摘  要

委婉语作为一种交际策略，在商务英语沟通中被广泛应用。为了最大限度地给客户信任和满意，并顺利达成贸易合作，从事国际商务活动的人员常借助委婉语来礼貌、含蓄地陈述自己的观点。恰当使用委婉语不仅能创造良好的氛围达到交易双方预期目的，还能实现自我保护，避免犯错。否则，在商务沟通中，用词不当会引起双方误解，导致交际失败。因此，对委婉语的语用功能进行研究十分必要。本文从语用角度探讨商务英语中委婉语的语用功能，对委婉语进行分类，分析商务英语交际中各类委婉语的语用功能及其使用的深层语用原因。研究发现委婉语在商务交际中具有礼貌、避讳、避俗、文雅、幽默功能。本文希望通过这些研究能让商务活动者充分理解和欣赏商务英语中的委婉表达。

关键词：商务英语交际；委婉语；语用功能

Abstract

Euphemism, as a kind of communication strategy, is widely used in business English communications. With the goal of maximizing customers’ satisfaction and trust, businessmen usually use euphemism strategies to express their opinions in order to soften the language and achieve successful communications. The appropriate use of euphemisms can not only create a comfortable atmosphere between two parties, but also protect businessmen’s own interest. Otherwise, it will lead to the misunderstanding of the two parties and the failure of the communication. So it’s of significant importance to study on the pragmatic functions of euphemism in business English communications. This paper will study the pragmatic functions of euphemism in business English communications from a pragmatic perspective, classify the types of the euphemisms, and analyze the pragmatic functions of euphemisms in business English communications. The underlying mechanism also will be uncovered. The pragmatic functions of euphemisms are that showing polite, avoiding taboo, avoiding vulgar, being modest and being humorous. This paper hopes help businessmen fully understand and appreciate the euphemistic expressions in business English communications.

Key words: Business English Communication; Euphemism; Pragmatic Functions