跨文化商务谈判中的语用模糊分析--毕业论文.rtf

论 文 独 创 性 声 明论 文 独 创 性 声 明 本人声明所呈交的学位论文是我本人在导师指导下进行的研究工作及取得的研 究本人声明所呈交的学位论文是我本人在导师指导下进行的研究工作及取得的研 究 成果。尽我所知成果。尽我所知，除了文中特别加以标注和致谢的地方外除了文中特别加以标注和致谢的地方外，论文中不包含其他人已 经论文中不包含其他人已 经 发表或撰写过的研究成果发表或撰写过的研究成果，也不包含为获得江苏科技大学或其它教育机构的学位或 证也不包含为获得江苏科技大学或其它教育机构的学位或 证 书而使用过的材料。与我一同工作的同志对本研究所做的任何贡献均已在论文中作 了书而使用过的材料。与我一同工作的同志对本研究所做的任何贡献均已在论文中作 了 明确的说明并表示谢意。明确的说明并表示谢意。 学位论文作者签名学位论文作者签名：日 期日 期： 学 位 论 文 使 用 授 权 声 明学 位 论 文 使 用 授 权 声 明 江苏科技大学有权保存本人所送交的学位论文的复印件和电子文稿江苏科技大学有权保存本人所送交的学位论文的复印件和电子文稿，可以将学位可以将学位 论文的全部或部分上网公布论文的全部或部分上网公布，有权向国家有关部门或机构送交并授权其保存、上网公有权向国家有关部门或机构送交并授权其保存、上网公 布本学位论文的复印件或电子文稿。本人电子文稿的内容和纸质论文的内容一致。除布本学位论文的复印件或电子文稿。本人电子文稿的内容和纸质论文的内容一致。除 在保密期内的保密论文外在保密期内的保密论文外，允许论文被查阅和借阅。允许论文被查阅和借阅。 研究生签名研究生签名：导师签名导师签名： 日 期日 期：日 期日 期： A PRAGMATIC STUDY OF VAGUE LANGUAGE IN CROSS-CULTURAL BUSINESS NEGOTIATION A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for Degree of Master of Arts By Huang Jing Under the Supervision of Associate Professor Zhang Hongyan School of Foreign Languages Jiangsu University of Science and Technology June, 2013 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and admiration to my respected supervisor, Associate Professor Zhang Hongyan, for her sufficient support, for her intellectual guidance, for her constructive suggestions, for her generous patience in spending her time making exhaustive revisions in my paper. Without these, this paper would not have been finalized . I am also deeply grateful to the professors and teachers in the School of Foreign Languages, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, whose courses and advice help to expand my scope of knowledge. Last but not least, I want to sincerely thank my dear family for their unselfish and lasting love. Without their abundant assistance and endless encouragement, I could not finish this thesis in time. I Abstract Vagueness, as one of attributes of natural language, has attracted a lot of scholars great attention. They contribute themselves to extensive studies on vagueness from the perspectives of philosophy, semantics, psychology and pragmatics. The cross- cultural business negotiation is a complex process of communication; it is usually believed that language should be accurate and specific, not vague and uncertain. So the phenomenon in this business negotiating field has been neglected. But as a matter of fact, vague language widely lies in cross-cultural business negotiations. This paper attempts to conduct the study on vague language in cross-cultural business negotiations from the perspective of pragmatics; and it makes an investigation on vague language by qualitative analysis and with the assistance of Grices Cooperative Principle and Leechs Politeness Principle. Based on some exemplifications, it is found that the maxims of the Cooperative Principle and the Politeness Principle are either followed or flouted in the realization of vagueness in business negotiation across boundaries. At the same time, the pragmatic functions of vague language are also analyzed, it is concluded that the use of vague language in business negotiations across boundaries can achieve certain communicative purposes, such as, increasing the appropriateness of negotiating language, strengthening the politeness in the filed of business communications, enhancing the flexibility of business language, making the language more persuasive and ensuring a self-protection for the speakers. To sum up, vague language is of significance in cross-cultural business negotiations. This thesis can be of great help for both negotiators and business English learners. Key words: vague language; cross-cultural business negotiation; Cooperative Principle; Politeness Principle; pragmatic function II 摘要摘要 摘要摘要 模糊性是自然语言的属性之一模糊性是自然语言的属性之一， 一直备受学者们的关注 一直备受学者们的关注， 他们从哲学 他们从哲学，语语 义学义学，心理学心理学，语用等角度来进行广泛地研究模糊性这一现象。 跨文化商务谈 判是语用等角度来进行广泛地研究模糊性这一现象。 跨文化商务谈 判是 一个复杂的交际过程一个复杂的交际过程，所以人们普遍认为所表达的语言要明确清晰而不能含 糊其辞所以人们普遍认为所表达的语言要明确清晰而不能含 糊其辞， 模糊语言现象在这一商务谈判领域中是一直被忽视的。可是事实上模糊语言现象在这一商务谈判领域中是一直被忽视的。可是事实上， 模 模 糊语言广泛存在于跨文化商务谈判中。 本文尝试从语用学的角度糊语言广泛存在于跨文化商务谈判中。 本文尝试从语用学的角度，对跨文化商务对跨文化商务 谈判中的模糊现象进行研究。通过谈判中的模糊现象进行研究。通过 定性分析的方法定性分析的方法，并借助格莱斯的合作原则及利奇的礼貌原则。本文运用实例并借助格莱斯的合作原则及利奇的礼貌原则。本文运用实例， 基于 基于 遵守或违反合作原则和礼貌原则来分析跨文化商务谈判中的模糊语言。同时 通过一些遵守或违反合作原则和礼貌原则来分析跨文化商务谈判中的模糊语言。同时 通过一些 例子例子，本文分析了模糊语言的语用功能本文分析了模糊语言的语用功能，并且指出在跨文化商务谈判中 模糊语言的使并且指出在跨文化商务谈判中 模糊语言的使 用是为了实现某些交际目的用是为了实现某些交际目的， 即增强商务谈判语言的得体性 即增强商务谈判语言的得体性， 使 使 表达的语言更礼貌表达的语言更礼貌，提高商务语言的灵活性提高商务语言的灵活性，使语言更有说服力使语言更有说服力，确保说话人自 确保说话人自 我保护功能。我保护功能。 