1、（20_届）本科毕业设计英语基于礼貌原则分析国际商务交往中负面信息的表达策略STRATEGIESINTHEEXPRESSIONOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONININTERNATIONALBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONBASEDONTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEI内容摘要在跨文化交往中，文化的不同会成为交际的障碍，因为它们会阻止或隐藏一个有效交流的思想或情报。尤其在商务活动中，交际双方都会有各自的利益要求。当交际的一方不能满足另一方要求或接受提议时，不可避免的会存在一些差异和冲突。商务交往中的拒绝、抱怨、威胁、要求等负面信息威胁了双方的面子，成为交往的障碍。
2、如果我们不能有效合理的表达负面信息，交际的另一方就很难理解，交际难以再进行，达不到预期的目的。本文以LEECH的礼貌原则,BROWN和LEVINSON的面子威胁理论为基础，分析了国际商务交往过程中负面信息的表达策略。表达策略包括模糊策略，委婉策略和转换策略。通过合理运用模糊语句，委婉说侧，间接处理，乐观对待的手段分析负面信息，以得出不同的商务环境所运用的交往手段，最终达到交往顺利进行的目的。关键词负面信息；表达策略；礼貌原则；商务交往IIABSTRACTINCROSSCULTURALCOMMUNICATION,CULTURALDIFFERENCESCANBECOMMUNICATIONBARRI
3、ERSBECAUSETHEYPREVENTORHIDEANEFFECTIVEEXCHANGEOFIDEASORINFORMATIONESPECIALLYINBUSINESSACTIVITIES,BOTHSIDESOFCOMMUNICATIONHAVESOMEINTERESTDEMANDSWHENONEPARTYCANNOTMEETREQUIREMENTSORDONOTAGREEWITHTHEOTHERSADVICE,INEVITABLYTHEREARESOMEDIFFERENCESANDDIVERGENCENEGATIVEINFORMATION,SUCHASREFUSALS,COMPLIMEN
4、TS,THREATS,REQUESTSANDSOON,WILLTHREATENFACEOFBOTHPARTIESANDBECOMEBARRIERSTOCOMMUNICATIONIFWEDONTEXPRESSTHEINFORMATIONINASUITABLEWAY,HEORSHEMAYBEUNABLETOHAVEAGOODUNDERSTANDINGOFTHEOTHERANDCANTCARRYONCOMMUNICATIONFURTHERANDGETINTENDEDPURPOSESBASEDONLEECHS“POLITENESSPRINCIPLE”ASWELLASBROWNANDLEVINSONS“
5、FACETHREATENINGTHEORY”,THEPAPERANALYSESTHEEXPRESSIONSTRATEGIESOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONININTERNATIONALBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONTHESESTRATEGIESINCLUDEFUZZYSTRATEGY,EUPHEMISTICSTRATEGYANDTRANSFORMATIONSTRATEGYTHROUGHTHERATIONALUSEOFFUZZYLANGUAGE,EUPHEMISTICLANGUAGE,INDIRECTANDOPTIMISTICTREATMENTTOANALYZENEGAT
6、IVEINFORMATIONSOASTOREACHDIFFERENTMEANSOFCOMMUNICATIONINDIFFERENTBUSINESSENVIRONMENTANDACHIEVETHEPURPOSEOFSMOOTHCOMMUNICATIONFINALLYKEYWORDSNEGATIVEINFORMATIONEXPRESSIONSTRATEGYPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONIIICONTENTSABSTRACT1INTRODUCTION12NEGATIVEINFORMATIONINBUSINESSCOMMUNICATION23THEOR
7、ETICALFRAMEWORK331FACETHREATENINGACTSFTAS332THEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEPP4321POLITENESS4322THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLITENESSPP44STRATEGIESOFPROPERUSEOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONINBUSINESSCOMMUNICATION541FUZZYSTRATEGY5411HEDGES6412FUZZYSENTENCESTRUCTUREOFFUZZYLANGUAGE74121PASSIVESTRUCTURE74122NEGATIONSTRUCTURE742EUPHEMIS
