分析英语中的模糊语言Vague language

Vague language

Who speaks of vagueness should himself be vague. ----Bertrand Russell

Vague language is a language that talks about something without directly saying what it is.

The following are examples of vague words or expressions, along with more specific ones: vague This poem gives me a certain feeling. specific This poem gives me a happy feeling. vague A particular experience taught me the value of physical health. specific My years traveling with the circus taught me the value of physical health. vague This paper will explain my beliefs about animal testing. specific This paper will explain my opposition to animal testing. vague The author's view of taxes can be seen in Chapter Three. specific The author's favorable view of taxes can be seen in Chapter Three. A representation is vague when the relation of the representing system to the represented system is not one-one, but one-many.（当用于描述的体系与被描述的体系之间的关系不是一对一，而是多对一时，这个描述就是模糊的。）----Vagueness, Bertrand Russell, 1928

Vague word

1 Words with a similar meaning（意义相近的词）: thread, string, cord, rope They all have the meaning “线，绳子”. But there is no clear line between them. We can’t tell how thick can be called “rope”, and how thin can be called “string”.

2 Words with a different meaning（反义词）: big, small

They are a pair of antonyms, but the limit between them is changeable. For example, “a big track” and “a small plane” have a different criterion towards “big” and “small”.

3 Words with several meanings（一词多义）: bank

“The post office is by the bank.” This sentence can be translated into“邮局在岸边”or“邮局在银行边上”.

Another example: notebook（笔记本；笔记本电脑）

Vague sentence structure（可做表格） 1 Possessive case（所有格）

John’s book: John买的书 or John写的书 2 Parallel structures（并列结构）

I left it either on the table or in the drawer. 地点不明确

3 Modal verb（情态动词）

He should be in his room, for nobody saw him left. 他应该在房间里。仅是推测，并不明确。

Pragmatic function of vague language （模糊语的语用功能）(Just choose some of them)

1 Make the language more tactful and euphemistic（委婉）.

For instance, people try to avoid some taboo（忌讳）with vague language. “Die” can be replaced by “pass away, be no more, depart, fall asleep, join the great majority, pay the debt, depart to god, expire” and so on.

2 It is indispensable in political life.

For a long-term view, there is a large room for Sino-Russian energy cooperation.

这是“从长远的角度出发”预见未来“有很大的合作空间”，但是目前中俄双方谁都不能确定这个合作空间到底有多大，因此谨慎起见，不可以讲得过于具体。把政策上的灵活性和原则上的坚定性有机结合起来，这是清晰语言所不能达到的效果。

3 Enhance the aesthetic function（审美功能）of literatures.

And fare you well, my only love, And fare you well a while! And I will come again, my love, Although it were ten thousand mile.---- A Red, Red Rose, Robert Burns

在这节诗的最后 “ten thousand mile” 是模糊语言，并非确数，只是利用它的模糊的语义进行艺术的夸张，表达诗人的决心：不管远行千里万里，最终要回到爱人的身边。

4 In language study, almost all the concepts have vagueness.

“Morpheme” （语素）and “word”（词）: boy单独使用是一个词，不单独使用时如在 “boyhood” 中就是一个语素。

5 In business English, vagueness is very useful. (1) In advertising:

Let us make things better. (Philips)

让我们做的更好。（飞利浦）

The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection. (Lexus) 追求完美永无止境。（凌志汽车） Intelligence everywhere.

智慧演绎，无处不在。（摩托罗拉手机）

上述三例广告中模糊语言better、Relentless、Pursuit和everywhere 的使用，适当地加大了产品的未定性和空白度，激发了人们的理解和想象，产生了独特的，令人回味无穷的效果，使得商务英语广告更加生动、形象、幽默，也加深了买 方对广告内容的记忆。 (2) In bargaining:

A1: Your price sounds a bit high.

B1: Our products are moderately priced.

A2: If you can reduce the price, we might place a larger order.

B2: As a gesture of goodwill, we’ll do our best to meet your wishes when opportunity arises.

上述谈判双方为了达成一致的价格，使用了模糊语言。A1 中使用了a bit（一点儿），B1 中使用了moderately（合理的），分别体现出自己对价格的看法，又为对方留有了面子。A2 中继续使用might（可能）和larger（大一点儿）的模糊语，抛出了诱饵，但与might 和larger 相符合的程度、范围和界限都是笼统而模糊的，需要对方自己去理解和判断，而不透露出自己的底线。B2 中则使用了do our best（尽自己最大努力）和when opportunity arises（当条件达到时）的模糊语，是一种条件式的承诺，不是肯定的答复，出于礼貌，语气委婉，从而使对方仍然有着好感和信心，使谈判得以继续。

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