模糊语言的语用功能及其对英语教学的启示

模糊语言的语用功能及其对英语教学的启示

【Abstract】Vaguenessisoneoftheessentialpropertiesoflanguage.Linguistsconsidervaguenesstobeofcrucialimportanceforitsefficientusageineverydaycommunication.Thispaperincludesawidelyexistingphenomenoninhumancommunication---vaguelanguageanditspragmaticfunction.Itiscomposedofsixparts,withChapterFiveasitscorewhichapplytheuseofvaguelanguageinEnglishteaching.Inthehopeofhavingacleardefinitionofvagueness,theauthorfirsttriestotellthedifferencebetweenthreeconfusingconcepts---vagueness,ambiguity,andgenerality.Beforetheauthor’sversionofthedefinitionisgiven,heshowsdifferentopinionsofdifferentlinguistsaboutthedefinitionsoastohaveabetterunderstandingofthedefinitionofvagueness.Thenthepaperstudiesvaguelanguagefromthepragmaticperspective,observingthetwomainpragmaticprinciples:“CooperativePrinciple”and“PolitenessPrinciple”andseehowthetwoprinciplesexplaintheadoptationofvaguelanguageinpeople’sdailylife.Inthenextpartofthispaper,itcentersonitscommunicativefunctions:givingrightamountofinformation,deliberatelywithholdinginformation,etc.Thispaperholdsthatvaguelanguage,justlikepreciselanguage,isalsoausefulmeansofexchangingideas.Theappropriateuseofvaguelanguagedoesnothinderanyeffectivelanguagecommunication.Instead,itcan,inmanycases,makelinguisticexpressionsmorenaturalandgraceful;conveyshumanfeelingandthoughtsmoreeffectively.Thencomesthemostimportantandenlighteningpart,thepracticaluseofvaguelanguageinEnglishteaching.Thatistosay,aconsciousandmeaningfuluseofvaguelanguagewouldgreatlyhelptheteachertoaccomplishthegoalofeffectiveteaching.Fromthepointofviewofpragmatics,acomprehensive,systematicstudyofvaguelanguagewillbeofvitalimportanceinlearningandteachingEnglish.

【KeyWords】vaguelanguage;Pragmatics;communication;pragmaticfunction;teaching

【摘要】模糊性是自然语言的基本属性之一，语言学家们指出语言的模糊性并不是无足轻重，制造障碍的因素，相反它保证了交际的有效进行。本文介绍了一种广泛存在于人类言语交际中的语言现象---模糊语言，并对其语用功能进行分析。本文由六个章节组成，第五章是重点，主要讲述模糊语言在英语教学中的运用。作者希望给出模糊语言一个清楚的定义，先分辨了三个易混淆的概念----模糊性、歧义性及概括性。作者还考察了不同的语言学家给模糊性下的各自不同的定义，然后给出自己的定义，这样让读者才能更好地了解什么是模糊语言。而后文章从语用学的角度，遵循两个语用学主要的原则----“合作原则”和“礼貌原则”，来解释为何人们在日常生活中使用模糊语言。本文接下来的部分就重点阐述了模糊语言的语用功能，如给出适量的信息、故意隐瞒部分信息等语用功能。本文认为：同精确语言一样，模糊语言也是一种有用的表意手段。合理地使用模糊语言，不仅能使语言表达更加自然、得体，有效地传载人们的思想和感情。而后就是本文的最重要也是最有启示意义的部分----模糊语言在英语教学中的实际运用。也就是说，有意识地、有意义地运用模糊语言可以使教师的教学更加有效。从语用角度对模糊语言进行全面、系统的研究对如何正确地理解和使用模糊语言，成功地进行言语交际,及其在英语的学习和教学过程中具有十分重要的意义。

【关键词】模糊语言；语用学；交际；语用功能；教学

1.Introduction

Peoplehavemanybeliefsaboutlanguage.Animportantoneisthatgooduseoflanguageinvolvesclarityandprecision.Itistrueundersomecircumstances.Forexample,youwillleaveforBeijingforameeting.Soyouhavetotelephonetheairlinetobookaticketfortheplane.Youasktheattendant“WhatisthetimeoftheflighttoBeijing,”andtheattendantshouldanswer“at6:15”or“at9:05”,etc,(theprecisetime),ratherthan“thisafternoon”.Therefore,itisbelievedthateitherambiguityorimprecisionorvaguenessistobeavoided.

