英文商务信函的礼貌策略研究

A Study of Politeness Strategies in English Business Correspondence

【作者】 魏珺；

【导师】 王庆新；

【作者基本信息】 山东师范大学， 英语语言文学， 2006， 硕士

【摘要】 礼貌现象作为确保人类顺畅成功交际的基本手段之一,引起了语用学、社会语言学、心理学以及认知语言学的广泛关注。自上世纪七十年代以来,语言学家纷纷提出各种理论,将礼貌作为一种语言现象进行解释。其中,利奇的礼貌原则及布朗和列文森的面子保全论影响最大。英文商务信函是商务交流的一种重要方式,不仅具有传递信息的功能,还担负着建立、加强业务联系的重任,因此,对礼貌具有较高要求。纵观国内商务信函写作的教学与学习情况,大多侧重于商务信函的信息功能而非人际功能,即注重语言本身而不是把它看作一种交际手段。然而,大多数时候,礼貌是写信人选择表达方式时所考虑的首要因素。本文试图从礼貌的角度出发,解释各种写作技巧如何体现礼貌策略并确保沟通顺畅,从而为商务信函中表达方式的合理选择提供理论依据。本文首先回顾了关于礼貌的四种主要观点,特别是以利奇为代表的会话准则观及以布朗和列文森为代表的面子保全观,二者构成了本文的主要理论框架。然后,本文根据信函的言外行为及其对收信人面子的影响将商务信函分为日常商务信函、好消息商务信函、坏消息商务信函以及说服性商务信函,并分别从词语和表达、句子以及篇章结构三个层次对不同类型商务信函中礼貌的实现以及礼貌如何促进商务交流进行了描述性的分析。其中,日常商务信函主要实施合作类言外行为,对收信人面子几乎没有影响,本文未做讨论。通过分析可以发现,好消息商务信函主要实施和谐类言外行为,本质上是礼貌的。然而,不恰当的表达方式可能会降低其礼貌程度,甚至弄巧成拙。坏消息商务信函主要实施冲突类言外行为,会危及收信人面子,因此对礼貌具有较高要求。说服性商务信函主要实施竞争类言外行为,对收信人的负面面子有一定威胁,因而在表达上应更具技巧性,以便于写信人在礼貌的基础上说服收信人。根据信函本质礼貌与否,不同的礼貌策略被应用于不同类型的商务信函中,以使信函所传达的信息更易被收信人接受:好消息商务信函常常采用积极的礼貌策略和篇章上的直接结构来突出好消息对收信人面子的维护;坏消息商务信函则往往采取消 更多还原

