Abstract: 

Understatement which expresses one’s polite attitude is a kind of pragmatic strategy. At the same time, it shows the speaker’s respect to the other. In business negotiation, to use the negotiation properly shows the qualification of a professional negotiator. This thesis aims to discuss the application of understatement in business negotiation and the specific methods of how to use language in business negotiation properly. The thesis have explained six kinds of methods, past tense methods, passive voice methods, subjunctive mood methods, negative form methods, tone weakening methods, and sentence pattern transformation methods. In business negotiation, the proper application of understatement not only ensures a harmonious communicational atmosphere and makes communicators without losing face, but also can maximize one’s own benefits and lead the business negotiation a great success.

Key words: understatement; business negotiation; application method
                          
摘要：

低调陈述是一种语用策略，表达了讲话一方对另一方尊重的礼貌态度。在商务谈判中，如何恰当的运用语言是一个合格的谈判队员所具备的专业素养。本文旨在讨论低调陈述在商务谈判中的具体运用, 阐述了六种具体运用谈判语言的方法，如：时态倒退法、语气被动法、语气虚拟法、词句否定法、语气弱化法。在商务谈判中恰当的使用低调陈述能营造一种和谐的谈判氛围，不仅可使谈判者不失颜面，还将有助于实现谈判方利益最大化，推动商务谈判的成功。

关键词：低调陈述;商务谈判;应用方法

1. Introduction   
   Business negotiation is actually a complex human activity. With the rapid development of economic globalization, business negotiation plays a more important role in the international business transactions. Because of the increasingly competitive market economy, negotiation strategy has been developed into a comprehensive modern science. To some extent, negotiation is not only a kind of science, but also a kind of art. Whether it succeeds largely depends on the proper use of language skills. Language serves as a bridge in international business transactions especially in business negotiations because international business negotiation is substantially a process that both sides of negotiators express their views, exchange opinions so as to persuade their opponents with persuading words. Both parties have to cooperate with each other as well as compete against each other. During business negotiation, negotiators try to build a harmonious atmosphere to make the negotiation go smoothly.