A Study Vague Language In E-business Correspondence From The Perspective Of Adaptation Theory

As E-business correspondence enjoys popularity in the business transaction, negotiators are gradually paying more attention to its usage so as to enhance the opportunity of success. People take it for granted that E-business correspondence should be cautious and accurate. However, the majority of business-men neglect the necessity and importance of vague language. It is of great significance for vagueness to be applied in E-business correspondence.Throughout previous literature works, linguists home and abroad have done few researches into the vague language, let alone that in E-business correspondence. Despite the fact that some researches have something with vague language in E-business correspondence, they are just explored from the perspective of cognition, semantics or philosophy. The essence of vagueness in correspondence is seldom focused on by scholars. As the research of vagueness in E-business correspondence is still a new topic which has not been comprehensively analyzed. Therefore, it is time for linguists to make a systematic and comprehensive analysis of this linguistic phenomenon.It is Verschueren who is regarded as the initiator of Adaptation Theory. He put forward the Adaptation Theory in1987and enriched it in1999. He holds the idea that the Adaptation Theory is an innovative method to language, which takes the full complexity of its cognitive, social, and cultural function into consideration. Meanwhile, he tried his best to reveal the contribution of language and exploit the essence of language. He also declares that the process of the usage of language is also a process of linguistic choices-making. It is choices-making that makes it possible to differ human beings from animals. And this theory consists of three main key notions including variability, negotiability and adaptability. And the Adaptation Theory is more convincing than other kinds of theoretical framework to elaborate linguistic phenomenon on the account of these key notions. As a consequence, this theory is considered as a scientific and innovative method to cope with linguistic problems and also provides a new perspective for the study of the linguistic phenomenon.Due to the above three aspects, the author is determined to make an analysis of vague language in E-business correspondence on the basis of Adaptation Theory. This paper tries to illustrate this linguistic phenomenon, adopting the research method of qualitative-dominated analysis. Meanwhile, this thesis aims to probe into the following three questions:(1)the factors that have influence on the writing of E-business correspondence (2) the way in which vagueness in E-business correspondence adapts to mental, social and physical world (3) the specific functions of vague language in E-business correspondence.On the basis of a great number of literature works and samples chosen from well-known E-business correspondence writings home and abroad, the author makes the following conclusions;(1) the vagueness in E-business correspondence mainly divides into two types, namely, active vagueness and passive vagueness. Both these two kinds of vague language guarantee the smooth proceeding of business negotiation.(2) The language employed in E-business correspondence is the result of choices-making on the basis of the adaptation to social, mental and physical world of addressors and addressees.(3) Vague language has three functions in E-business correspondence:improving the flexibility, making correspondence more polite, enhancing efficiency of business transaction.