礼貌原则在商务英语拒绝信函中的应用研究

洛阳理工学院

毕业设计（论文）

The Study of the Application of Politeness Strategies in Business English Refusal Letters

姓名马芯

系（部）外语系

专业英语

班级B111231

指导教师韩慈红

2013 年6 月6 日

礼貌原则在商务英语拒绝信函中的应用研究

摘要

自世界村这个概念出现以来，商务英语信函在商业事务中占据了相当重要和不可或缺的地位。礼貌原则作为商务信函写作的一个最基本要求，在不同类型的信函中表现各异。而拒绝是日常生活中使用频率较高的言语行为。拒绝类信函作为一种特殊的商务信函，对礼貌有着特殊的要求。

在商务英语信函中表达拒绝信息时写信人要完成两个目标：一是传递坏消息，二是和读者保持良好的关系。任何不当的拒绝行为实施都有可能造成（潜在）客户流失，给公司带来经济损失。这类商务英语信函的特点决定了写信人在信件写作过程中必须注重拒绝信息的礼貌传递。

本文以布朗和列文森的面子理论为指导，对礼貌原则在商务英语拒绝信函中的应用进行专门研究。本文首先对商务英语信函，尤其是商务英语拒绝信函，以及布朗和列文森的面子理论进行阐述。在此基础上，对商务英语拒绝信函中使用的礼貌策略进行分析。研究发现，应用于商务英语拒绝信函中的礼貌策略有积极礼貌策略、消极礼貌策略和直接策略。

一封讲求礼貌策略的商务拒绝信函不仅可以帮助写信人在传递一个令人沮丧的坏消息时说服客户心平气和地接受被拒绝的理由，还能在商务交往中保持良好的贸易合作关系。同时，本研究还对商务英语信函的研究与教学起到一定的促进作用。

关键词：商务英语拒绝信函，礼貌策略，面子理论

The Study of the Application of Politeness Strategies

in Business English Refusal Letters

ABSTRACT

Since the concept of global village existed, business English letter has occupied a very important and indispensable position in commercial transaction. As one of the most basic requirements of business letter writing, politeness principle behaves differently in different types of letters. Refusal is used in high frequency in daily life. As a special kind of business letters, refusal letters have special requirements for politeness.

Expressing the refusal news in business English letters, the writer needs to complete two goals: deliver bad news; maintain good relationship with the reader. Any improper refusal behavior may be resulting in the loss of (potential) customers, to bring economic loss to company. This kind of business English letters determines that the writer must pay attention to the refusal message transfer in the process of letter writing.

From the perspective of Brown and Levinson’s face theory, this research aims to study the application of politeness strategies in business English refusal letters. First this article will introduce business English refusal letters and Brown and Levinson’s face theory. Based on this, the paper will conduct an analysis on politeness strategies in business English refusal letters. It is found that the politeness strategies applied in business English refusal letters are positive politeness strategies, negative politeness strategies and bald-on-record strategies.

A business refusal letter with proper strategy not only can help the writer persuade customers to accept the reason for being refused when conveying an unpleasant information, but also can maintain sound trade and cooperative relation in future business communication. It is also believed that the present study will be useful and meaningful to both the teaching and learning of business English refusal letter writing. KEY WORDS: business English refusal letters, politeness strategies, face theory