综上所述综上所述，跨文化商务谈判中的模糊语言应该得到人们的重视。本论文对商 跨文化商务谈判中的模糊语言应该得到人们的重视。本论文对商 务谈判者和商务英语学习者有一定的帮助。务谈判者和商务英语学习者有一定的帮助。 关键词关键词：模糊语言模糊语言；跨文化商务谈判跨文化商务谈判；合作原则合作原则；礼貌原则礼貌原则；语用功能语用功能 III Contents Contents Acknowl edgemen ts I Abstract (English) I Abstract (Chinese) III Table of Contents IV Chapter One Introduc tion 1 1.1 Back groun d of the Study 1 1.2 Signif icanc e and Purp ose of the Sutdy 2 1.3 Meth odolo y and Struc ture of the Study 3 Chapter Two Literatur e Review 5 2.1. Studi es on Vagu e Lang uage Abro ad and at Home 5 2 . 1 . 1 S t u d i e s o n V a g u e L a n g u a e A b r o a d 5 2 . 1 . 2 S t u d i e s o n V a g u e L a n g u a g e A t H o m e 7 2.2 Studi es on Cross - cultu ral Busin ess Negot iation Abro ad and at Home 8 2 . 2 . 1 S t u d i e s o n C r o s s - c u l t u r a l B u s i n e s s N e g o t i a t i o n A b r o a d 8 2 . 2 . 2 S t u d i e s o n C r o s s - c u l t u r a l B u s i n e s s N e g o t i a t i o n a t H o m e 9 Chapter Three Vague Languag e 12 3.1 Vagu e Lang uage 12 3 . 1 . 1 D e f i n i t i o n o f V a g u e n e s s 1 2 3 . 1 . 2 P r a g m a t i c F u n c t i o n s o f V a g u e n e s s 1 4 3.2 Reali zatio n of Vagu eness in Cross - cultu ral Busin ess Negot iation 16 3 . 2 . 1 V a g u e W o r d s a n d E x p r e s s i o n s 1 7 3 . 2 . 2 H e d g e s 1 8 3 . 2 . 3 V a g u e S t r u c t u r e s 2 1 3 . 2 . 4 . I m p li c a t i o n 2 3 Chapter Four Theoreti cal Framew ork 25 4.1 Coop erativ e Princ iple 25 4 . 1 . 1 M a x i m s o f C o o p e r a t i v e P r i n c i p l e 2 5 4 . 1 . 2 V i o l a t i o n o f M a x i m s o f C o o p e r a t i v e P r i n c i p l e 2 7 IV Contents 4.2 Politeness Principle and Face Theory31 4.2.1 Leechs Politeness Principle.31 4.2.2 Brown and Levinsons Face Theory34 Chapter Five A Pragmatic Analysis of Vague Language in Cross-cultural Business Negotiation36 5.1 Application of Cooperative Principle to Pragmatic Vagueness.36 5.1.1 Vagueness and Quantity Maxim36 5.1.2 Vagueness and Quality Maxim38 5.1.3 Vagueness and Relation Maxim.41 5.1.4 Vagueness and Manner Maxim43 5.2 Application of Politeness Principle to Vagueness44 5.2.1 Vagueness and Tact Maxim meanwhile points out approaches to the realization of vagueness in cross-cultural business negotiations. Chapter Four presents the theoretical framework consisting of Cooperative principle, Politeness Principle and Face-saving theory. 3 Master of Arts Thesis Chapter Five aims at tentatively making pragmatic analysis of vague language in cross-cultural business negotiations by adopting Grices Cooperative Principle and Leechs Politeness Principle, and generalizes five pragmatic functions of vagueness in business negotiations across different cultures. Chapter Six is the final part summarizing this thesis, separately giving two limitations and two suggestions for the further study. 4 Chapter Two Literature Review Chapter Two Literature Review As it is mentioned previously, vagueness is a very universal phenomenon in communications of human society. Some studies have been done on vague language and cross-cultural business negotiations both abroad and at home 2.1. Studies on Vague Language Abroad and at Home With great efforts and concentrations, increasing scholars and linguists at home and abroad have made investigations on vagueness from philosophical, semantic, psychological, and pragmatic perspectives. 2.1.1 Studies on Vague Language Abroad It is the term vagueness that is first applied in philosophical domain, and has been a fascinating subject for many philosophers. According to Ballmer and Pinkal, it is the birth or source of vagueness which the philosophers have concerned, and the philosophers have endeavored to solve the problems of “why natural language has such a property as vagueness and how this property is handled.” (Ballmer generic terms and collective nouns; approximations which are used to express number. Also they observe that vagueness is quite appropriate in some conversations. Fredsted(1998) argues that the speakers purpose encourage such a linguistic device of vagueness in interaction from pragmatic perspective so as to leave more room or options for the hearer to interpret. There are two contradictory points of view toward vagueness: vague meaning will be produced if words are used imprecisely, which means a bad thing; whereas if precisely, a good thing. Channell(2000) gives a description of the pragmatic use of vague language in details., and greatly contributes herself in understanding what happens by use of vague language among native English communicators, and how the use vague language lets them fulfill certain communicative tasks. Also she has suggested that the study of vague language had practical applications in a number of fields- second language teaching, mother tongue teaching and lexicography. 