【Abstract】 Politeness, as one of the basic needs that ensure smooth and successful humaninteraction, has been enjoying great popularity with scholars from the fields ofpragmatics, sociolinguistics, psychology and cognitive linguistics. Ever since theearly 1970s, dozens of theories have been proposed to explain politeness as alinguistic phenomenon, among which the Politeness Principle of Leech and the FaceTheory of Brown & Levinson set the main frame of the study on politeness. Englishbusiness correspondence is one of the basic ways of business communication, whichfunctions as not only a useful means to exchange information but also an importanttool to build and enhance business relations, thus requires a high degree of politeness.When we look into the teaching and learning process of business correspondencewriting in China, we may find that most of the concentration is paid to theinformational function of a business letter instead of the interpersonal one. However,most of the time, it is politeness for the consideration of harmonious businessrelations that matters the choice of expression. This thesis tries to explain how allkinds of writing techniques are employed to embody various politeness strategiesfrom the pragmatic point of view so as to find out the theoretical foundation for theproper choice of expression in English business correspondence.This thesis is mainly based on the Face Theory of Brown & Levinson and thePoliteness Principle of Leech. It emphasizes the importance of politeness to Englishbusiness correspondence. First, it has an overview of the four major views onpoliteness and centers on the Conversational-Maxim View represented by Leech andthe Face-Saving View represented by Brown & Levinson. These two theories form themain theoretical framework of this thesis. Then, according to the illocutionaryfunctions and the effect on the reader’s face, it groups business correspondence intothe following four categories: routine business letter, good-news business letter,bad-news business letter and persuasive business letter. At last, a descriptive analysisis carried out at different levels of the structures of business letters, namely, at theword and expression level, at the sentence level, and at the discourse level so as to seehow politeness is presented and how it facilitates the business communication indifferent types of letters. Among the four types of business correspondence, routinebusiness letter mainly performs collaborative illocutions and is neutral to the reader’sface, thus is not analyzed in this thesis.The analysis shows that good-news business letter performs mainly convivialillocutions and attends to the reader’s face, so is essentially polite. However,inappropriate expressions may decrease the favorable effect of the good news or eventurn it into a bad one. Bad-news business letter performs conflictive illocutions andthreatens the reader’s face, thus has a higher requirement of politeness in expression.Persuasive business letter performs mainly competitive illocutions and threatens thereader’s negative face, thus needs a more diplomatic way of expression in order topersuade the reader to do something at the writer’s will on the basis of politeness.According to their nature of politeness, different politeness strategies are employed indifferent types of business letters in order to make the messages conveyed moreacceptable: Positive politeness strategies and direct approach in discourse structureare often used to strengthen the face-building effect of good-news business letter;Negative politeness strategies and indirect approach in discourse structure are usuallyemployed to mitigate the face-threatening force of bad-news business letter;Persuasive business letter uses a special discourse structure called the AICA structureto avoid abruptness and to enhance efficiency in persuasion. Besides, both positivestrategies and negative strategies are adopted in persuasive letters to facilitate thepersuasion.Also, the analysis reveals that the sub-maxim of Leech’s SympathyMaxim-“Minimizing antipathy between self and other” plays an ultra important rolein English business correspondence. It coincides with the image-building function of abusiness letter to the utmost and has a direct effect on the emotion of the reader.Violation of this sub-maxim may put a deadly threat to the future business relations.What’s more, during the process of analysis we find that there are somedifferences in the employment of politeness strategies. Some politeness strategies canbe used in different types of business letters while others can be adopted only in somekind of letter. Some politeness strategies often work together while others seldomappear at the same time or even have totally opposite effects in expression. Thisphenomenon of the differences deserves more attention in the future study ofpoliteness in English business correspondence.The analysis of this thesis shows that both the Politeness Principle of Leech andthe politeness strategies of Brown & Levinson are embodied to some extent indifferent types of business correspondence. At the same time, these maxims andstrategies conduct and constrain the use of language and provide the theoreticalsupports for the proper choice of expression in English business correspondence. Thestudy of politeness strategies helps improve the writing and teaching ability of Englishbusiness correspondence. 更多还原

【关键词】 礼貌； 礼貌策略； 商务信函； 交际；
【Key words】 politeness； politeness strategies； business correspondence； communication；

参考文献：

 论英文商务信函的礼貌原则
商务信函的特点决定了在写作和运用商务信函时必须注重礼貌原则的运用，商务英语信函中的礼貌原则主要遵循得体准则、尊他性准则和一致性准则。同时，还应注意保持交际双方地位的平等，在多种商务信...
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《辽宁经济职业技术学院学报》 2011年 第4期 作者：宋大鹏 机构：辽宁机电职业技术学院 辽宁丹东118009 

 英文商务信函写作的原则分析
本文通过对商务信函写作的基本点、写作原则及其以客户为中心的服务原则,从信息接受者的角度给予了分析、评价,并讨论了它的写作理论,从而提出商务信函发展的趋势,以求对英文商务信函写作有所启示。...
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《考试周刊》 2007年 第5期 作者：刘志强 张微 机构：鹰潭职业技术学院外语系 鹰潭职业技术学院外语系 湖南鹰潭 湖南鹰潭 

 浅谈高职高专英语教学中的英文商务信函写作
众所周知英文商务信函是企业工作,尤其是涉外企业工作中必须掌握的技能。高职高专学生若能掌握它,不但能增加自己的就业优势,适应市场需求,还能进一步加深我国国际化程度,促进服务外包行业的发展。...
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《中国科教创新导刊》 2010年 第25期 作者：毕瀚文 机构：淄博职业学院国际学院 山东淄博255314 

 浅谈英文商务信函中礼貌原则的特征及应用
商务信函的特点决定了商务信函必须注重礼貌策略的体现。要注意保持交际双方地位的平等、注意话语的选择是否具有亲和力、注意话语中的各种信息在不同人文背景下的解读。
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《知识经济》 2010年 第13期 作者：孙菲阳 机构：西南财经大学经贸外语学院 
 

