Abstract:

The vagueness is one of human natural language essential characteristics; it is an inevitable feature of international business communication. This thesis presents some main factors affecting the use of vague language in business contract, and focuses on the pragmatic functions of vague language as well as the employment of vague language in business contract within the framework of relevance theory. It concludes that the proper use of vague language guided by the principle of courtesy, preciseness, and self-protection can smooth the international business trade.

Key Words: business contract; vague language; relevance theory

摘要： 

模糊性是人类语言的重要特性之一，同时也是国际商务交际中不可避免的特性。本文通过阐述在商务合同中影响模糊语的使用的几种因素，在关联理论的理论框架下 分析模糊语在商务合同中的语用功能。通过分析，笔者得出结论：在兼顾礼貌、准确性和自我保护的原则下，正确使用模糊语能够促进国际商务业务的顺利进行。

关键词：商务合同；模糊语；关联理论

1. Introduction
Business English contract, a kind of literary form which become increasingly frequent with the development of commodity production and trade contact. By signing contracts, people run business successfully, introduce foreign capital and high technology, sell products, arrange transportation, protect intellectual property, and so on. It not only has the characteristics of business English, but also has the characteristics of legal English. Although accuracy is the soul of the language of International business contacts, but in order to achieve a specific pragmatic functions and intentions, we need to use vague language properly. The use of vague language is for some purpose, which in the context of the contract, is not to make language more persuasive, but to put the party drafting the contract at an advantageous position, leaving the other one assume the possible consequences caused by ambiguity. Vague semantics can also be explained by the relevance theory, that is to say, the usage of vagueness is accord with the principle of relevance theory and it can reach the best cognitive effect by the least effort.