Study Of Pragmatic Vagueness From The Perspective Of Adaptation Theory

Taking the spokesmen’s remarks in the regular news conference as linguistic data, whichare adopted from Chinese Foreign Ministry website, and with Verschueren’s AdaptationTheory as theory framework, this paper focuses on the study of pragmatic vagueness which isa language strategy often used in diplomatic activities.The Chinese Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference is one of the communicationbridges between China and the world, and is also a good opportunity to strengthen theunderstanding and cooperation. Spokesmen represent the interests of the state, and facechallenges from journalists of many countries. That is to say, as a spokesman, when hepublishes his views and opinions, he must pay attention to language strategy and method andbe sure not to bring trouble to their own country. Pragmatic vagueness is one of the frequentlyused diplomacy in diplomatic activities. People use pragmatic vagueness to achieve certaincommunicative purpose, to deliberately use vague language form to convey a certainillocutionary force.In this paper, the employment of pragmatic vagueness is divided into three levels: lexicallevel, sentential level and textual level. The vocabulary level includes: deixis (such as: relateddepartments/country/media, some countries/organization, etc.) hedges (according to... mostly,etc.) abstract words (an important role, a constructive role, a leading role, etc.) understatement(discontent hope, etc.). The sentential level includes: the use of negative sentences, sentenceinconsistence, indirect reply etc. The discourse level includes some textual cohesion ties.Verschueren’s Adaptation Theory provides a new perspective for linguistic study. Hethinks that the process of language use is the process of ongoing choice-making, and thelanguage choice is made out of language adaptation. It is not always conscious act, sometimes it is automatic. According to Verschueren, there are three properties of language: they arevariability、negotiability and adaptability. The notion of adaptability assigns four angles:contextual correlates of adaptability, structural objects of adaptability, dynamics ofadaptability, Salience of the adaptability. The paper uses part of the theory to analyze thepragmatic vagueness used in spokesmans’ remarks.At a regular press conference, a spokesman on the one hand, has to abide by thepoliteness principle to save others’ face, on the other hand has to achieve their communicationgoal. This paper will analyze how pragmatic vagueness in the regular press conference adaptsto the mental world, physical world and the social world. The author will analyze the mentalworld of adaptation from two motivations: one is the motivation of self-protection; one is themotivation of courtesy. As for adaptation to the physical world, spokesman should considerthe existence of the potential audience. And the analysis of the adaptation to the social worldis mainly from two aspects: one is to adapt to the international environment and the other is toadapt to the conventions in the press conference, that is, a spokesman should fulfill hismission, but at the same time withhold some sensitive information.All in all, at a regular press conference, the situation is complex. A spokesman mustchoose proper language according to the change of situation. Vague language is one of thestrategies they often use in diplomatic occasions, either out of politeness in order not to hurteach other’s face or in order to safeguard the interests of the state. The study of pragmaticvagueness can further strengthen our understanding of the foreign language and its operatingmechanism.