1、1毕业论文开题报告英语礼貌原则在商务信函中的运用一、选题的背景、意义（所选课题的历史背景、国内外研究现状和发展趋势）（一）课题的历史背景在世界各国的经济贸易合作日益频繁的大背景之下，在现代国际贸易交易过程中，对外贸易的各个环节大多仍通过函电方式进行。从建立业务关系到达成交易、履行合同以及解决合同过程中产生的纠纷等，都离不开商业信函的书写。它在商务活动中起着增进了解、传递信息、联系业务、处理问题等作用。一封表达得体、彬彬有礼的信函会尊重对方的观点、权利、愿望和需要，迎合对方的心理，创造一种热情尊重，有良好职业道德修养的形象，从而带来无限商机，促成、扩大商务活动的开展。因此，在外贸业务中能否运用礼
2、貌得体的语言清晰表达出自己的意向，是商务活动能否成功的主要因素。为使商务人士在交往中得以更好运用好礼貌这一技巧促进贸易往来，这就需对LEECH提出的礼貌原则中的六个准则在商务信函中如何应用进行分析，领会它的作用。（二）国内外研究现状和发展趋势礼貌的概念源于美国社会学家ERVINGGOFFMAN关于“面子”的著作礼仪的相互作用面对面的行为论集。GOFFMAN对面子的研究激起了礼貌原则的研究浪潮。其后颇有影响力的是GEOFFREYLEECH的礼貌原则。近期礼貌原则的研究学者试图从更多的视角，如文化、语言形式、具体言语行为、语境，权势等探索更具有实用性，普遍性的礼貌原则。1992年，徐盛恒提出了新的
3、礼貌原则，即关注自我，尊重对方、考虑第三方。1993年，束定芳和王虹提出了赞扬或贬低理论。1994年，RONSCOLLON和SUZANNEWSCO1LON在BROWNLEVINSON的面子保全论基础上提出了自己的礼貌理论。上述学者结合更多的视角对礼貌原则进行了新的拓展。但他们的研究成果很大程度上是对早期礼貌原则的修补。同早期的学者一2样，他们认为礼貌是以意图或规则为基础的，可被预先规定的。王建华（2001）对早期的礼貌理论，主要是LEECH的“礼貌原则”以及BROWNLEVINSON的“面子保全论”也有不同看法。他提出了“语用距离原则”，认为话语是否礼貌取决于交际双方所知觉与推定的彼此之间的语
4、用亲密度。王建华认为该原则可以有效地解释几乎所有的日常二元沟通中的礼貌问题。此外，王建华提出了“距离原则决定论”并区分了“语言礼貌”和“话语礼貌”，认为前者是绝对、抽象、无需语境的而后者是相对、实在、依赖语境的。侯国金（2003）认为王建华对“语言礼貌”和“话语礼貌”的区分并不清楚，并提出了“动态恰当性交际”的观点。他认为礼貌并非恰当性，而是说话人给予与听话人接受的愉悦，有赖于语言或和语用方式以求取某种交际目的。目前国内外大多数的礼貌研究似乎都过于理想化，许多研究者为了满足自己论证观点的需要，在研究步骤、方法、内容等方面均实施了布控，对现实生活中的具体复杂情况却很少给予考虑。礼貌原则研究的学者
5、历经三十多年的探索可谓硕果累累。而随着全球化的加速，更多的研究者加入到了礼貌原则研究的行列，希望能够找到跨越文化障碍，放之四海而皆准的礼貌交际的金钥匙。二、相关研究的最新成果及动态近期的礼貌原则研究学者从更多的角度探索礼貌原则，渴望突破前人的理论研究模式和局限，寻求更具普遍性的礼貌原则近期研究学者的尝试使礼貌原则的研究有了更为动态和实用的走向。但是这些新的原则仍然遭遇了如下几方面的质疑首先，如早期礼貌原则的研究学者一样，近期的学者在进行礼貌原则的预设时忽略了交际者是理性与非理性的辩证统一体，而理想化地预设交际者是理性的，一切言语行为都是理性的。这种理想化的预设影响到之后研究过程及其成果的信度和
6、效度，自然也摆脱不了“理想化”的质疑声。其次，许多礼貌研究学者在验证礼貌预设时使用的语料是非真实的，人为控制的痕迹也影响了研究成果的可靠性。其三，许多研究者是在自身所处的或者自己所熟悉的文化下预设礼貌原则，并搜集语料。地域文化的限制无法使他们提出的礼貌原则真正冲破文化的界限，具有普遍的适用性。其四，目前国内外大多数的礼貌研究似乎都过于理想化，许多研究者为了满足自己论证观点的需要，在研究步骤、方法、内容等方面均实施3了布控，对现实生活中的具体复杂情况却很少给予考虑。其五，假如众多学者提出的礼貌原则都无法冲破文化的界限，那么礼貌是否存在真正意义上的普遍性，或者文化无障碍性或者，正如有些学者如FRA
7、SER（1990）所言，礼貌本身无法传达，而只是一种言语表达效果。如果他的观点是正确的话，是否表明礼貌被无法预先规定礼貌原则的研究是否还应当继续礼貌原则研究的学者历经三十多年的探索可谓硕果累累。而随着全球化的加速，更多的研究者加入到了礼貌原则研究的行列，希望能够找到跨越文化障碍，放之四海而皆准的礼貌交际的金钥匙。三、课题的研究内容及拟采取的研究方法、技术路线及研究难点，预期达到的目标1研究方法和路线通过到图书馆查找资料，以及利用多媒体网络浏览相关的文章，并与指导老师探讨论文的条理、难点，加深了我对本论题的进一步的认识，理清了研究思路。在资料的收集过程中，经常阅读一些杂志、报纸和期刊，充分利用图
8、书馆和互联网的资源，搜集大量商务信函实例，以LEECH提出的礼貌原则中具体的六条原则为基准，采用例证分析法和比较对照法对资料进行分类、综合和筛选，做好笔记和相关记录，整理出对完成论文具有价值的信息和要点。2研究难点收集到的资料过于繁多杂乱，每一份材料体现一个核心观点和支撑该观点的许多论点，综合这些材料以后容易出现论点重合和冲突，之中的取舍问题就极其影响到最后支持我论文的论点取向。也由于礼貌原则这一理论的广泛认可性，在得出方法和原则的时候没有太大发挥空间，局限于对前人的借鉴和总结。3预期达到的目标通过对LEECH提出的礼貌原则中的六个准则进行阐述，结合商务信函中的写作实例进行分析，从而总结出礼貌
