A Study Of The Pragmatic Functions Of Vagueness In The PRC Foreign Ministry Press Conference

Vagueness, as an important feature of language, is widely used in diplomaticlanguage. It can make communication smoother and more effective. As an importantpart of diplomacy, in the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks (FMSR),vagueness is a pervasive linguistic phenomenon and has its spreading and practicalsignificance. Using vagueness in the setting of PRC Foreign Ministry PressConference is becoming an intentional communicative strategy. The content ofresearch on vagueness includes the study of vagueness from the phonetic,grammatical and semantic perspective, and deeply rooted on the semantic view. Theearliest study on vagueness is merely confined to the semantic category. Since the1980s, the researchers have shifted their attention to genre-based contextualframework, with vagueness in LSP (Language for Specific Purpose, such as academicand scientific) texts being studied in an extensive, multi-dimensioned way.This thesis, with a detailed analysis of vagueness in Foreign MinistrySpokesperson’s Remarks in the light of the Cooperative Principle, PolitenessPrinciple and Face-Saving Theory, believes that vagueness is an important tool for thespokesperson and has a great influence on the relations between countries. In theForeign Ministry Press Conference, the spokesperson deliberately uses vagueness toviolate the four maxims of the Cooperative Principle, especially on such issues assome sensitive issues or issues that concern the image of the Chinese government.Besides, the spokesperson always tries to observe the Politeness Principle and theFace Theory in order to behave politely and save faces of both sides.Based on first-hand examples from newspapers and networks, this thesis probesinto the proper use of vagueness in FMSR. FMSR in this study refers to FMSR in thesetting of PRC Foreign Ministry Press Conference. In the analysis, according to thematerials from the web of the PRC Foreign Ministry, this study chooses FMSR from2008 to 2011 and finds 300 FMSR that has vagueness and then make a quantitativeanalysis. Through the analysis, most of vagueness in FMSR can be classified into fivecategories: hedges, deixis, metalanguage, general wording and vagueness realized by rhetorical questions. The spokesperson will choose different forms of vagueness indifferent situations. Through the statistics, the study finds that every form ofvagueness in FMSR counts a different number: hedges and deixis count a largenumber, but metalanguage, general wording and rhetorical questions have a less use.This depends on different questions and intentions. So the study then makes apragmatic analysis of vagueness in concrete contexts. The results of the study suggestthat vagueness in FMSR has great use: the PRC Foreign Ministry Press Conference issuch a formal occasion. Every single word of the spokesperson represents the policyand image of the Chinese government. So the spokesperson must pay much attentionto his or her utterance. When meeting with some sensitive questions, the use ofvagueness is very necessary and helpful. Therefore, using vagueness is an effectivecommunicative strategy for the spokesperson in the press conference.Through the pragmatic study of vagueness in FMSR, it finds that no matter whichform the spokesperson chooses, he or she must have special intentions. That is, theuse of vagueness should obey some maxims. In Foreign Ministry Press Conference,the spokesperson should maintain good image of China in international society, so heor she should behave politely no matter what questions he or she meets. This fits therequirement of Leech’s Politeness Principle. Besides, the spokesperson should makesure that his or her utterance will not damage good relations with other countries, andthe utterance will not make journalists feel embarrassed. As a result, Brown &Levison’s Face Theory is necessary. In order to reach the above goals, thespokesperson has to violate maxims of Grice’s Cooperative Principle. On such aformal occasion, behaving politely and considering both sides’faces seems, obviously,much more important than being cooperative. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary forthe spokesperson to give up the Cooperative Principle to achieve the communicativepurpose.This thesis consists of six chapters. Chapter One presents the rationale, significanceand outline of this study. Chapter Two gives the definition and features of vagueness,and the research on vagueness both abroad and home is given. Chapter Three is anintroduction to some pragmatic principles including Cooperative principle, Politeness Principle and Face-saving Theory. Chapter Four gives detailed information of FMSR,including its definition and special forms in FMSR. Besides, the study has also madea quantitative analysis of each form and explored their reasons and functions. ChapterFive gives a pragmatic analysis of vagueness in FMSR. Abundant examples ofvagueness in FMSR are examined within the framework of Cooperative Principle,Politeness Principle and Face-Saving Theory. Chapter six is the conclusion of thestudy. In this part, the author first gives a brief summary of the major findings andimplications obtained from the research, and then the problems or limitations in thisresearch are explored. In the end the author gives suggestions for further research.