1、从关联理论角度分析商务信函模糊语 摘 要 模糊是语言的基本属性之一，它广泛存在于人类的语言交际中。 关联理论认为，语言交际是个明示推理过程，发话人应该提供尽可能 关联的信息，使听话人能够以最小的努力去理解发话人的含义，达到 最佳的语境效果。本文从关联理论角度探析外贸英文信函中的模糊语 现象，运用关联理论首先解释了商务英语信函中的语言模糊现象，然 后以真实的商务信函为例子，探讨了写信人如何使用模糊语言明示话 语信息，实现最佳关联，以准确表达交际意图，达到交际目的，使贸 易双方之间达成互明，实现成功交际的目的。第一章为文献综述，主 要介绍了有关模糊语言的理论研究和商务信函特征，包括什么是商务 信函
2、以及商务信函的特征有哪些，第二章为探讨关联理论以及关联理 论有哪些原则，第三章为从关联理论角度分析商务信函中的模糊语言。 利用关联理论分析了商务信函模糊语言的功能。第四章主要总结了本 篇论文的局限性以及意义。此篇论文旨在使商务交际中的贸易双更好 的交际与理解对方，使得交际双方更好的使用模糊与建立良好的商务 关系。 关键词：商务英语信函； 模糊语； 关联理论 Analysis of Vagueness in Business Correspondence Language from the Perspective of Relevance-theoretic Approach Abstract
3、Vagueness is one of the basic attributes of language, it widely exists in human language communication. Relevance Theory proposes that communication is an ostensive-inferential process and the communicator should provide the most relevant information so that the audience can understand the communica
4、tors intention with the least effort. Using a relevance-theoretical framework，the paper first elaborates the application of vagueness in business correspondences and then explores how vague expressions allow a writer to convey the communicative intentions precisely by processing correctly the optima
5、l relevance in the real business correspondences. Thus we can achieve successful communication. The first chapter is literature review which reviews previous studies on vagueness and determines the definition and the features of business correspondence. The second chapter is about relevance theory a
6、nd principles of relevance theory. The third chapter is analysis of vague language of business correspondence in relevant approach, explaining the function of vague language from the perspective of relevant theory. The fourth chapter is the significances and limitations, In this chapter, the author
7、pointed out the limitations of the study and suggested further research possibilities. The aim of the paper is to achieve better communication with each other in business communication. Key words: business correspondence; vagueness; relevant theory Contents Introduction 1 Chapter One Literature Revi
8、ew.2 1.1 English business correspondence .2 1.2 Vagueness.3 Chapter Two Introduction of Relevance Theory .6 2.1 Overview of relevance theory 6 2.2 Principles of relevance theory 7 Chapter Three Analysis of Vagueness in Business Correspondence Language from the Perspective of Relevance-theoretic Appr
9、oach .6 3.1 The interpretation of relevance theory to the vague language in English business correspondence.9 3.2 The ways for sender using vague language to express explicit information to recipient in English business correspondence .11 Chapter Four The Significances and Limitations 15 4.1 Signifi
10、cances.15 4.2 Limitations15 Conclusion.16 Bibliography16 Introduction Domestic and foreign scholars have had profound discussions about the vagueness in language. In foreign countries, the English famous phonetician D. Jones realized the vague attribute of language early in 1957. In 1965, professor
11、Zadeh in the University of California most early proposed the vague theory in his essay called “Fuzzy Set” published in the magazine named Information and Control and started the new discipline of vagueness language. In China, professor Wu in Beijing Normal University first researched the vague attr
12、ibute of language using vague theories in his thesis called “The Primary Research of Vague Language in 1979 and wrote the book of Vague Linguistics, thus he started the fuzzy linguistics of China, which symbolize the birth of vague linguistics in China. Nowadays, vagueness is widely used in all area
13、s such as law, economy, and teaching. Business correspondence characterized by the correctness of language, the clearness and orderliness of logic of thinking, the preciseness of structure are no exception. Vague language transmits information using vagueness in itself, the uncertainty of which is o
14、ften expressed by the way of implicitness, objectivity, preciseness, and politeness, these features can improve the communicative effect. To some extent, vagueness plays an irreplaceable role in English business correspondence. The appropriate use of the language policy tools or skills can help us t
15、o achieve the optimal relevance. Using the framework of relevant theory, this paper tres to discuss the phenomenon of vagueness in English business correspondence. Based on the real correspondence, the paper also analyzes how the senders select and use vague language to achieve optimal relevance, in
16、 order to achieve successful communication purpose. Chapter One Literature Review In this chapter, the author firstly have a brief introduction of business English correspondence. And then an overview of vagueness as well as its pragmatic analysis. 1.1 English business correspondence 1.1.1 Definitio
17、n of English business correspondence Correspondence is the act of exchanging letters or the letters which pass between correspondents. Business correspondents can be defined as the correspondence used in business transaction, in which the participants are commonly regard as the addresser and the add