9、原则是如何在商务信函中运用的以及它的作用，给商务人士在交往中得以更好运用好这一技巧,促进贸易往来。四、论文详细工作进度和安排1INTRODUCTION11BACKGROUNDINFORMATION12LITERATUREREVIEW413PURPOSEOFTHEWRITING2BUSINESSLETTER21DEFINITIONOFBUSINESSLETTER22CHARACTERISTICSANDLINGUISTICTRAITSOFBUSINESSLETTER3POLITENESSPRINCIPLESANDTHEFUNCTIONINGINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERS31THE
10、TACTMAXIM32THEGENEROSITYMAXIM33THEAPPROBATIONMAXIM34THEMODESTYMAXIM35THEAGREEMENTMAXIM36THESYMPATHYMAXIM4CONCLUSIONTHECOURTESYPLAYSANIMPORTANTROLEININTERNATIONALBUSINESSITHELPSBUILDAFAVORABLECOMPANYSIMAGEWITHINTEGRITY,ENTHUSIASM,GOODPROFESSIONALETHICS,SOTHATPARTNERSAREWILLINGTOCOOPERATEWITHUS,BRINGN
11、UMEROUSOPPORTUNITIESOFBUSINESS2010年10月10日11月15日确定论文题目2010年11月16日2010年11月底指导老师下达任务书，学生提交开题报告，文献综述2010年1月底前提交论文初稿2010年3月底前初稿、二稿的修改2010年4月底前三稿、四稿的修改2010年5月10日前定稿，提交按要求装订的论文终稿一式四份五、主要参考文献1JACOBLMEYPRAGMATICSANINTRODUCTIONM,BEIJINGFOREIGNLANGUAGETEACHINGANDRESEARCHPRESS，20012LEECHGPRINCIPLESOFPRAGMATICSM
12、LONGMANGROUPLIMITED，198353BOBBYEDSBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONFUNDAMENTALSMOHIOCHARLESEMERRILLPUBLISHINGCOMPANY，19844STALLARDJSMITHEPRINCIPLESPOLITENESSIICONTENTSABSTRACT1INTRODUCTION12BUSINESSLETTER221DEFINITIONANDFUNCTIONOFBUSINESSLETTER222CHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSLETTER33POLITENESSPRINCIPLESANDITSAPPLIC
13、ATIONINENGLISHLETTERS431ABRIEFINTRODUCTIONTOPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE432HOWPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEFUNCTIONSINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERS5321THETACTMAXIM5322THEGENEROSITYMAXIM6323THEAPPROBATIONMAXIM6324THEMODESTYMAXIM7325THEAGREEMENTMAXIM7326THESYMPATHYMAXIM833SKILLSOFAPPLYINGPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESINBUSINESSLETTERS93
14、31TACTFULTONERATHERTHANFORCEDONE9332PROPERUSEOFPASSIVETENSE9333PROPERUSEOFQUESTIONS10334CONVERSIONFROMNEGATIVETOPOSITIVETONE10335USEOFNEUTERPHRASEANDAVOIDINGSEXDISCRIMINATIONVOCABULARY114CONCLUSION12BIBLIOGRAPHY13ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS141INTRODUCTIONENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERISONEOFTHEMAINTOOLSFORUSTOEXCHANGEI
