Abstract: Conflict talks is the common phenomenon existing between couples. Eliminating the negative effect of conflict talks has significant meaning to promoting the interpersonal communication. This study tries to make a pragmatic analysis of conflict talks and probe into the cause of conflict talks between couples in Chinese context from the perspective of Leech’s politeness principle. Meanwhile, the research investigates the attitudes and their constructing strategies between couples, looking forward to research conflict talks from a new perspective. Study shows that conflict talks between couples violate the politeness principle from various aspects. The factors of producing conflict talks between couples mainly reflected in different family backgrounds, economic levels, values and personality characters, etc. 

Key words: conflict talks; the politeness principle; couple

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction.1

 2. Literature Review3

   2.1 Conflict Talks

  2.1.1 The Definitions of Conflict Talks

  2.1.2 Previous Studies on Conflict Talks

   2.2 Politeness Models

  2.2.1 The Definitions of Politeness

  2.2.2 Leech’s Politeness Models

 3. Conflict Talks between Couples Violating Leech’s Politeness Principle.5

   3.1 Conflict talks Violating Tact Maxim

   3.2 Conflict talks Violating Generosity Maxim

   3.3 Conflict talks Violating Approbation Maxim

   3.4 Conflict talks Violating Modesty Maxim

   3.5 Conflict talks Violating Agreement Maxim 

   3.6 Conflict talks Violating Sympathy Maxim 

 4. Causes of Conflict Talks12

   4.1 Differences in Family Background

   4.2 Differences in Economic Level

   4.3 Differences in Values

   4.4 Differences in Personality

 5. Conclusion13

Bibliography.15

Acknowledgements16