8、TICSTRATEGY8421GENERALINTRODUCTIONTOEUPHEMISM8422EUPHEMISMINBUSINESS843TRANSFORMATIONSTRATEGY9431INDIRECTTREATMENT9432EXPRESSINGNEGATIVEINFORMATIONINOPTIMISTICWAY1044THEFUNCTIONOFUSINGSUCHSTRATEGIES105CONCLUSION11BIBLIOGRAPHY12ACKNOWLEDGEMENT1311INTRODUCTIONWITHTHEDEVELOPMENTOFSOCIETY,THEGLOBALIZATI
9、ONISTHEMAINSTREAMOFWORLDDEVELOPMENTITISNOSECRETTHATCHINAHASTHEFASTESTGROWINGECONOMYINTHEWORLDCHINAISCHANGINGANDDEVELOPINGQUICKLYWITHCHINASDEVELOPMENT,MOREANDMORECOUNTRIESAREAGGRESSIVELYENCOURAGINGINTERNATIONALTRADEWITHCHINA,WHICHBRINGSWITHITOPPORTUNITIES,PROBLEMSANDMANYCHALLENGESINTERNATIONALBUSINES
10、SEXCHANGESARETHECROSSBORDERACTIVITIES,OCCURRINGAMONGDIFFERENTCOUNTRIESWITHCULTURALDIVERSITY,PEOPLEFROMDIFFERENTBACKGROUNDHAVEDIFFERENTLANGUAGE,CUSTOMS,VALUES,MANNERS,PERCEPTIONS,SOCIALSTRUCTURESANDDECISIONMAKINGPRACTICESMANYDIFFERENCESBETWEENCHINESEANDWESTERNCULTUREWILLINEVITABLYBEREFLECTEDINTHEECON
11、OMYWHILEENGAGINGININTERNATIONALBUSINESSACTIVITIES,WEMUSTDEALWITHVARIOUSASPECTSOFINFORMATIONFROMTHECONTENTPOINTOFVIEW,BUSINESSINFORMATIONCANBEDIVIDEDINTOPOSITIVEMESSAGES,NEGATIVEINFORMATIONANDNEUTRALINFORMATIONTHEDIFFERENTTYPESOFINFORMATIONNEEDDIFFERENTTREATMENTHERE,WETALKABOUTNEGATIVEONEINTERNATIONA
12、LBUSINESSNEGOTIATIONANDCORRESPONDENCEAREMAINFORMSOFINTERNATIONALBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONWHETHERFORNEGOTIATIONORCORRESPONDENCE,THEEXPRESSIONOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONHASBEENAVERYDIFFICULTPROBLEMHOWEVER,WECOULDNOTAVOIDTHENEGATIVEINFORMATION,SUCHASREFUSAL,NEGATION,ORDER,THREATANDSOONTHETRANSMISSIONOFNEGATIVEIN
13、FORMATIONGOESAGAINSTCOMMUNICATORSFACEESSENTIALLYTOKEEPFACEISACOMMONSOCIALPHENOMENONINEVERYCOUNTRYINORDERTOSUCCEEDINBUSINESSTRANSACTION,THESUITABLEMETHODSABOUTHOWTOAVOIDTHENEGATIVEEFFECTOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONSHOULDBETAKEN,SOASTOGUIDEACOMFORTABLEBUSINESSENVIRONMENT,ALLEVIATETHETENSEATMOSPHERE,ANDACHIEV
14、EAGOODCOMMUNICATIONRESULTMRQIANGUANLIANTHINKSTHATPEOPLEALWAYSUSECERTAINSTRATEGIESANDSUITABLECOUNTERMEASURESINCOMMUNICATIONCONSCIOUSLYORUNCONSCIOUSLYWITHTHEAIMOFACHIEVINGTHEOVERALLGOALVERBALCOMMUNICATIONISACTUALLYBOILSDOWNTOTACTICS（QUOTEDINLUOYANLING，2005）WITHOUTADOUBTTHATCOURTESYISANEFFECTIVESTRATEG
