Abstract

    With the implementation of the policy of reforms and opening-up, the Chinese market economy develops rapidly and the trend of international economic integration is upward. At this time, business negotiations play an important role in economic development. Cooperative Principle, introduced by Paul Grice, is widely followed in business negotiations. People should use Cooperative Principle effectively in order to help the negotiating parties establish cooperative relations, coordinate negotiators' interests and promote cooperation. This thesis analyzes the application of cooperative principle in business negotiations. From the pragmatic point of view, the study introduces the applications of four maxims--- maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relation and maxim of manner in business negotiations and analyzes the effectiveness of these maxims. And readers can understand the application of Cooperative Principle in business negotiations, and use the four maxims in negotiations not only in theory but also in practice.    

Key words: business negotiations, Cooperation Principle, maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relation, maxim of manner

摘 要

随着改革的深入，我国市场经济的迅速发展以及全球经济一体化趋势的加强，商务谈判已在经济发展中扮演了重要角色。而赖格斯的合作原则被广泛运用于商务谈判中。人们应该有效地运用合作原则来帮助谈判双方建立起合作关系，协调双方的利益，推动谈判的顺利进行。本文从语用学角度分别探讨合作原则的四个准则（量的准则、质的准则、相关性准则以及方式准则）在商务谈判中的应用，并分析其各自产生的功效，从而使读者了解合作原则在商务谈判中的体现，更好的掌握合作原则和商务谈判的技巧，将理论与实践相结合，学会使用合作的四项准则去完善商务谈判。

关键词：商务谈判；合作原则；量的准则；质的准则；相关性准则；方式准则

1.    Introduction
1.1 Cooperative Principle
The Cooperative Principle describes how people interact with one another. It was introduced by Paul Grice, a British-educated philosopher of language, in his William James lectures delivered at Harvard in 1967. As he said "Make your contribution such as it is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged."“Though phrased as a prescriptive command, the principle is intended as a description of how people normally behave in conversation."
Under Cooperative Principle there are four maxims, called the Gricean Maxims----Maxim of Quality, Maxim of Quantity, Maxim of Relation and Maxim of Manner, describing specific rational principles observed by people who obey the Cooperative Principle. These principles enable effective communications.