6 Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1.2 Studies on Vague Language at Home In China, only after 1970s has vague language gradually drawn many scholars great attention and they express ideas on vague language in hundreds of essays and books. Wu Tieping, as the first scholar who develops a systematic and overall exploration on vague language, claims that vagueness is inherent in natural language. His articles Elementary Research of Fuzzy Language and Further Research of Fuzzy Language symbolize the beginning of fuzzy language study in China. Later on, his book Fuzzy Linguistics consisting of more than forty articles on fuzziness deserves great praise and boosts to quickly develop vagueness study in China. Since the 1980s, much importance to vagueness has been attached by many Chinese scholars. As an eminent and grand figure in this field, He ( 何自然何自然, 1985) gives a description on the application of hedges and how their pragmatic functions perform in communications on the basis of Speech Act Theory. Later he puts forward how to define pragmatic vagueness and advocates a dynamic survey on vagueness from the pragmatic perspective. Meanwhile utterances become more appropriate and more tactful based on the positive function of pragmatic vagueness in certain contexts. Zhang（张乔张乔, 1998), who has investigated vague semantics systematically, makes a conclusion that fuzzy language is in conformity with optimal relevance to obtain the greatest positive effect with the least processing effort. She also makes a distinction between some confusing items such as “fuzziness”, “vagueness”, “generality” and “ambiguity”. Whats more, her research covers linguistics, logic and psychology. In China, vague language is witnessed to boom in the area of academics. However, the study on vagueness from the pragmatic perspective has not developed its own methodology. Wu Yaxin (2002) conducts an investigation on vague language which is deliberately used in Chinese verbal communications based on Verschuerens Linguistic Adaptation Theory. 7 Master of Arts Thesis 2.2 Studies on Cross-cultural Business Negotiation Abroad and at Home Cross-cultural business negotiation belongs to the field of cross-cultural communication, which is called intercultural communication. Intercultural communication, is the term first used by Edward Hall in 1959 and is simply defined as interpersonal communication between members of different cultures, including international, interethnic, interracial, and interregional communication ( 窦 卫 霖窦 卫 霖 , 2005). In order to bring cross-cultural business negotiation to a successful end, both of the communicative sides should be well aware of each others cultural background and observe the cultural differences. 2.2.1 Studies on Cross-cultural Business Negotiation Abroad With the extension of economic globalization of the world economy, cross-cultural business negotiation as a subject can be used as a tool because the increase in globalization of the world economy in the last few decades has changed the way people view the world and conduct business in that world. Therefore, many scholars abroad have conducted studies in business negotiations from different perspectives, mostly focus on negotiating style, strategies, interpretation, and context. Moran and Harris(1991) propose four communicative negotiating styles including normative, intuitive, analytic and factual. By use of the four negotiating styles, a harmonious relationship between bargainers are concentrated on creating; imagination solves problems; logical analysis leads to universally true conclusion; facts and details are presented in a neutral way. Weiss (1993) has done studied on cultures effects on the negation process proper and proposes twelve variables of negotiation as foci for cross-cultural comparisons. He presents corresponding propositions for these variables in each of seven cultural groups: American, Chinese, French, Japanese, Mexicans, and Saudis. And the twelve variables are including: basic concepts of the negotiations process, most significant type of issue, selection of negotiators, individuals aspirations, 8 Chapter Two Literature Review