15、YTOMAINTAINFACEUSINGLANGUAGEPOLITELYMEANSUSINGLANGUAGESKILLFULLYBRITISHLINGUISTLEECHPROPOSEDPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEPP,HETHOUGHT“THEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEISABELIEFWHICHTHESPEAKERISTOREDUCETHEEXPRESSIONOFIMPOLITEORASTHEEXPRESSIONOFCOURTESYINCONVERSATION”QUOTEDINZHANGXINGZHEN，2005BASEDONPP,THEPAPERADOPTSFUZZY
16、,EUPHEMISTICANDTRANSFORMATIONSTRATEGIESTOANALYZETHEEXPRESSIONOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONANDCONTROLTHENEGATIVEINFLUENCEFORTHESUCCESSOFDIFFERENTBUSINESSACTIVITIES22NEGATIVEINFORMATIONINBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONNEGATIVEINFORMATION,ALSOKNOWNASTHEUNFAVORABLENEWSORBADNEWS,ISNOTCONDUCTIVETOBUSINESSCONTACTSDURINGTHEP
17、ARTOFEXPRESSIONAUTHOROFTHEFAMOUSTHEORYOFFUZZYLOGIC,ZADEH,ONCEDEFINEDNEGATIVEINFORMATIONAS“NEGATIVEINFORMATIONISNOTCONDUCTIVETOTHEEXPRESSIONINTHECOMMUNICATIONCONTENTCASUALEXPRESSIONWILLCAUSEABADIMPACT,ORTHEREISNONEEDTOEXPRESSCERTAINTHINGS”（QUOTEDINLIUXIAOJUAN，2010）FROMWHICHWECANSEETHATTHEEXPRESSIONOF
18、NEGATIVEINFORMATIONTENDSTOHAVEANEGATIVEIMPACT,WHILETHEINTERNATIONALCROSSCULTURALBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONADDSTOTHEDIFFICULTYOFTHEEXPRESSIONOFSUCHINFORMATIONBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONISDIVIDEDINTOTWOGROUPSOFCOMMUNICATIONNAMELYINTERNALANDEXTERNALITISUSEDTOPROMOTEAPRODUCT,SERVICE,ORORGANIZATION,WITHTHEGOALOFREA
19、LIZINGTHEVALUEFORYOURBUSINESS,TRANSFERINFORMATIONAMONGCORPORATIONSTAFF,ORDEALWITHBUSINESSISSUESITISALSOAMEANSOFADVERTISINGOPENLYANDORDERINGGOODSFROMTHESUPPLIERSOVERTON,RODNEY2008HTTP/BLOGSINACOMCN/S/BLOG_5034E38A0100D20BHTMLTHENEGATIVEINFORMATIONINBUSINESSNEGOTIATIONSANDCORRESPONDENCESMAINLYTRANSMIT
20、REFUSAL,COMPLIMENTS,THREATS,REQUESTSWHICHISIMPOLITEINFORMATIONINNATURETHISINFORMATIONISATHREATTOBOTHSIDESOFTHEFACE,WOULDMAKEBOTHINTOTHEREALMOFEMBARRASSMENTFOREXAMPLEWEADVICEYOUTOORDERATONCEASOURSTOCKWILLSOONBESOLDOUTTHESENTENCEJUSTSHOWS“YOUR”ATTITUDE,DONOTCONSIDERTHEOTHERSIDESBENEFITSITDOESNOTCONVEY
21、EFFECTIVELYANDPROPERLYLOOKATTHEFOLLOWINGSENTENCETOHAVEAGOODSUPPLYOFSHOES,PLEASEORDERASOURSTOCKWILLBESOONBESOLDOUTITOBVIOUSLYEXPRESSESPOLITELYANDEFFECTIVELYINBUSINESS,WEOFTENHAVETOINFRINGEOTHERSSOMETIMES,IMPROPERLANGUAGESKILLSMAKETHESITUATIONINTOANEMBARRASSMENTNEGATIVEINFORMATIONISANINDIRECTDENIALTOT
