Abstract

With the development of economic globalization, manufacturers begin to get involved in the overseas market. So, the international business negotiations are becoming more and more popular. However, the negotiations have different living environment, so there are significant differences in cultural background and religious beliefs. So, pragmatic failure is easy to occur in the process of cross-cultural communication, thus leading to unsuccessful negotiations. Jenny Thomas first proposed pragmatic failure, and then the domestic and foreign scholars put forward different opinions and gave measures to avoid pragmatic failure. However, they studied pragmatic failure in the process of cross-cultural communication, and there is no systematic study on pragmatic failure in international business negotiations. 

This paper first introduces the pragmatic failure proposed by Jenny Thomas, and states the pragmatic failure in international business negotiation. Then, based on Jef.Verschueren’s Adaptation Theory, it analyzes the causes of pragmatic failure in international business negotiations, and explores some measures to avoid pragmatic failure. This paper studies the pragmatic failures in business negotiations innovatively, and hopes to contribute to an efficient and smooth business communication.

Key Words: Adaptation Theory; pragmatic failure; international business negotiation

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Literature review-1

 2.1 The study of pragmatic failure-2

  2.1.1 Definition of pragmatic failure-2

  2.1.2 Existing approaches to the study of pragmatic failure-3

 2.2 Existing approaches to the study on IBN-4

3 Theoretical framework-5

 3.1 Definition of Verschueren's Linguistic Adaptation Theory-5

 3.2 Three notions of Adaptation Theory-6

3.2.1 Variability-6

3.2.2 Negotiability-6

3.2.3 Adaptability-6

 3.3 Four angles of investigation-7

3.3.1 Contextual correlates of adaptability-7

3.3.2 Structural objects of adaptability-7

3.3.3 Dynamics of adaptability-7

3.3.4 Salience of the adaptation process-8

4 Analysis of pragmatic failure in IBN from the perspective of Adaptation Theory-8

4.1 Failure in adapting to interpreters-9

4.2 Failure in adapting to the mental world-10

 4.3 Failure in adapting to the social world -10

 4.4 Failure in adapting to the physical world-11

5 Measures to be taken to avoid pragmatic failure-12

5.1 Measures to make adaptation to the Interpreters-12

5.2 Measures to make adaptation to mental world-13

 5.3 Measures to make adaptation to social world-14

 5.4 Measures to make adaptation to physical world-14

6 Conclusion-15

References-17