However,theworlditselfismorethanthatsimple.Language,whichisusedinourdailylife,cannotandneednotbeclearandpreciseallthetime,especiallyintheprocessofcommunication.AsJoannaChannellputinherbookVagueLanguage,“Oneofthemostusefulandenduringinsightstocomeoutoftherecentstudyoflanguageuseisthatspeakersandwriterstailortheirlanguagetomakeitsuitabletothesituation.”[1]

Inourdailylife,vaguelanguageiswidelyused,butspeakersoftendonotrealizethatthelanguagetheyareusingisvague.Weneedvagueexpressionsinthinkingandcommunication.JustasChannellsays,“Interestinvaguenessinlanguageuseandmeaninghasariseninanumberofdisciplines:literarycriticism,linguistics,psychology,philosophy.Muchofitsuggeststhatvaguenessispresentinagreatdealoflanguageuse,andthatthereforeacompletetheoryoflanguagemusthavevaguenessasanintegralcomponent.”

Vaguenessoflanguageisauniversalphenomenon.Asabasicfeatureofnaturallanguage,vaguenessisembodiedinvariousaspectsoflanguagesuchasspeechsounds,wordsmeaning,syntacticrules,etc.Moreandmorescholarshaveprobedthisfield,buttheystillhavedifferentopinionsonwhatvaguenessrefersto.Vaguelanguageisneitherall“bad”norall“good”andisplayinganimportantpartinhumancommunication.Whatmattersisthatvaguelanguageisusedappropriatelyandisrightforthepurposeofhumancommunication.

Duetothereasonthatvaguelanguage,theconceptitself,iscomplex,thispaperwillfocusonvaguelanguagefromtheangleofhowitisappliedintoauthentichumancommunication.ItishopedthatsuchastudycouldhelppeopleunderstandthefeasibilityoftheexistenceofvaguetermsandformakindofvaguethinkingandinitiateChineselearnersofEnglishtoadoptvagueexpressionsappropriatelyintheirspeech,andconsequently,helpthembecomemoreefficientininterculturalcommunications.Thispaperalsostrivestobringtolightcertainaspectsofpragmaticvagueness,tobemoreexact,thepositivefunctionofvaguelanguageincommunication.Furthermore,ittriestoapplythestudytosomeaspectsoflanguageteaching.

2.VagueLanguage

Threeconfusingconcepts---vagueness,ambiguity,generality

“Vagueness”,“ambiguity”,“generality”sharethecharacteristicofconveyingimpreciseorunspecifiedinformation;accordingly,todifferthemisbeneficialforonetounderstand“vagueness”.

Ambiguityisdefinedas“expressionswhichhavemorethanonesemanticallyunrelatedmeaning”.Inotherwords,anexpressionisambiguousifithasseveralparaphraseswhicharenotparaphrasesofeachother.Ambiguitymostpossiblyappearsinsentenceswithoutaparticularcontextorparticularbackgroundinformation.Forinstance,withoutcontext,thefollowingsentencesmayhavedifferentinterpretations:

(1)Hewentintoadarkroom.

(2)Hismothersayshemaygo.

Thesentencesabovecanbemadeclearbyaddingsomewordsorchangingthesentencepattern.Thereforesentence(1)hastwopossibleinterpretations:

a.Hewentintoaroomwithnolight.

b.Hewentintoaroomthatisusedforprocessingphotographs.

