Chapter 1 Introduction 1
1.1 Motivation for the study 1
1.2 Purpose of the study 3
1.3 Approach and methodology 4
1.4 Organization of the book 5
Chapter 2 Theoretical foundations 6
2.1 Definitions of VL 6
2.2 The development of VL studies 7
2.3 Linguistic vagueness 9
2.3.1 VL as an integral part of language 9
2.3.2 Pragmatic roles of VL 11
2.3.3 Interactive aspects of VL 13
2.4 Business communication and VL 15
2.4.1 Business communication 15
2.4.2 The use of VL in business communication 18
2.5 VL in social contexts 22
2.6 Other perspectives of VL studies 23
2.7 Conversation Analysis 25
Chapter 3 Methodology 29
3.1 Data collection 29
3.2 Data analysis 31
3.3 Coding system 33
Chapter 4 Analysis of parts of speech at the lexical level 37
4.1 Negotiation 1 37
4.1.1 Parts of speech of the VEs 37
4.1.2 Lexical analysis 42
4.1.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 1 43
4.2 Negotiation 2 44
4.2.1 Parts of speech of the VEs 44
4.2.2 Lexical analysis 49
4.2.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 2 50
4.3 Negotiation 3 50
4.3.1 Parts of speech of the VEs 50
4.3.2 Lexical analysis 54
4.3.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 3 55
4.4 Negotiation 4 55
4.4.1 Parts of speech of theVEs 55
4.4.2 Lexical analysis 59
4.4.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 4 59
4.5 Negotiation 5 60
4.5.1 Parts of speech of theVEs 60
4.5.2 Lexical analysis 64
4.5.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 5 64
4.6 Summarizing remarks 65
4.6.1 General discussion 65
4.6.2 Social factor comparison 66
Chapter 5 Combinational analysis at the lexical level 70
5.1 Pre-vaguefiers 70
5.2 Vague expressions 87
5.3 Post-vaguefiers 95
5.4 Summarizing remarks 104
Chapter 6 Vagueness at the syntactic level 108
6.1 Negotiation 1 109
6.1.1 Frequency of types of syntactical vagueness 109
6.1.2 Syntactic analysis 111
6.1.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 1 111
6.2 Negotiation 2 111
6.2.1 Frequency of types of syntactical vagueness 112
6.2.2 Syntactic analysis 113
6.2.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 2 113
6.3 Negotiation 3 113
6.3.1 Frequency of types of syntactical vagueness 114
6.3.2 Syntactic analysis 115
6.3.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 3 115
6.4 Negotiation 4 115
6.4.1 Frequency of types of syntactical vagueness 116
6.4.2 Syntactic analysis 117
6.4.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 4 118
6.5 Negotiation 5 118
6.5.1 Frequency of types of syntactical vagueness 118
6.5.2 Syntactic analysis 120
6.5.3 Overall findings of Negotiation 5 120
6.6 Summarizing remarks 120
Chapter 7 Pragmatic analysis 125
7.1 Self-protection 126
7.1.1 Contextualized analysis 126
7.1.2 Social factor comparison 132
7.2 Deliberately withholding information 133
7.2.1 Contextualized analysis 134
7.2.2 Social factor comparison 138
7.3 Politeness 139
7.3.1 Contextualized analysis 140
7.3.2 Social factor comparison 145
7.4 Informality 147
7.4.1 Contextualized analysis 148
7.4.2 Social factor comparison 152
7.5 Filling in lexical gaps 154
7.5.1 Contextualized analysis 155
7.5.2 Social factor comparison 158
7.6 Giving the right amount of information 160
7.6.1 Contextualized analysis 160
7.6.2 Social factor comparison 163
7.7 Summarizing remarks 165
Chapter 8 Sequential analysis of VL 168
8.1 Sequential organization using VL 168
8.1.1 Analysis of sequential organization 169
8.1.2 Summary of sequential organization 181
8.2 Sequential strategies through the employment of VL 184
8.2.1 Analysis of sequential strategies 185
8.2.2 Summary of sequential strategies 192
8.3 Summarizing remarks 195
Chapter 9 Conclusions and implications 199
9.1 Lexical patterns of VL 199
9.2 Syntactic forms of VL 200
9.3 Pragmatic functions of VL 201
9.4 Interaction using VL 201
9.5 The influence of social factors 203
9.6 Implications 203
9.6.1 Chinese business communication 204
9.6.2 Chinese language education 204
9.6.3 Intercultural communication 204
9.6.4 Professional training 205
References 207