礼貌原则理论概述
English business correspondence is a kind of letter, which takes English as medium, and promotes the smooth development of business activities for the purpose, which covers the content related to many areas of business. It plays an active role in exchanging ideas, transferring information, negotiating business, enhancing understanding, promoting economic and trade exchanges and so on. Business English, whose language is novel and unique, and has the modern English breath, one of the biggest features of the language style is using polite language. With China's entry into WTO and the continuous deepening of reform and opening up, China's economic and trade and cooperation with the world has become day by day frequent, business English is becoming extremely important, but also by more and more extensive attention. In recent years, many universities have set up Business English as a major, business English language teaching has attracted the attention of many English teaching workers and experts engaged in foreign trade. Chen Jianlin(2003), Li Ruifang(2003), Ding Hengqi(2004), and so on, who carry on the research of different levels on the reform and the establishment of business English curriculum, the skill of language use, translation and other issues. Their discussion and Research have positively influenced business English teaching and practice Inspired by them, this paper attempts to discuss the application of politeness principle in Business English from the perspective of pragmatics, hoping to provide some enlightenment for the writing and teaching of business English.


Chapter 1  An overview of the theory of politeness principle

Politeness is a kind of phenomenon in language communication, and it is also an important subject in the study of Pragmatics (Madden court, 1995). Many western linguists, such as J.L. Austin, H.P. Grice, J.R. Searle, G. ,Leech, Brown and Levinson etc, who all had made great contributions to pragmatics. Besides, they had made a series of researches on Politeness phenomenon in language communication from the perspective of pragmatics, which provided a solid theoretical basis for politeness principle. H.P. Grice (1975) put forward the principle of cooperation in language communication. In 1976, he put forward the theory of conversational implication, which was of important directive significance to the use of polite language. Brown and Levinson (1978) raised the issue of "face" and the face-threatening act of communicative language. In 1979, J.R. Searle went on to propose the theory of indirect speech act, and to explore the way of expression of euphemism.
1.1 Politeness principle in Pragmatics
H.P. Grice, an American language philosopher, in 1967 who proposed the cooperative principle of speech communication at Harvard University, which is a major breakthrough in the field of pragmatics. But sometimes people deliberately against to the principle of cooperation in the process of language communication. In other words, people often do not use direct way to express words in verbal communication, always use the indirect way of diversion, only to let the other party equivocate, not to talk to each other frankly. To explain the linguistic phenomenon, the later scholars, British linguist Geoffrey Leech etc proposed politeness principle, which is tonic with Grice's cooperative principle, to supple and perfect the co-operation principle. Geoffrey Leech thinks that the speaker and the obedient person should try to say politely, and minimize impolite expression in all verbal communications.
1983, in a book which called "pragmatic principles", Leech (1983) systematically put forward the "Politeness Principle" theory. According to Leech's design, "Politeness Principle" should be under the framework of 6 principles, tact, generosity, appreciation, modesty, agreement and sympathy. The so-called "tact" refers to the speaker's way of way to achieve his goal in verbal communication. Leech thinks that this rule is first important, and it is a common rule to guide people to succeed. The concrete expression of "tact" is to reduce cost to other or to give more benefits to other. "Generous" which means to be generous to others, the specific approach is: the speaker should abide by the "own little fight for interests" and "give yourself more trouble" sub standard. Leech thinks this is the "Politeness Principle" of the second criteria of performance. When others represent or stand for something or a point of view, you do not say anything against each other. This is the appreciation, but also people strive to abide by a principle in the conversation. Leech lists the basic performance of this rule, which is, "said the praise to others", put another way, "said the praise to others as much as possibly." You should keep the modesty when you talk with other people, which is a successful dialogue guideline. The approach is to minimize advantages of self instead of maximizing disadvantages of self. The meaning of agreement principle is to speak less disagreement between self and other, or to maximize agreement between self and other, and this session will be able to continue. In the end, the successful communication should follow a principle of sympathy. The hearer tries to reduce the indifference of dialogue, or should try to express the sympathy for what the speaker says, making the dialogue between the two sides reach a tacit understanding. Researching carefully the relationship between these 6 criteria, you will find that they have some overlap with each other. These six principles belong to the principles of pragmatics, but they also have a strong guiding role in the writing of letters in foreign trade practice. Polite business English letters attach importance to each other's point of view, respect for each other's rights, aspirations and needs, meet the other's psychological, and can produce a pleasant feeling, thus contribute to and expand foreign trade. Therefore, we should pay attention to the adhibition of politeness principle in Business English letter writing.

1.2 The use of politeness principle

1.2.1Be Polite
Specifically to: attitude should be honest; aspect should be elegant; language should be civilized; behavior should be decent; learn work things out and respect each other; learn apologize; respect the old and take good care of the young; respect for women and care for the weak; transform social traditions; take pleasure to give favor; help others for a just cause action; concern for public welfare undertakings.
Instrument generous is to pay attention to personal hygiene, face clean, neat hair, dress neatly, simple and generous, and beautiful title. Too casual, it is not respect for others, but also does not respect for their own.

1.2.2 Pay attention to language civilization
Specifically to: in public life, pay attention to the occasion when you talk, be gentle and elegant, grasp the good discretion, moderate suitable, do not speak dirty words, do not argue irrationally, do not speak daggers to others.; show an open mind, sincere and full respect for each other's wishes. Tone of voice should pay attention to the need to listen to, to be patient.

1.2.3Respect the customs of ethnic minorities:
Treat the traditional etiquette and custom with a scientific attitude, inheriting the essence, discarding the dross, combining the traditional etiquette with the request of the modern society, and keeping up with the times.
Do in Rome as the Romans do, do not violate national taboo. Otherwise, it will hurt the feelings of the nation, the impact of the exchange, the impact of unity.
Etiquette is an essential quality of a person. Etiquette refers to all kinds of etiquette and ceremony, including a variety of civilized behaviors of natural form in social interactions. Etiquette is not only a form, but also a symbol of the spiritual civilization of a person, a group, and even a country.


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