Abstract: Euphemism is of vital importance in negative Business English letters. By using euphemism in the letters can the addresser convey the negative news to the addressee explicitly but indirectly, which leads to the implicit conflict of interest and maintains the great trade cooperation relations with each other. This paper mainly focuses on qualitative analysis of euphemism based on Politeness Principle in 40 pieces of classic negative Business English letters to explore features, pragmatic functions and communicative purposes of euphemism, and concludes strategies of application of euphemism to provide reference for people engaged in the Business English letters.

Key words: euphemism; negative; Business English letter; Politeness Principle

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

  1.1 Introduction to Negative Business English Letter-1

  1.2 Introduction to Euphemism-3

2.Literature Review-3

3.Theoretical Basis: Politeness Principle-6

  3.1 Basic Rules of Politeness Principle-7

  3.2 Significance of Politeness Principle-8

4. Euphemism in Negative Business English Letter-9

  4.1 Features of Euphemism in Negative Business English Letter-10

     4.1.1The Attenuation of the Tone-10

     4.1.2 Vagueness-11

     4.1.3 Purposiveness-12

  4.2 Strategies of Application of Euphemism in Negative Business English Letter-15

     4.2.1 The Subjunctive Mood-15

     4.2.2 The Passive Voice-16

     4.2.3 Tenses -17

     4.2.4 Indirect Expressions and Replacement of words -18

  4.3 The Relation between the Features and the Strategies of Euphemism-20

5. Conclusion-20

References-22