PRAGMATICS OF BREADCRUMBING: IMPLICATURE AND MAXIM VIOLATIONS IN MANIPULATIVE COMMUNICATION

Raisya Nur Fitriani, Emy Sudarwati

Abstract


This study examines the role of conversational implicatures and maxim violations in manipulative communication, particularly in the phenomenon of breadcrumbing. Breadcrumbing is a subtle manipulation tactic in romantic relationships characterized by ambiguous messages to maintain someone's interest without commitment. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, data were collected through an open-ended online questionnaire aimed at individuals who had experienced breadcrumbing. By applying Grice's implicature theory, this study identifies how maxim violations (quantity, quality, relation, and manner) contribute to creating ambiguity and false hope in breadcrumbing. These deliberate violations aim to maintain an emotional connection while avoiding clear intentions in the relationship, thereby preserving ambiguity within it. The findings reveal that perpetrators of breadcrumbing often use vague and unclear language as a communication manipulation strategy that creates emotional uncertainty in the victim. This study also highlights the psychological impact of breadcrumbing on victims, such as emotional uncertainty and decreased self-esteem. The work emphasizes the value of pragmatic linguistic analysis in uncovering subtle forms of emotional manipulation in romantic relationships and suggests potential strategies for awareness and prevention.

Keywords


Breadcrumbing; Conversational Implicature; Manipulative Communication; Gricean Maxim; Pragmatics

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aditama, A. F. (2025). Conversational implicature used in warung kopi podcast on the has creative youtube channel. Vernacular: Linguistics, Literature, Communication and Culture Journal, 2(4), 283-291.

Ariyanti, L., Setiawan, S., & Wedawati, M. T. (2020). Exploring implicature via whatsapp: The maxim of conversation analysis. The Asian ESP Journal, 51.

Azzahra, F. (2024). Pelanggaran maksim dan implikatur antara pria dan wanita dalam masa penjajakan: Kajian pragmatik. In Prosiding Seminar Nasional Linguistik dan Sastra (SEMANTIKS) (pp. 612-622).

Brown, P. I., & Molete, M. (2024). A pragmatic analysis of linguistic manipulative statements displayed on Facebook political group page. Journal of Applied Studies in Language, 8(2), 63-72.

Campaioli, G., Testoni, I., & Zamperini, A. (2022). Double blue ticks: Reframing ghosting as ostracism through an abductive study on affordances. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 16(5).

Cantikawati, T., Tawami, T., & Purwanisari, R. (2024). Maxim violation in the novel it start with us. In Proceeding of International Conference on Business, Economics, Social Sciences, and Humanities (Vol. 7, pp. 759-769).

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage publications.

Devi, S., & Ningsih, R. (2025). Violation maxim of principle cooperation in indonesian lawyers club presidential debate event. RETORIKA: Jurnal Ilmu Bahasa, 11(1), 259-269.

Dewi, N. M. P., Candra, K. D. P., & Ayomi, P. N. (2023). Maxim violation done by Emily in Emily in Paris Movie. Journal of Language and Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 112-121.

Eragamreddy, N. M. (2025). Implicature in digital communication: A content analysis of online text-based interactions. International Journal of Social Science Humanity & Management Research, 6(08). https://doi.org/10.58886/ijsshmr.2025v6i08

Efizahane, Y., & Afriana, A. (2022). The functions of conversational implicature in “doctor strange in multiverse of madness” 2022. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 10(2), 1426-1444.

Grice, H.P. (1975). Logic and Conversation. London: University College

Khattar, V., Huete, N., & Navarro, R. (2023). Attachment insecurity and breadcrumbing engagement in young adults: A cross-sectional, cross-country study in India and Spain. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 356.

Jaspal, R., & Lopes, B. (2025). Vulnerability to “Breadcrumbing” in a sample of adults in the United Kingdom: A cross-sectional survey study. Psychology International, 7(3), 71.

Nafi, M. A. L. J., Yuliasri, I., & Pratama, H. (2025). Flouting of Grice’s Maxims in creating humor in" steve tv show” youtube clips. Rainbow: Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies, 14(1), 31-40.

Navarro, R., Larrañaga, E., Yubero, S., & Villora, B. (2020). Ghosting and breadcrumbing: Prevalence and association with online dating behavior among young adults. Escritos de Psicología-Psychological Writings, 13(2), 46-59.

Navarro, R., & Simil, D. F. (2025). A trail to nowhere in romantic relationships: Preliminary evidence for the validation of the breadcrumbing experiences questionnaire (ceb) in emerging adults in Spain. Deviant Behavior, 1-22.

Rayhona, N. (2025). Humor pragmalinguistics. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 5(1), 81–83.

Reboul, A. (2021). Truthfully misleading: Truth, informativity, and manipulation in linguistic communication. Frontiers in Communication, 6, 646820.

Setyaningrum, B., & Ningsih, R. (2023). Implikatur percakapan dalam “web seriesnya radit” tayangan youtube Raditya Dika. Jurnal Sinestesia, 13(1), 187-195.

Siddik, I. R. H. A., & Prihandini, A. (2025). Maxim violations and cooperation breakdown in moana 2: A pragmatic perspective. In Proceeding of International Conference on Business, Economics, Social Sciences, and Humanities (Vol. 8, pp. 13-21).

Su, R., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Conversational implicature: a diachronic cognitive pragmatic approach. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1-14.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30743/ll.v1i1.11836

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.