decision-making in groups, orientation toward time, risk-taking responsibility, base of trust, concern with protocol, communication complexity, nature of persuasion and form of agreement. And he also reveals that culture influence on cross-cultural negotiations in these variables and the differences among the seven cultures. A discourse approach is developed by Zaidman(2001) in cross-cultural business negotiations. He points out the differences and conflicts in intercultural business communication. Based on the conversational analysis as a framework, he intensively analyses language strategies employed by businessmen. The employment of language strategies are derived from local discourse systems. And language strategies are pointed out to vary as per cultural codes and discourse systems Christopher W. Moore and Peter J. Woodrow (2010) point out negotiations take place in a wide range of contexts, from simple market bargaining to complex processes to end wars within or between nations. They provide a schematic range of situations in which people from different cultures often engage in negotiations and note that situations of relatively little conflict can easily become continuous and move toward the right side of the table. Therefore, trade negotiations are usually held in at atmosphere in which both sides are looking for mutual gain. 2.2.2 Studies on Cross-cultural Business Negotiation at Home The history of cross-cultural business negotiations studies in China is much shorter and more recent than that in western countries. And the study of cross- cultural business negotiations was first introduced into China during the early 1980s. In spite of its short history, research in cross-cultural business negotiations has been developed rapidly. Especially after Chinas entry into WTO, much more Chinese scholars gradually realize that it is significant to make some researches on cross-cultural business negotiations. Li(李宣松李宣松, 1997) makes an overall investigation on the importance of language strategies and skills from the discourse perspective in business negotiations, particularly points out how language strategies and skills exert influence on the atmosphere of negotiations and push the development of negotiations. Effective 9 Master of Arts Thesis cross-cultural business negotiation requires choosing the appropriate strategies. In his article Language Strategies and Skills in Business negotiations, it is proposed that the language strategies should be used in the early period of the negotiation so that the atmosphere of negotiation is rather amicable and friendly between the negotiators. Ge Gao and Stella Ting-Toomey( 1998) make a study on Chinese verbal style in cross-cultural communications, and summarize five key aspects of the style: implicit communication, listening centeredness, politeness, a focus on insides and face- directed communication strategies, which show in their book Communicating Effectively with the Chinese. Their analysis proves Halls category of high- and low- context culture. Moreover, they highlight eight areas in which Chinese and North Americans clash in their everyday interactions: what is not said vs. what is said; the use of we vs. I; polite vs. impolite talk; indirect vs. direct talk; hesitant vs. assertive speech; self-effacing vs. self-enhancing talk; private vs. public personal questions; reticent vs. expressive speech. Thus, it is clearly known that different cultures have different verbal style, which can be understood and interpreted only in their cultural context. Yong Yun Kim(2001), in her book Becoming Intercultural: An Integrative Theory of Communication and Cross-Cultural Adaptation, sets a new mode that combines many elements that influence cross-cultural communication competence by using an interdisciplinary and macro research approach that included social psychology, applied linguistics and sociology. She has unified both micro and macro researches on cross-cultural communication from all points of view into her theoretical foundations, which is quite unprecedented. Obviously, her theory has provided a theoretical reference for further studies on cross-cultural communication in China. Dou(窦卫霖窦卫霖, 2011) , in his book Intercultural Business Communication, makes a systematic analysis on cross-cultural business negotiation. At first, he not only gives a modern definition of negation but also presents the four Cs of negation including common interest, conflicting interest, compro