Dual Implicature Analysis in Arabic Libyan Children’s Literature: A Qualitative Study Examining Conversational and Conventional Implicature Through Gricean Framework in War Narratives

Abstract

This qualitative study examines conversational and conventional implicature in Arabic Libyan children's literature, with particular focus on war narratives. Drawing upon Grice's Cooperative Principle and its associated Maxims, the analysis of extracts from two short stories by renowned Libyan authors addressed to children reveals complex patterns of meaning construction in texts addressing conflict and warfare. Through systematic examination of both speaker-meaning and conventionally-triggered implicatures, the study identifies distinctive communicative strategies employed in children's literature dealing with sensitive topics. The findings demonstrate how authors navigate the challenges of presenting war-related themes to young readers through strategic manipulation of implicature types, creating layered meanings that accommodate both immediate comprehension and deeper reflection. The study contributes to our understanding of how children's literature employs implicature mechanisms to convey complex social and political realities, while maintaining age-appropriate discourse