18、ressee. In business communication, business correspondence is used to sell products or services, request material or information, answer customer inquiries, maintain good public relations, and serve a variety of other business functions(Channel 1994: 20). 1.1.2 Features of English business correspon
19、dence English business correspondence is an effective way to express and keep information in business contacts, which can be roughly divided into the following parts: Letter to establish business relations, Information advisory letter, Valuation and quotation letter, Letter fot order, Processing bus
20、iness letter, Claims and complaints letter after business transactions. Business letters ate more formal official documents with correct words and succinct writing style. Business correspondence generally follows the writing principles of business English, that is, “7cs” principle: Correctness, Conc
21、iseness, Clearness, Completeness, Concreteness, Courtesy, Consideration(Sperber while in terms of hearer, “inference” refers to “an act that speaker explicitly expresses intention to hearer”(Sperber the second is being persuasive. Speaker will express the information to a maximum extend in order to
22、let listener make lest efforts to understand the utterance. The purpose of using vague for speaker is to reduce the efforts listener will make when he/she tries to understand the utterance and increase effect of language context. It is believed that the purpose of using vague language for the speake
23、r is to guarantee listener to find out the relevance between the discourse and cognition environment with the lest effort. The study in this field will help people choose the appropriate use of precision and vagueness according to the contexts. 4.2 Limitations Although a few problems on vague langua
24、ge in written business correspondence have been presented or revealed, the present study has not made a full satisfactory explanation in many aspects owing to the inadequacy of the authors personal understanding. Using vague language in business correspondences is a common phenomenon which seems to
25、hinder some information because receiver may not get the intended meaning of the letter. However, from a relevance perspective, vague language in business correspondences can help receiver to get the message of a letter with lest efforts. The author is, therefore, looking forward to the resolution a
26、nd improvement in the problems that are still hard to explain and answer with a desire for deeper and fuller understanding and comprehension of vague language. Conclusion Nowadays, vagueness has become one of the characteristics of documents writing in foreign trade. From the perspective of relevanc
27、e theory, it is very important how the sender uses vagueness properly to transfer and adapt discourse to express his communicative intentions in order to make the recipient pay the least effort to understand the meaning of vagueness and to achieve manifestness, so that the both sides of trade can ha
28、ve better understanding and communication. Otherwise, if the vagueness cant provide accurate information to the other party and let him make correct inferences, the misunderstanding and contradiction will make your letter get half the results with double efforts. Therefore, relevance theory has stro
29、ng explanatory power of vague language in English business correspondence. Bibliography 1 Channell J. Vague languageM. Oxford University Press, 1994: 20 2 Sperber D, Wilson D, 何自然, 等. Relevance: Communication and cognitionM. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1986: 40 3 Sperber D, Wilson D. Lo
30、ose talkC. Blackwell Publishing, 1985, 86: 153-171. 4 Peirce C S. VagueJ. Dictionary of philosophy and psychology, Oxford University Press, 1902, 2: 748 5 Zadeh L A. Fuzzy setsJ. Information and control, Oxford University Press, 1965, 8(3): 338-353. 6 程同春. 论模糊语言在国际商务英语中的语用功能J. 国际经贸探索, 2000, 5(74): 7
31、. 7 戈玲玲. 教学语用学M. 北京：国防科技大学出版社, 2002. 8 何兆熊. 新编语用学概要M. 上海：上海外语教育出版社, 2000. 9 贾永青. 外贸信函英语语言特点及语篇建构策略J. 商场现代化, 2006, 1: 32-40 10 李丽. 从关联理论看外贸英文信函中模糊语的明示性J. 商场现代化, 2008: 231-233. 11 王宏. 模糊语言及其语用功能J. 外语教学, 2003, 2(10). 12 伍玲. 浅谈模糊语言在国际商务英语写作中的运用J. 大视野, 2008, 7: 166. 13 吴世雄. 陈维振. 中国模糊语言学: 回顾与前瞻J. 外语教学与研究,
32、 2001, 1(8). 14 伍铁平. 模糊语言学M. 上海：上海外语教育出版社, 1999. 15 余桂霞. 模糊语言在经贸英语信函中的语用功能J. 商场现代化, 2007, 19: 012. 16 诸葛霖. 外贸实用英语手册M. 上海：商务印书馆, 1981: 125. Acknowledgements I avail myself of this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all who have given me a lot of help and encouragement i
33、n my preparation of this thesis. Among them, I am especially indebted to teacher Cui Shan, my supervisor. It has been a great privilege and joy to work under her guidance and with her encouragement. I thank her for reading my thesis as soon as it was written, offering me valuable comments and sugges
34、tions, and pushing me for a better draft. I am grateful to all the teachers in the Foreign Language School, whose courses expanded my scope of knowledge. Finally, I am also obliged to my classmates, who accompanied me during the years, giving me such valuable encouragement, which I will never forget in my life.