22、HESPEAKERWHENCONVEYINGNEGATIVEINFORMATION,WESHOULDPAYMOREATTENTIONTO“HOWTOEXPRESS”THAN“WHATTOEXPRESS”IFWEAREONLYCONCERNEDABOUT“WHATTOEXPRESS”,NOTCONCERNEDABOUTEFFECTIVEEXPRESSION,THELISTENERCOULDNOTUNDERSTANDTHEMEANINGOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONANDTHEFACEOFBOTHSIDESWILLBETHREATENEDTOCONTROLTHEEXPRESSIONOF
23、NEGATIVEINFORMATIONANDSUMMARIZETHEEXPRESSIONSTRATEGIESSEEMTOBEPARTICULARLYIMPORTANTBASEDONTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE,THEPAPERPUTSFORWARDTHREESTRATEGIESFUZZINESS,EUPHEMISM,INDIRECTTREATMENTTOMINIMIZEORELIMINATE3SUCHNEGATIVEEFFECTSWHETHERWECANUSETHESESTRATEGIESAPPROPRIATELYINDIFFERENTBUSINESSENVIRONMENTIS
24、CRITICALTOTHESUCCESSOFTHEBUSINESS3THEORETICALFRAMEWORK31FACETHREATENINGACTSFTASTHETRANSMISSIONOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONGOESAGAINSTCOMMUNICATORSFACEESSENTIALLYANDINFRINGESTHEHEARERSFACEWANTSTOMAINTAINFACEISWIDESPREADAMONGTHEPEOPLEOFTHEWORLDASASOCIALPHENOMENONAMERICANSOCIOLOGISTERVINGGOFFMAN,WHODEFINESFAC
25、EAS“THEPOSITIVESOCIALVALUEAPERSONEFFECTIVELYCLAIMSFORHIMSELFBYTHELINEOTHERSASSUMEHEHASTAKENDURINGAPARTICULARCONTACT”HTTP/WWWSONYLUNWENCOM/A/DAIXIELUNWEN/2010/0519/5386HTMLBASEDONTHEFACENOTIONRAISEDBYGOFFMAN,BROWNANDLEVINSONPRESENTEDTHEFACETHEORYIN1978THEYDEFINEFACEAS“THEPUBLICSELFIMAGETHATEVERYMEMBE
26、RWANTSTOCLAIMFORHIMSELF”（QUOTEDINZHAOJUAN，2004）TOSATISFYFACEISABASICHUMANDEMAND,BUTIFYOUSAYSOMETHINGTHATREPRESENTSATHREATTOANOTHERPERSONSSELFIMAGE,THATISCALLEDA“FACETHREATENINGACT”（BROWNANDLEVINSON1987）INTERCULTURALBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONNEEDSBOTHSIDESTOCOOPERATETOPRESERVETHE“FACE”ANDMAINTAINHARMONIOU
27、SINTERPERSONALRELATIONSHIPSTOACHIEVEAWINWINPURPOSEINANATMOSPHEREOFPEACEANDFRIENDSHIPFORINSTANCEWEKNOWWHEREYOUAREABOUTYOURAFTERSALESERVICETHESENTENCEIMPLIESTHATTHESERVICEISNOTGOOD,BUTITDOESNOTPOINTOUTDIRECTLYINSTEAD,ITUSES“WHEREYOUARE”ASASUGGESTIONIMNOTSUREWECANEVERCONCLUDEATRANSACTIONIFWESTILLBARGAI
28、NLIKETHIS“LIKETHIS”ALLUDESTHATWECOULDNOTACCEPTTHEBARGAININGWITHTHISUNDERSTANDINGOFFACE,ADEFINITIONOFPOLITENESSCANBEUNDERSTOODINRELATIONTOFACE32THEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEPP321POLITENESSPOLITENESSISAUNIVERSALPHENOMENONINHUMANSOCIETYITISSHOWINGAWARENESSOFANOTHERPERSONSFACEBEINGPOLITECONSISTSOFATTEMPTINGTOS
