An Analysis Of The Application And Functions Of Fuzzy Rhetoric In Diplomatic Language

L. A. Zadek’s Fuzzy Set, published in1965, marked the birth of fuzzy theory, which started a new respective of linguistics. With the focus on the expressive effect caused by fuzzy language in verbal communication, the research on fuzzy rhetoric comes into being. In recent twenty years, fuzzy rhetoric develops into disciplinary and systematic construction and presents the trend of prosperity.Fuzzy rhetoric is a kind of rhetoric that during the verbal communication, the speaker and the writer apply fuzzy language to obtain the effects of propriety, euphemism and implicitness. Diplomatic language is the carrier of fuzzy activities and the powerful means to present one nation’s foreign policy and to defend its interests in the complex diplomatic occasions. Different from ordinary language, diplomatic language has its special purpose. In order to achieve certain goals, varied types of rhetoric are used in diplomatic language. And the modification to the language through applying fuzzy rhetoric just meets the requirement of diplomatic language.At present, the researches related to fuzzy rhetoric and diplomatic language are mainly limited to using Adaptation Theory or Politeness Principle to analyze the fuzziness or the pragmatic vagueness in diplomatic language. The analysis of fuzzy rhetoric in it from the perspective of fuzzy rhetoric theory is rare. Based on the diplomatic language using in the diplomatic occasions and the fuzzy rhetoric theory, this dissertation adapts qualitative analysis to discuss the application and diplomatic functions of fuzzy rhetoric in diplomatic language.With the analysis of ample materials, the result shows that in diplomatic occasions, especially in two kinds of typical diplomatic occasions, Regular Press Conference and News Briefing, the fuzzy rhetoric applied by diplomats presents in the lexical, phrasal, syntactic, sentence and discourse levels. By these applications, four main functions, protect oneself, avoid conflict, clear the position implicitly and prevent revealing excessive information, are realized. By adopting such fuzzy rhetoric methods, diplomats attain the special communicative goals to safeguard national dignity and protect national interests.The research on fuzzy rhetoric in diplomatic language carried out in this dissertation deepens the understanding of diplomatic language itself and helps to grasp the particular way of speaking of it and then to comprehend the real intention. Meanwhile, the research also deepens the understanding of fuzzy rhetoric. Moreover, this dissertation promotes the development of fuzzy linguistics and fuzzy rhetoric to some extent as well. And towards the practical application, such as the employment of diplomatic language and the translation of diplomatic language or fuzzy rhetoric, this paper also has certain inspiration.