15、NFORMATIONDURINGTHEBUSINESSAFFAIRSWEHAVEDEPENDEDONWORDSTOCOMMUNICATESINCETHEYHADBEENCREATED,FORTHEIRSPECIALCHARACTERISTICSOFPASSINGONINFORMATIONACROSSTIMEANDSPACETHEDAILYLETTERWEUSEISTHEWORDSSYSTEMATICALLYORGANIZEDTOEXPRESSOURIDEASANDTHOUGHTSSINCEENGLISHISANINTERNATIONALLANGUAGEOFGLOBALVILLAGE,HOWTO
16、WRITEENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERSWITHADEQUATEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESISANINDISPENSABLESKILLFORDAILYBUSINESSWORKFURTHERMORE,THEINABILITYTOWRITEANEFFECTIVEBUSINESSLETTERWILLDOOMTHOSEWHOWANTTOREPRESENTTHEMSELVESPOSITIVELYTOTHEIRCUSTOMERS,COMPETITORSANDEMPLOYERSTHISSTUDYFOCUSOFTHISPAPERISTOMAKEANEMPIRICALSTUDYOFP
17、OLITENESSPRINCIPLEUSEDINTHEWRITTENBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONHEREWECHOOSEENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERASTHELANGUAGECARRIERBECAUSEOFITSINDISPENSABLEPOSITIONININTERNATIONALBUSINESSAFFAIRSANDITSBASICREQUIREMENTOFUSINGPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESHOULDALSOBETHEREASONPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE,ASAKEYFACTOROFEXECUTINGCOMMUNICATIONPURP
18、OSES,BELONGSTOONESTUDYFIELDOFPRAGMATICSITHASACOMPLETESETOFPOLITENESSSTRATEGIESFORTHECHOICEOFDIFFERENTSITUATIONSRELATEDTODIFFERENTBUSINESSLETTERSSOMEPREVIOUSRESEARCHERSHAVESTUDIEDONPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEINBUSINESSLETTERWRITINGPOLITENESSTHEORYHASENJOYEDAPRIVILEGEDPOSITIONONTHEFOREFRONTOFPRAGMATICATTENTIO
19、NINTHEPASTDECADEANDALTHOUGHSCRUTINIZEDANDCRITICIZEDFROMMANYQUARTERS,ITREMAINSVERYMUCHALIVEASWITNESSEDAMONGOTHERSBYARECENTBIBLIOGRAPHYBYDUFON1994POLITENESSTHEORYANDRELATEDAREAS,SUCHASDISCOURSEANDCONVERSATIONANALYSISANDSTUDIESOFINTERETHNICCOMMUNICATION,HAVEPRIMARILYDRAWNONOBSERVATIONSFROMEMPIRICALSTUD
20、IESOFSPOKENLANGUAGEANDHAVEMOSTLYFOCUSEDONFACETOFACEINTERACTIONINNONPROFESSIONALSETTINGS,ANDWHEREPOLITENESSHASBEENSTUDIEDINPROFESSIONALSETTINGSTHEFOCUSHASMAINLYBEENONORALINTERACTIONONTHEBASISOFTHEPRIMESTUDIES,THEAUTHORFOUNDTHATTHEREISAREQUIREMENTTOMAKEARESEARCHONTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENPOLITENESSTHEORY
21、ANDPROFESSIONALSETTINGSONWRITTENDISCOURSEBUSINESSLETTER,ACTINGASAFORMALCOMMUNICATIVEMEANS,NEEDSHIGHSTANDARDOFPOLITENESSSOASTOREALIZEITSAIMTHROUGHSYSTEMATICANALYSISANDCOMPARISONOFENGLISHBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCES,THISDISSERTATIONTRIESTOSEARCHHOWPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEHASBEENWIDELYUSEDINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTER
