ABSTRACT

In recent years, the study of the Refusal Speech Act has gradually attracted people's attention, and it has made great progress. With the deepening of communication in Chinese and western economic, political and cultural fields, the Refusal of Speech Act has become a very important subject in the study of pragmatics as an indispensable part of daily communication.

The Refusal of Speech Act is the speakers’ "uncooperative" choice when when others make request, invitation, suggestion or offer. However, in daily communication, we have to take politeness into account because of the face of both sides when performing this speech act. Therefore, analyzing and studying the Refusal of Speech Act, summing up their common strategies and pragmatic functions have great significance to achieve cross-cultural communication.

In this paper, it is found that the pragmatic strategies of refusal speech act are divided into two types, direct refusal strategy and indirect refusal strategy. Among them, there are many ways within indirect strategy. In interpersonal communication, people avoid the threaten of the both sides through the combination of direct strategy and a variety of indirect strategies. And pragmatic functions of refusal speech act are mostly related to what kind of strategies people take, that is to say, pragmatic strategies directly determine their pragmatic functions. In cross-cultural communication, the factors that affect people's strategies are also varied. Therefore, through the analysis of this paper, we have found that the pragmatic strategies, pragmatic functions and influencing factors of refusal speech act is interweaved and inseparable. Analyzing and researching to the refusal speech act, summing up their common strategies and pragmatic functions have great significance to better achieve cross-cultural communication.

Keywords: Refusal Speech Act; Politeness Theory; pragmatic strategies; pragmatic functions; influencing factors

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

Chapter One: Introduction-1

1.1 The Background of the Study-1

1.2 The Purpose and Significance of the Study-1

1.3 The Organization of the Study-2

Chapter Two: Literature Review-3

2.1 Studies on Refusal Speech Act Abroad-3

2.2 Studies on Refusal Speech Act at Home-3

Chapter Three: Theoretical Foundation—Politeness Principle-5

3.1 Politeness Principle-5

3.1.1 Tact Maxim-6

3.1.2 Generosity Maxim-6

3.1.3 Approbation Maxim-6

3.1.4 Modesty Maxim-7

3.1.5 Agreement Maxim-7

3.1.6 Sympathy Maxim-7

3.2 Implementation of Politeness Principle-8

Chapter Four: Strategies of Refusal Speech Act-9

4.1 Direct Refusal Strategies-9

4.2 Indirect Refusal Strategies-9

4.2.1 Expressing Gratitude Strategy-10

4.2.2 Humorous Strategy-11

4.2.3 Changing Subject Strategy-12

4.2.4 Delaying Strategy-12

4.2.5 Persuading Strategy-13

4.2.6 The Strategy of Denying Irrational Thoughts-14

4.2.7 Keeping Silent Strategy-14

Chapter Five: Pragmatic Functions and Influencing Factors-16

5.1 Pragmatic Functions-16

5.1.1 Performing Substantial Refusal-16

5.1.2 Performing Ritual Refusal-16

5.2 Influencing Factors-17

5.2.1 Social Status-17

5.2.2 Age-19

5.2.3 Gender-20

Chapter Six: Conclusion-22

6.1 Major Findings of the Research-22

6.2 Limitations of the Research-22

6.3 Suggestions for Further Research-22

Appendix-24

Reference-27

Acknowledgement-29