violated in specific situations, depending on the context.