22、SANDTHATTHEPRINCIPLESOFPOLITENESSINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERSSHOULDBEINSISTEDITALSOPRESENTSSEVERALASPECTSOFPOLITENESSINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERS2BUSINESSLETTERENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERSARECHOSENTOBETHELANGUAGECARRIEROFTHISEMPIRICALSTUDYTHEAUTHORSUMMARILYINTRODUCESTHEDEFINITION,FUNCTIONANDCHARACTERISTICSOFBUSIN
23、ESSLETTERTHEREFORE,ONECANHAVEACLEARSTUDYOFPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEONSUCHBASES21DEFINITIONANDFUNCTIONOFBUSINESSLETTERENGLISHBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEISONEOFTHEMOSTCOMMONBUSINESSCONTACTMEDIAITDEPENDSONCOMPUTERSORTYPEWRITERSTOCOMPLETETHEINTERPERSONALINTERACTIONINFACT,THEBUSINESSLETTERISAKINDOF“SELLING”LETTERTH
24、EWRITERISALWAYSPUSHINGSALES,OFWHICHMAYBEAPRODUCT,SOMESERVICE,APATENT,ANIDEA,OREVENONESELFORTHECOMPANYSIMAGEANDSOONEVERYBUSINESSLETTERCOMMUNICATESINTWODISTINCTWAYSTHEREADERGETSMEANINGOUTOFWHATISSAIDANDHOWITISSAIDINALETTERTHISKINDOFCOMMUNICATIONISNOTATALLPECULIARONLYTOBUSINESSLETTERSINANYFACETOFACECON
25、VERSATION,FOREXAMPLE,APERSONSMANNEROFSPEAKING,THESMILEORFROWNONHISFACE,THETONEOFTHEVOICEANDETC,ALLTELLSOMETHINGBEYONDWHATTHEWORDSSAYTHIS“IMPLIED”MESSAGECOULDEITHERREINFORCEORCONTRADICTTHEWORDSITISTHESAMECASEWITHBUSINESSLETTERSTHECOMBINATIONOFACENTRALMESSAGEANDANIMPLIEDMESSAGEISTHETOTALMESSAGEAREADER
26、GETSFROMREADINGTHATLETTERWHATIMPORTANCEDOESTHISCONCEPTOFADOUBLEMESSAGEHASUPONOURWRITINGOFBUSINESSLETTERSCONSIDEREDINITSMOSTFUNDAMENTALTERMS,ABUSINESSLETTERMAYBEDEFINEDASALETTERTHATATTEMPTSTOINFLUENCEITSRECIPIENTTOTAKESOMEACTIONORATTITUDEDESIREDBYTHESENDERCAO,2003THEREFORE,WEMUSTMAKESURETHATBOTHTHECL
27、ARITYOFTHEMESSAGEWHATTHELETTERSAYSANDITSCHARACTERHOWTHELETTERSAYSITHELPTOEVOKETHATREACTIONINOTHERWORDS,WENEEDTOMAKESURETHEIMPLIEDMESSAGEWORKSFORRATHERTHANAGAINSTOURPURPOSESBROADLYSPEAKING,THEFUNCTIONSOFABUSINESSLETTERCANBESUMMARIZEDAS“1TOASKFORORTOCONVEYINFORMATION2TOMAKEORTOACCEPTANOFFER3TODEALWITH
28、MATTERSCONCERNINGNEGOTIATIONOFBUSINESSINADDITION,THEREARELETTERSWITHNOOTHERPURPOSETHANTOREMINDTHERECIPIENTOFTHESENDERSEXISTENCE”GAN,20031QIN2001CONCLUDEDTHEFUNCTIONSOFBUSINESSLETTERAS1TOSETUPBUSINESSRELATIONSHIP2TOOFFERORACCEPTASERVICE3BUSINESSNEGOTIATION4TOCOMPLAINORDEALWITHCOMPLAINT5TOPROMOTEBUSIN