29、AVEFACEFORANOTHERTHECOMMUNICATORSCANUSESUCHWAYSINORDERTOKEEPFACEANDTOREALIZETACTFULANDEFFECTIVECOMMUNICATIONINACCORDANCEWITHTHEPOSITIVEFACEANDNEGATIVEFACE,BROWNANDLEVINSONPROPOSETWO4POLITENESSSTRATEGIESPOSITIVEPOLITENESSANDNEGATIVEPOLITENESSPOSITIVEPOLITENESSREFERSTOTHEFACESAVINGACTWHICHISCONCERNEDW
30、ITHAPERSONSPOSITIVEFACEANDTENDSTOSHOWSOLIDARITY,WHILENEGATIVEPOLITENESSREFERSTOTHEFACESAVINGACTWHICHISCONCERNEDWITHAPERSONSNEGATIVEFACEANDTENDSTOSHOWDEFERENCEWHENWEUSEPOSITIVEPOLITENESS,WEEMPHASIZETHEEXPECTATIONTOHAVEACOMMONGOALWITHTHESPEECHEVENTPARTICIPANTSASWEKNOW,INBUSINESSDUNNINGANDCOMPLAINTAREH
31、EADACHYPROBLEMSFOREXAMPLEWESHOULDBEGRATEFULIFYOUCOULDSETTLEYOURACCOUNTWITHINYOUDBETTERSETTLEYOURACCOUNTWITHININSENTENCEONE,THESPEAKERSKILLFULLYTAKECAREOFTHEOTHERSIDESPOSITIVEFACEHELOOKSONPAYMENTRESPONSIBILITYASFRIENDLYCONTACTBETWEENFRIENDSUNLIKESENTENCETWO,HEJUSTSTIFFLYPRESSOTHERFORPAYMENT,ITSEEMSTO
32、ORDEROTHERWHICHTHREATENOTHERSFACEWHENWEUSENEGATIVEPOLITENESS,WEEMPHASIZETHERESPECTTOOTHERSFOREXAMPLEIMAFRAIDYOUHAVEWRONGLYBILLEDUSIMSORRYYOUHAVEWRONGLYBILLEDUS322THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLITENESSPPBASEDONTHEMAXIMSOFCONVERSATIONPROPOSEDBYGRICEANDTHEFACTTHATTHEREAREOCCASIONSWHENPEOPLEDONOTFOLLOWTHECOOPERATIVEP
33、RINCIPLE,GEOFFREYLEECH,INTRODUCESTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEWHICHRUNSASFOLLOWSMINIMIZEALLTHINGSBEINGEQUALTHEEXPRESSIONOFIMPOLITEBELIEFSMAXIMIZEALLTHINGSBEINGEQUALTHEEXPRESSIONOFPOLITEBELIEFHETHOUGHT“THEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEISABELIEFINWHICHTHESPEAKERISTOREDUCETHEEXPRESSIONOFIMPOLITENESSORASTHEEXPRESSIONOFCO
34、URTESYINCONVERSATION”THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLITENESSPPISACONSTRAINTOBSERVEDINHUMANCOMMUNICATIVEBEHAVIOR,INFLUENCINGUSTOAVOIDCOMMUNICATIVEDISCORDOROFFENCE,ANDMAINTAINCOMMUNICATIVECONCORDWHENONEPERSONCOMMUNICATESWITHOTHERS,HETRIESHISBESTTOCONVEYPROPERQUANTITYANDQUALITYOFINFORMATIONTOTHEADDRESSEEINPROPERANDRE
35、LEVANTWAYSFORTHEPURPOSEOFEXPRESSINGTHINGSCLEARLYBUTINDAILYLIFE,ITISNOTEASYTODOSOTHUS,WEOUGHTTOADHERETOCERTAINPRINCIPLEINORDERTOFORMULATEMESSAGESNOTTOOFFENDOTHERSANDACHIEVEOURSOCIALGOALSTHEARTICLEOUTLINESTHREEMAINSTRATEGIESTHATABUSINESSCOMMUNICATORCANEMPLOYTOAVOIDORMINIMIZETHEBADEFFECTSFROMNEGATIVEIN
