Abstract:With the rapid development of economic globalization and the prosperity of international business trade, business negotiations are dramatically increasing. Among the most important traits needed to negotiate successfully are compliment skills.

Compliment is a kind of speech act which incarnates different social and culture values. These differences have great effect on the function, topic, formula and response of compliment. The subject of this research is the compliments in business negotiations between China and the US.

Even though the studies of compliments in English and Chinese are drawn attention by many scholars, most of the research is based on the semantic and syntactic levels or some limited pragmatic levels. In the basis of some scholars’ former research, this thesis planned to comprise the form and reply in American and Chinese compliments from the cultural and pragmatic vagueness respective. From the thesis，we know that in the cross cultural exchange, it is not enough to only master the language but also the culture behind the language. This article has also analyzed the misunderstandings and reasons caused by different cultures. This is very important in mutual communication in business negotiations between US and China.

Keywords: compliment   business negotiation   cross culture   pragmatic vagueness

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 The Significance of Study-1

1.2 The Structure of the Thesis-1

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Compliment-3

2.1.1 The Definition of Compliment-3

2.1.2 Compliment Formulas-3

2.1.3 Compliment Topics-3

2.2 Cross-Cultural Communication-4

2.2.1 The Definition of Cross-Cultural Communication-4

2.2.2 Cross-Cultural Communication and Compliments-4

2.3 Pragmatic Vagueness-4

2.3.1.The Definition of Pragmatic Vagueness-4

2.3.2.Features of Pragmatic Vagueness-4

2.3.3 Functions of Pragmatic Vagueness-4

2.4 Methodology-5

2. 5 Data-5

Chapter Three Data Analysis-7

3.1 The Comparison between American and Chinese Compliments-7

3.1.1 Differences in Semantic Formulas-7

3.1.2 Differences in Syntactic Formulas-8

3.1.3 Differences in Topics-8

3.2 Comparison of Pragmatic Vagueness in American and Chinese Compliments-9

3.2.1 The Pragmatic Vagueness of Compliments-9

3.2.2 The Types of Pragmatic Vagueness-9

3.2.2.1.Horizontal Vagueness-9

3.2.2.2.Vertical Vagueness-9

3.2.2.3.Ontologieal Vagueness-9

3.2.2.4.Epistemological Vagueness-9

3.2.3 Language Vagueness Information and Function of Compliments-10

3.2.3.1 Use of Vague Language to Be Polite-10

3.2.3. 2 Use of Vague Language to Disguise-10

3.2.3.3Use of Vague Language to Be More Precise-10

3.2.3.4Use of Vague Language to Protect Face-10

Chapter Four Conclusion-12

References-13