29、ESSFROMABOVEWECANSEETHATBUSINESSLETTERHASACLOSERELATIONSHIPWITHTHEBENEFITOFBOTHTHEWRITERANDTHEREADER22CHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSLETTERLETTERWRITINGDOESNOTDIFFERFROMANYOTHERFORMOFCREATIVEWRITINGSGOODCOMMANDOFENGLISHISONEOFTHEIMPORTANTBASESOFGOODBUSINESSLETTERSWHATYOUWRITESHOULDBEFREEFROMGRAMMATICALBLE
30、MISHES,ANDALSOFREEFROMTHESLIGHTESTPOSSIBILITIESOFBEINGMISUNDERSTOODGAN2003SUMMEDUPCERTAINESSENTIALQUALITIESOFBUSINESSLETTERTHEYARECLEARNESS,CONCISENESSANDCOURTESYYAN1998ALSOSUMMARIZEDTHECHARACTERISTICSOFSUCCESSFULBUSINESSLETTERSASCOMPLETENESS,CONCISENESS,CLARITYANDCOURTESY1CLARITYASBUSINESSLETTERSIN
31、VOLVEBUYERSANDSELLERSRIGHTS,OBLIGATIONSANDINTERESTS,ALSO,THEYARETHEBASISOFALLSORTSOFTRADEBUSINESSANDBINDINGTOBOTHOFTHEMONLAW,THEYMUSTBECORRECT2CONCISENESSEXPRESSIONSSHOULDBESUCCINCTANDREPETITIONOFUNNECESSARYDETAILSANDWORTHLESSINFORMATIONSHOULDBEAVOIDED3COMPLETENESSBUSINESSLETTERSACTUALLYHAVEALREADYB
32、EENACONTRACTONCEITISSENTOUTANDISRECEIVEDBYTHEOTHERONE,BOTHOFTHEMUNDERTAKELEGALRESPONSIBILITYUNNECESSARYDISPUTESWOULDBECAUSEDIFITISNOTCOMPLETED4CLEARNESSBLURRINGANDABSTRACTIONARENOTALLOWEDESPECIALLYWHENONEISREQUIREDTOMAKEDEFINITERESPONSE5COURTESYITSHOULDHARDLYBENECESSARYTOSTRESSTHEIMPORTANCEOFCOURTES
33、YINBUSINESSLETTERSWHATWESHOULDALWAYSKEEPINMINDISTHEPERSONWHOMWEAREWRITINGTOWESHOULDSEETHINGSFROMHISPOINTOFVIEW,VISUALIZEHIMINHISUNDERSTANDINGS,SEEHISPROBLEMSANDDIFFICULTIESANDEXPRESSOURIDEASINTERMSOFHISEXPERIENCE,DONOTUSETHETONEOFCOMMANDORBEINGRUDEITSBETTERTOCONSIDERCUSTOMERSDEMANDS,DESIRESANDFEELIN
34、GSANDPAYMOREATTENTIONTOTHEMBEMOREPOLITEPERHAPSWEWILLFINDITSOCOMPLICATEDTODEALWITHOURREADERSTHATISWHYWENEEDPOLITENESSPRINCIPLETOGUIDEUSTOMANAGEDIFFERENTPOLITENESSSTRATEGIESANDADOPTPOLITENESSSTRATEGIESANDOFCOURSECOURTESY,WHICHISTHETYPICALCHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSLETTER,WILLBETHESTUDYFOCUSOFTHISDISSERT
35、ATION3POLITENESSPRINCIPLESANDTHEFUNCTIONINGINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERS31ABRIEFINTRODUCTIONTOPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESONEHASTOKNOWWHATBEING“POLITE”MEANSONEOFTHEDICTIONARYDEFINITIONSOF“POLITE”IS“HAVINGORSHOWINGGOODMANNERS,SENSITIVITYTOOTHERPEOPLESFEELINGS,AND/ORCORRECTSOCIALBEHAVIOR”ACCORDINGTOLEECH1983,POLIT