36、FORMATION,THEYAREFUZZYSTRATEGY,EUPHEMISMSTRATEGYANDTRANSFORMATIONSTRATEGY4STRATEGIESOFPROPERUSEOFNEGATIVEINFORMATIONINBUSINESS5COMMUNICATIONSTRATEGIESAREIMPORTANTMEANSBYWHICHPEOPLECANREALIZECOMMUNICATIVEGOALORPREDOMINATEINCOMMUNICATIONTHEPROPERUSEOFSTRATEGIESINBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONCANPLAYAROLEINESTA
37、BLISHINGOWNIMAGE,OBTAININGTHETRUSTANDGAININGBENEFIT41FUZZYSTRATEGYWHENWESAYTHATLANGUAGEISALWAYSFUZZY,WHATWEMEANISTHATWECANNEVERFULLYCONTROLTHEMEANINGOFTHETHINGSWESAYORWRITEFUZZYLANGUAGEISACOMMONPHENOMENONININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONCHANNELL（2000）ONCEEXPRESSEDINVAGUELANGUAGE“VAGUENESSISUSEDASONEWAYOF
38、ADHERINGTOTHEPOLITENESSRULESFORAPARTICULARCULTURE,ANDOFNOTTHREATENINGFACE”THEREARECIRCUMSTANCESINWHICHWEARESURETOEMPLOYFUZZYWORDSOREXPRESSIONSTODELIVERIDEASININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONUNCONSCIOUSLYORINTENTIONALLYITCANBESAID,INDAILYCOMMUNICATION,WHENITENFORCINGTOINVOLVEUNPLEASANTORHARDTOSAYTHINGSORAC
39、TS,INORDERTOPROTECTFACEFROMBEINGTHREATENED,PEOPLEUSUALLYADOPTAMOREFUZZYEXPRESSIONSOTHATWECANEXPRESSOURSELVESBETTERFUZZYSTRATEGYISTHATUSINGSOMEFUZZYLANGUAGETOMAKETHESENTENCESMOREACCURATEINTHECOMMUNICATIONPROCESSFUZZINESSISUSEDASONEWAYOFADHERINGTOTHEPOLITENESSRULESFORAPARTICULARCULTURE,ANDOFNOTTHREATE
40、NINGFACEFUZZINESSISANINTRINSICFEATURETHATNATURALLANGUAGEHAS,ITDIFFERSFROMTHEUNCLEARLANGUAGEORINCOMPLETEINFORMATION,BUTFORSOMESTRATEGICCONSIDERATIONINTHESPECIFICCONTEXT,THECONCEPTOFFUZZYISSOMETIMESMOREEXPRESSIVETHANTHEEXPLICITPOWERTOSAYTHAT“THEPRICEISMORETHANSIXYUANISPRECISEINTHESENSETHATITDEFINESTHE
41、PRICEUNAMBIGUOUSLYITISLESSINFORMATIVETHANSAYINGTHATTHEPRICEIS6POINT2YUAN,BUTITGIVESPEOPLEAROOMTONEGOTIATEASISEEIT,FUZZINESSREQUIRESADIFFERENTWAYOFTHINKINGABOUTINFORMATIONANDWHATITISFUZZYSTRATEGIESAREMAINLYACHIEVEDBYTHEUSEOFFUZZYLANGUAGE,THEPAPERTALKSABOUTTWOMAINFORMS“HEDGES”AND“FUZZYSENTENCES”411HED
42、GESHEDGEISACOMMONPHENOMENONOFFUZZINESSININTERNATIONALCOMMUNICATIONITHELPSSPEAKERSTOEXPRESSTHEMSELVESMOREACCURATELYANDAPPROPRIATELYININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATION,PEOPLEOFTENADDAHEDGETOASENTENCETHEHEDGEISJUSTASOCIALSOFTENERTHETERM“HEDGE”ISFIRSTINTRODUCEDBYLAKOFFINHISARTICLE“HEDGESASTUDYINMEANINGCRITERIA