英文商务信函的礼貌策略研究

A Study of Politeness Strategies in English Business Correspondence

【作者】 魏珺；

【导师】 王庆新；

【作者基本信息】 山东师范大学， 英语语言文学， 2006， 硕士

【摘要】 礼貌现象作为确保人类顺畅成功交际的基本手段之一,引起了语用学、社会语言学、心理学以及认知语言学的广泛关注。自上世纪七十年代以来,语言学家纷纷提出各种理论,将礼貌作为一种语言现象进行解释。其中,利奇的礼貌原则及布朗和列文森的面子保全论影响最大。英文商务信函是商务交流的一种重要方式,不仅具有传递信息的功能,还担负着建立、加强业务联系的重任,因此,对礼貌具有较高要求。纵观国内商务信函写作的教学与学习情况,大多侧重于商务信函的信息功能而非人际功能,即注重语言本身而不是把它看作一种交际手段。然而,大多数时候,礼貌是写信人选择表达方式时所考虑的首要因素。本文试图从礼貌的角度出发,解释各种写作技巧如何体现礼貌策略并确保沟通顺畅,从而为商务信函中表达方式的合理选择提供理论依据。本文首先回顾了关于礼貌的四种主要观点,特别是以利奇为代表的会话准则观及以布朗和列文森为代表的面子保全观,二者构成了本文的主要理论框架。然后,本文根据信函的言外行为及其对收信人面子的影响将商务信函分为日常商务信函、好消息商务信函、坏消息商务信函以及说服性商务信函,并分别从词语和表达、句子以及篇章结构三个层次对不同类型商务信函中礼貌的实现以及礼貌如何促进商务交流进行了描述性的分析。其中,日常商务信函主要实施合作类言外行为,对收信人面子几乎没有影响,本文未做讨论。通过分析可以发现,好消息商务信函主要实施和谐类言外行为,本质上是礼貌的。然而,不恰当的表达方式可能会降低其礼貌程度,甚至弄巧成拙。坏消息商务信函主要实施冲突类言外行为,会危及收信人面子,因此对礼貌具有较高要求。说服性商务信函主要实施竞争类言外行为,对收信人的负面面子有一定威胁,因而在表达上应更具技巧性,以便于写信人在礼貌的基础上说服收信人。根据信函本质礼貌与否,不同的礼貌策略被应用于不同类型的商务信函中,以使信函所传达的信息更易被收信人接受:好消息商务信函常常采用积极的礼貌策略和篇章上的直接结构来突出好消息对收信人面子的维护;坏消息商务信函则往往采取消 更多还原