36、ENESSISANABSTRACTQUALITY,RESIDINGININDIVIDUALEXPRESSIONS,LEXICALITEMSORMORPHEMES,WITHOUTREGARDFORTHEPARTICULARCIRCUMSTANCESTHATGOVERNTHEIRUSEPOLITENESSISAKINDOFRATIONALBEHAVIORSTHATAMODALPERSONASSUMESSOASTOSATISFYHISFACENEEDSQUOTEDFROMBROWNLEVINSON,1978INEVERYDAYSITUATIONSWEHAVETOCOMMUNICATEWITHOTHE
37、RPEOPLETOGETINFORMATION,TOGAINKNOWLEDGEABOUTATOPICORTOREACHAVARIETYOFGOALSTOBESUCCESSFUL,ONEHASTOFOLLOWSOMEIMPORTANTSTRATEGIESBESIDETHERULEOFTHELANGUAGEPHILOSOPHERHPGRICE,WHICHISCALLEDTHECOOPERATIVEPRINCIPLE,THEREEXISTSANOTHERCONCEPTTHATSERVEDWHENPEOPLEARETALKINGITISCALLEDTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE，WHIC
38、HHASABOVEALLBEENDEVELOPEDBYLEECHINTHECENTEROFTHISCONCEPTDOESNOTSTANDTHEINFORMATIONOFACONVERSATION,BUTTHEEFFECTOFWHATISSAIDONTHEPEOPLESOPOLITENESSTHEORYHASENJOYEDAPIONEERPOSITIONONTHEFOREFRONTOFPRAGMATICATTENTIONITMUSTBEAPPLIEDINORALANDWRITTENLINGUISTICASPECTSSOASTOREACHASUCCESSFULCOMMUNICATIONTHECON
39、TENTOFPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESINCLUDESTACTMAXIM,GENEROSITYMAXIM,APPROBATIONMAXIM,MODESTYMAXIM,AGREEMENTMAXIMANDSYMPATHYMAXIMGRICE,1975AVERYGENERALFORMULATIONOFLEECHSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEANDITSMAXIMSISASFOLLOWSMINIMIZEOTHERTHINGSBEINGEQUALTHEEXPRESSIONOFIMPOLITEBELIEFSMAXIMIZEOTHERTHINGSBEINGEQUALTHEEXPRES
40、SIONOFPOLITEBELIEFSNOTETHATPOLITENESSISESSENTIALLYASYMMETRICALWHATISPOLITEWITHRESPECTTOOTHERSWILLBEIMPOLITEWITHRESPECTTOOURSELVES,ANDVICEVERSANOTEALSOTHATSPEAKERSMAYADHERETOMORETHANONEMAXIMOFPOLITENESSATTHESAMETIMEOFTENONEMAXIMISONTHEFOREFRONTOFTHEUTTERANCE,WITHASECONDMAXIMBEINGINVOKEDBYIMPLICATIONF
41、ORINSTANCE,YOUARETHEEXPERTWHENUSEDTOVOICEAREQUESTFORACTIONINVOKESFIRSTOFALLTHEAPPROBATIONMAXIM,BUTTHEMAXIMOFMODESTYISSIMULTANEOUSLYATTENDEDTOBYIMPLICATIONASTHESPEAKERIMPLICITLYDENIESHIS/HERABILITYTOCARRYOUTTHETASKATHAND32HOWPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEFUNCTIONSINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLECANSA
42、VEUSALOTOFTROUBLESINORDERTOBEPOLITEINOURCOMMUNICATIONANDMAKEWHATWEEXPRESSACCEPTABLEWITHOUTHURTINGOTHERSFEELINGS,WESHOULDABIDEBYTHEMAXIMSOFTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESWITHSYSTEMATICSTRATEGIESASFOLLOWSTACTMAXIMISTHEOTHERCENTEREDMAXIMBYWHICHWEMINIMIZECOSTTOOTHERSANDMAXIMIZEBENEFITTOOTHERSWHILEGENEROSITYMAXI