43、ANDTHELOGICOFFUZZYCONCETPS”LAKOFFDEFINESHEDGESAS“WORDSWHOSEJOBISTOMAKETHINGSFUZZIERORLESSFUZZY”FROMAPERSPECTIVEOFLOGICSEMANTICSHEARGUES6THATWORDSANDEXPRESSIONSSUCHAS“RATHER”“SORTOF”“STRICTLYSPEAKING”DEALWITHTHEDEGREEOFCATEGORYMEMBERSHIPSINCEHEBELIEVESTHATCATEGORYMEMBERSHIPISNOTAYESORNOMATTERBUTRATHE
44、RAMATTEROFDEGREEINTHELIGHTOFLAKOFFSMAINCONCERN,THETERM“HEDGE”HASLATERBEENDEFINEDBYBROWNANDLEVINSONAS“APARTICLE,WORDORPHRASETHATMODIFIESTHEDEGREEOFMEMBERSHIPOFAPREDICATEORANOUNPHRASEINASETITSAYSOFTHATMEMBERSHIPTHATITISPARTIALORTRUEONLYINCERTAINRESPECTS,ORTHATISMORETRUEANDCOMPLETETHANPERHAPSMIGHTBEEXP
45、ECTED”QUOTEDINLIANGXIANGZHEN,2006HEDGEISAPOLITENESSSTRATEGYWHENITMARKSACLAIM,ORANYOTHERSTATEMENT,ASBEINGPROVISIONAL,PENDINGACCEPTANCEINTHELITERATURE,ACCEPTANCEBYCOMMUNITYINTHEOTHERWORDS,ACCEPTANCEBYTHEREADERSORHEARERSITSEEMSTHATHEDGESAREAMBIGUOUS,BUTTHEYAREMOREOBJECTIVEANDACCURATETAKEALOOKATTHEFOLLO
46、WINGEXAMPLESEXAMPLEUNDERTHECIRCUMSTANCE,WEHADBETTERDISCUSSTHEMATTERWHENOPPORTUNITYARISES“UNDERTHECIRCUMSTANCE”,THEHEDGEMAKESTHELANGUAGEMOREOBJECTIVEANDSUGGESTSTHEENVIRONMENTANDCONDITIONOFTHEPROBLEMWHICHSHOWSTHESPEAKERSTONEMODERATEANDPOLITEATTHESAMETIME,ITPOLITELYEMPHASIZESTHEOBJECTIVEFACTORSRATHERTH
47、ANSUBJECTIVEFACTORSCANNOTREACHAGREEMENT“WHENOPPORTUNITYARISES”ISACONDITIONALCOMMITMENT,NOTADEFINITIVEANSWERITISTACTFULSOTHATTHEOTHERSIDESTILLHASGOODIMPRESSIONONYOUEXAMPLEINGENERAL,OURQUOTATIONISINCOMPLIANCEWITHTHEPRESENTMARKETLEVELGENERALLYSPEAKING,WEPAYCOMMISSIONORNOCOMMISSIONACCORDINGASTHEGOODSARE
48、INDUSTRIALPRODUCTSORTRADITIONALPRODUCTSTHEKINDOFHEDGESSUCHAS“INGENERAL”,“GENERALLYSPEAKING”SUGGESTSTHATTHESELLERISSUMMINGUPHIS/HERPOINTOFVIEW,BUTTHESITUATION,EXTENT,SCOPEANDBOUNDARIESAREGENERALANDFUZZYHOWEVER,BYUSINGTHEMITBECOMESMOREACCURATEANDMODERATE,THUSITISMOREACCEPTABLEANDEASIERTOUNDERSTAND412F
49、UZZYSENTENCESTRUCTUREOFFUZZYLANGUAGESUCHFUZZYISCAUSEDBYNEGOTIATORSWHOWOULDLIKETOEXPRESSLANGUAGESUBTLETYANDBEPOLITETHUS,THEYTRANSFORMSENTENCEPATTERNITMAINLYCONTAINSTWOSTRUCTURESPASSIVESTRUCTUREANDNEGATIONSTRUCTURE4121PASSIVESTRUCTUREINBUSINESSNEGOTIATIONS,WHENITCOMESTOTHEOTHERSOBLIGATIONS,THESPEAKERUSEPASSIVESENTENCESONBEHALFOFCONFUSINGACTOR,AVOIDINGDIRECTLYREFERTOWHATTHEOTHERSIDESHOULDDO,ORHAVENOTDONEANYTHINGINTHISWAYCANWEAKENTHETONEFORINSTANCE7WEDLIKETOREMINDYOUTHATTHEPAYMENTFORLASTSHIPMENTHASNTBEENMADEYETTHEINITIATIVESTRUCTUREOFSENTENCEIS“YOUHAVENTP