【Abstract】 Politeness, as one of the basic needs that ensure smooth and successful humaninteraction, has been enjoying great popularity with scholars from the fields ofpragmatics, sociolinguistics, psychology and cognitive linguistics. Ever since theearly 1970s, dozens of theories have been proposed to explain politeness as alinguistic phenomenon, among which the Politeness Principle of Leech and the FaceTheory of Brown & Levinson set the main frame of the study on politeness. Englishbusiness correspondence is one of the basic ways of business communication, whichfunctions as not only a useful means to exchange information but also an importanttool to build and enhance business relations, thus requires a high degree of politeness.When we look into the teaching and learning process of business correspondencewriting in China, we may find that most of the concentration is paid to theinformational function of a business letter instead of the interpersonal one. However,most of the time, it is politeness for the consideration of harmonious businessrelations that matters the choice of expression. This thesis tries to explain how allkinds of writing techniques are employed to embody various politeness strategiesfrom the pragmatic point of view so as to find out the theoretical foundation for theproper choice of expression in English business correspondence.This thesis is mainly based on the Face Theory of Brown & Levinson and thePoliteness Principle of Leech. It emphasizes the importance of politeness to Englishbusiness correspondence. First, it has an overview of the four major views onpoliteness and centers on the Conversational-Maxim View represented by Leech andthe Face-Saving View represented by Brown & Levinson. These two theories form themain theoretical framework of this thesis. Then, according to the illocutionaryfunctions and the effect on the reader’s face, it groups business correspondence intothe following four categories: routine business letter, good-news business letter,bad-news business letter and persuasive business letter. At last, a descriptive analysisis carried out at different levels of the structures of business letters, namely, at theword and expression level, at the sentence level, and at the discourse level so as to seehow politeness is presented and how it facilitates the business communication indifferent types of letters. Among the four types of business correspondence, routinebusiness letter mainly performs collaborative illocutions and is neutral to the reader’sface, thus is not analyzed in this thesis.The analysis shows that good-news business letter performs mainly convivialillocutions and attends to the reader’s face, so is essentially polite. However,inappropriate expressions may decrease the favorable effect of the good news or eventurn it into a bad one. Bad-news business letter performs conflictive illocutions andthreatens the reader’s face, thus has a higher requirement of politeness in expression.Persuasive business letter performs mainly competitive illocutions and threatens thereader’s negative face, thus needs a more diplomatic way of expression in order topersuade the reader to do something at the writer’s will on the basis of politeness.According to their nature of politeness, different politeness strategies are employed indifferent types of business letters in order to make the messages conveyed moreacceptable: Positive politeness strategies and direct approach in discourse structureare often used to strengthen the face-building effect of good-news business letter;Negative politeness strategies and indirect approach in discourse structure are usuallyemployed to mitigate the face-threatening force of bad-news business letter;Persuasive business letter uses a special discourse structure called the AICA structureto avoid abruptness and to enhance efficiency in persuasion. Besides, both positivestrategies and negative strategies are adopted in persuasive letters to facilitate thepersuasion.Also, the analysis reveals that the sub-maxim of Leech’s SympathyMaxim-“Minimizing antipathy between self and other” plays an ultra important rolein English business correspondence. It coincides with the image-building function of abusiness letter to the utmost and has a direct effect on the emotion of the reader.Violation of this sub-maxim may put a deadly threat to the future business relations.What’s more, during the process of analysis we find that there are somedifferences in the employment of politeness strategies. Some politeness strategies canbe used in different types of business letters while others can be adopted only in somekind of letter. Some politeness strategies often work together while others seldomappear at the same time or even have totally opposite effects in expression. Thisphenomenon of the differences deserves more attention in the future study ofpoliteness in English business correspondence.The analysis of this thesis shows that both the Politeness Principle of Leech andthe politeness strategies of Brown & Levinson are embodied to some extent indifferent types of business correspondence. At the same time, these maxims andstrategies conduct and constrain the use of language and provide the theoreticalsupports for the proper choice of expression in English business correspondence. Thestudy of politeness strategies helps improve the writing and teaching ability of Englishbusiness correspondence. 更多还原

【关键词】 礼貌； 礼貌策略； 商务信函； 交际；
【Key words】 politeness； politeness strategies； business correspondence； communication；

参考文献：

 论英文商务信函的礼貌原则
商务信函的特点决定了在写作和运用商务信函时必须注重礼貌原则的运用，商务英语信函中的礼貌原则主要遵循得体准则、尊他性准则和一致性准则。同时，还应注意保持交际双方地位的平等，在多种商务信...
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《辽宁经济职业技术学院学报》 2011年 第4期 作者：宋大鹏 机构：辽宁机电职业技术学院 辽宁丹东118009 

 英文商务信函写作的原则分析
本文通过对商务信函写作的基本点、写作原则及其以客户为中心的服务原则,从信息接受者的角度给予了分析、评价,并讨论了它的写作理论,从而提出商务信函发展的趋势,以求对英文商务信函写作有所启示。...
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《考试周刊》 2007年 第5期 作者：刘志强 张微 机构：鹰潭职业技术学院外语系 鹰潭职业技术学院外语系 湖南鹰潭 湖南鹰潭 

 浅谈高职高专英语教学中的英文商务信函写作
众所周知英文商务信函是企业工作,尤其是涉外企业工作中必须掌握的技能。高职高专学生若能掌握它,不但能增加自己的就业优势,适应市场需求,还能进一步加深我国国际化程度,促进服务外包行业的发展。...
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《中国科教创新导刊》 2010年 第25期 作者：毕瀚文 机构：淄博职业学院国际学院 山东淄博255314 

 浅谈英文商务信函中礼貌原则的特征及应用
商务信函的特点决定了商务信函必须注重礼貌策略的体现。要注意保持交际双方地位的平等、注意话语的选择是否具有亲和力、注意话语中的各种信息在不同人文背景下的解读。
收录数据库：《中文科技期刊数据库》 来源：《知识经济》 2010年 第13期 作者：孙菲阳 机构：西南财经大学经贸外语学院