43、MISSELFCENTEREDRULEBYWHICHWEMINIMIZEBENEFITTOOURSELVESANDMAXIMIZECOSTTOOURSELVESWECANAPPLYAPPROBATIONMAXIMTOMINIMIZEDISPRAISETOOTHERSANDMAXIMIZEPRAISETOOTHERSMODESTYMAXIMSHOWSHOWSELFDISPRAISESAREVIEWEDASQUITEBENIGNAGREEMENTMAXIMISTHEMAXIMUSEDINASSERTIVETHATWEMINIMIZEDISAGREEMENTBETWEENSELFANDOTHERS,
44、MAXIMIZEAGREEMENTBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSMAXIMOFSYMPATHYISALSOTHEIMPORTANTRULEWESHOULDABIDEBYWHENWEWANTTOEXPRESSOURCONDOLENCESINACOURTEOUSWAYEVENTHOUGHSUCHCONDOLENCESEXPRESSBELIEFS,WHICHARENEGATIVEWITHREGARDTOTHEHEARERBUTNOTALLOFTHEMAXIMSAREEQUALLYIMPORTANTFORINSTANCE,“TACT”INVOLVESAMOREPOWERFULCONSTRAI
45、NTONCONVERSATIONALBEHAVIORTHANDOES“GENEROSITY”,AND“APPROBATION”ISMOREIMPORTANTTHAN“MODESTY”,ATLEAST,IFWEACCEPTTHEGENERALASSUMPTIONTHATPOLITENESSISMOREOTHERORIENTEDTHANSELFORIENTED321THETACTMAXIMTACTMAXIMISTHEOTHERCENTEREDMAXIMBYWHICHWEMINIMIZECOSTTOOTHERSANDMAXIMIZEBENEFITTOOTHERSINENGLISHBUSINESSLE
46、TTERS,ITSUSEDINCOMMANDANDPROMISE,INORDERTOLEAVETHEBIGGESTBENEFITTOTHEOTHERS,TOPROVIDEMORECHOICESFORTHEM,ANDTOALARGEEXTENT,TOREDUCETHEOTHERSBURDENFOREXAMPLE,AYOUSHOULDMAKENECESSARYAMENDMENTTOTHERELATIVELCASSOONASPOSSIBLEBPEASEMAKENECESSARYAMENDMENTTOTHERELATIVELCASSOONASPOSSIBLECWOULDITBEPOSSIBLEFORY
47、OUTOMAKENECESSARYAMENDMENTTOTHERELATIVELCASSOONASPOSSIBLEITISEASYTOSEETHATTHETHREESENTENCESABOVEAREGRADUALLYPOLITEINTURNSENTENCE“A”REQUESTSOTHERSATATONEOFCOMMAND,NOTGIVINGOTHERSANYLEEWAYALTHOUGHSENTENCE“B”USES“PLEASE”TOSHOWPOLITENESS,ITSTILLBELONGSTOANIMPERATIVESENTENCE,NOTGETTINGRIDOFTHETONEOFCOMMA
48、NDSENTENCE“C”ADOPTSINTERROGATIVESENTENCE,INDIRECTLYEXPRESSINGOWNOPINION,WHICHMINIMIZESCOSTTOOTHERSANDMAXIMIZESBENEFITTOOTHERSTHEREFORE,ITSMUCHMOREPOLITETOACHIEVEOWNPURPOSEWITHOUTMAKINGOTHERSBEINDIFFICULTIES322THEGENEROSITYMAXIMGENEROSITYMAXIMISSELFCENTEREDRULEBYWHICHWEMINIMIZEBENEFITTOOURSELVESANDMA
49、XIMIZECOSTTOOURSELVESINENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERS,ITSUSEDINCOMMANDANDPROMISE,INORDERTOLEAVETHEBIGGESTLOSSONONESELFTHEGENEROSITYMAXIMISMOSTLYUSEDINPROMISETHATSELLERSMAKETOCUSTOMERSFORTHEBESTSERVICEORQUALITYFOREXAMPLE,AWEREGRETTHATYOUMISUNDERSTOODOURORDERBWEREGRETTHATWEDIDNTMAKEITCLEARINOURORDERTHESETWOSENTENCESCLEARLYEXPRESSTHESAMEMEANINGINSENTENCE“A”,THESPEAKERDIRECTLYBLAMESTHEOTHERONE,WHICHMAKESPEOPLEHARDLYTOACCEPTUNDERTAKINGTHETOTALRESPONSIBILITYRESULTEDFROMERRORWHILEINSENTENCE“B”,ITCHANGESTHEROLEOFTHESECONDSPEAKERINTOTHEFIRSTSPEAKER,ACTIVELYUNDERTAK
