1、 （ 20_ _届） 本科毕业 设计 英语 从礼貌策略角度分析商务信函的语言特点 Exploring Linguistic Features of Business Correspondences from the Perspective of Politeness Strategies I 摘要 基于布朗和莱文森的“面子理论”，本文的目的是通过分析运用于某些特定的商务信函的礼貌策略，来探究一些常用的语言特点，比如模糊语与情态动词，虚拟语气，语气修饰词，设问句，非人称化及名词化句式，被动句与肯定 句的运用等等。文中作者分别选取了面子理论中积极和消极策略中使用较频繁的两种和六种次策略，如属于积极
2、范畴的注意对方的兴趣，需求；夸大对对方的兴趣，同情与赞同，和属于消极范畴的：话语的习惯间接性；模糊语；使对对方的强迫性最小化；要求对方动作的非人称化和名词化等。每种次策略在商务信函中的使用都会呈现出相应的语言特色。本文的作者准备通过列举信函中巧妙使用这些策略的优秀句式，来概括出这些语言特点。 关键字 ：商务信函；面子；礼貌策略；语言特点 II Abstract Based on Brown e.g. asserting, reporting, announcing, instructing. Convivial: The illocutionary goal coincides with th
3、e social goal; e.g. offering, inviting, greeting, thanking, congratulating. Competitive: The illocutionary goal competes with the social goal; e.g. ordering, asking, demanding, begging etc. Conflictive: The illocutionary goal conflicts with the social goal; e.g. threatening, accusing, cursing, repri
4、manding. (Leech, 1983) As most face-threatening acts emerge in the competitive and conflictive letters, this thesis is to focus on the latter two kinds. In business negotiation stages, competitive letters usually include persuasive request letters, collection letters, sales letters etc. Conflictive
5、letters contain refusal letters, claims and complaint letters etc. The following is one example of competitive letter and one of conflictive letter, in which some methods taken to minimize the face-threatening act will be noted. Letters requesting payment always involve the act to force the receiver
6、 to make payment, which will threaten the receivers negative face. The letter below skillfully accomplishes the task of attending to the receivers face: (1)Dear Sir/Madam As you are usually very prompt in settling your accounts, we wonder whether there is any special reason why we have not received
7、payment of this account, (a)which is already a month overdue. In case you may not have received the statement of account (b) sent on 31 May showing a balance owing of $ 105.67, a copy is enclosed. We hope this will receive your early attention. 6 Yours sincerely In (a), before stating the problem of
8、 failing to receive the overdue payment, the writer first compliments the buyer on his previous trustworthiness, then he brings forth the problem very indirectly by suggesting other special reason for the delay of this payment. Thus the buyer wont feel embarrassed and a loss of face. In (b), the wri
9、ter offers himself a good reason for sending the statement of account for a second time, and the receiver would not feel that imposed. Complaint letters, on the other side, usually involve the act of pointing out the mistakes of the receiver, accusing him of his wrong doings or even asking for compe
10、nsation. Thus more often the receivers positive face will be under attack. The best way to make the complaint polite and understanding is to state the problem as detailed as possible, and the inconvenience brought out to the writer as severe as one can. The following letter is a good example: (2)Dea
11、r Sirs We ordered 160 compact discs on 3 January and they were delivered yesterday. I regret that 18 of them were badly scratched. The package containing these goods appeared to be in perfect condition and I accepted and signed for it without question. It was on unpacking the compact discs the damag
12、e was discovered; I can only assume that this was due to careless handling at some stage prior to packing.(a) I am enclosing a list of the damaged goods and shall be very appreciated if you will replace them as immediately as possible, as I have several customers waiting for them .(b) In (a), the wr
13、iter first expresses his regret for the damage, and then he gives a detailed description of how he discovers the problem. Moreover, he states clearly that it is due to rough handling, which reduces the possibility of threatening the sellers positive face. In (b), he points out his inconvenience for
14、the damage, and suggests ways for settlement, which will also make the seller, feel understandable and show concern for him. 3.2 Politeness strategies in the letters Most linguistic features are embodied in the following strategies. Next, several competitive and conflictive letters will be listed to demonstrate the strategies one by one:
