Abstract

Today, with speedy progress of international business cooperation around the world, Business English Correspondence is playing an irreplaceable role in conveying important business information. Different from conventional modes of communication such as telex, telephone, and fax, business correspondence can transfer business information more economically and more conveniently. However, in today’s international businesses, there exist lots of business problems due to people’s lack of the basic knowledge about Business English Correspondence and caused by people’s unfamiliarity with the application of the four maxims of Cooperative Principle. Therefore, it appears significant to study Business English Correspondence from the perspective of Cooperative Principle. 

In this thesis, the author collected plenty of literatures about Business English Correspondence and Cooperative Principle. And the thesis presents brief aspects of Business English Correspondence and Cooperative Principle respectively. Then, based on the basic theories and previous related studies, the author makes a detailed analysis on Business English Correspondence by means of Cooperative Principle. Through studying this, some new findings are concluded that the maxim of quantity of Cooperative Principle is in accordance with completeness of “7C” principles, the maxim of quality with correctness and concreteness, and the maxim of manner with clarity, conciseness, courtesy, and consideration. 

Key words: Business English Correspondence; Cooperative Principle

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1Introduction1

2 Literature Review.2

2.1 Related Studies of Business English Correspondence.2

 2.2 Related Studies of Cooperative Principle.3

3 Brief Aspect of Business English Correspondence.5

3.1 Definition of Business English Correspondence.5

3.2 Nature of Business English Correspondence.5

 3.3 Principles for Business English Correspondence Writing.6

 3.4 Classification of Business English Correspondence8

4 Brief Aspect of Cooperative Principle.8

 4.1 Definition of Cooperative Principle.9

 4.2 Four Maxims of Cooperative Principle9

 4.3 Theory of Conversational Implicature.10

5 A Study of Business English Correspondence from the Perspective of Cooperative Principle.11

5.1 Use of Quantity Maxim.11

5.2 Use of Quality Maxim.12

5.3 Use of Relation Maxim13

5.4 Use of Manner Maxim.14

6 Conclusion.15

References17