Sentence(2)hasthefollowingtwopossibleinterpretations:

a.Hismothersaysheisallowedtogo.

b.Hismothersaysitispossibleforhimtogo.

Generalityisauniversalfeatureofmeaning.ZhangQiaodefinesgeneralityas“themeaningofanexpressionisgeneralinthesensethatitdoesnotspecifydetails,generalityisamatterofunspecification.Forexample,themeaningofcityisgeneralbecauseitdoesnotspecifywhetherornotacityisbigorsmall,modernorancient”.Andanotherexample,myfriendisgeneral,asitcouldmeanafemalefriend,amalefriend,orafriendfromothercountries.

Thewordchaircanbeusedtorefertochairswithdifferentshapes,differentsizes,andwhicharemadeofdifferentmaterials.Whenreferringtodifferentkindsofchairs,thewordchairjustshowsitsgenerality.Onlywhenitishardtodrawaclearlinebetweenwhatisachairandwhatisnotachairdoesvaguenessappear.Althoughvaguenessdiffersfromgenerality,itiscloselyrelatedtogenerality.Ifthereisnogenerality,therewillbenovagueness.However,beinggeneraldoesnotnecessarilymeanbeingvague.Almostallunitsinlanguagearegeneral,butnotallexpressionsarevague.

Vaguenessisdefinedhereas“anexpressionorawordwhichhasonemeaningbutmorethanonepossibleinterpretation”.Thatistosay,vaguenessisseenwheredistinctmeaningscannotbeidentified.

Vaguenessusuallyappearswhenapronounhasnoclearreference.Pronounsmayhavetwoormorereferencesandthiswillresultinvagueness.Forexample:

(3)JimsaystoBobthatheisahandsomeman.

Thereisnocontextinthissentence.Thewordhemayhavethreereferences.

A1.JimsaystoBobthatJimhimselfisahandsomeman.

B1.JimsaystoBobthatBobisahandsomeman.

C1.JimsaystoBobthatsomeoneelseisahandsomeman.

Changingthesentencepatterncanbringclearreference.Inthecaseabovewecanchangetheindirectspeechesintothedirectspeeches.

A2.JimsaystoBob,“Iamahandsomeman.”

B2.JimsaystoBob,“Youareahandsomeman.”

C2.JimsaystoBob,“Heisahandsomeman.”

Obviously,vaguenesscanbegotridofinaparticularcontext.

Aswehaveidentifiedthedifferentconceptsrelatedtovagueness,wewillbetterunderstandit.

Differentopinionsofdifferentlinguists

Ifonewantstogetaunanimousdefinitionofvagueness,hewillfinditafailure.Theterm“vagueness”seemsveryhardtobedefinedsincedifferentpeoplehavedifferentviews.Astothedefinitionofvagueness,differentlinguistshavegiventheirdifferentstatements.

Pierce,astheoriginatorofthenotionofvaguenessinlanguage,wasthefirsttotrytoformulatethenotioninarigorousway,asfollows:

“Apropositionisvaguewheretherearepossiblestatesofthingsconcerningwhichitisintrinsicallyuncertainwhether,hadtheybeencontemplatedbythespeaker,hewouldhaveregardedthemasexcludedorallowedbytheproposition.Byintrinsicallyuncertainwemeannotuncertaininconsequenceofanyignoranceoftheinterpreter,butbecausethespeaker’shabitsoflanguagewereindeterminate;sothatonedayhewouldregardthepropositionasexcluding,anotherasadmitting,thosestatesofthings.Yetthismustbeunderstoodtohavereferencetowhatmightbededucedfromaperfectknowledgeofhisstateofmind;foritispreciselybecausethesequestionsneverdid,ordidnotfrequently,presentthemselvesthatthishabitremainedindeterminate.”

Thatistosay,thelanguagesystempermitsspeakerstoproduceutteranceswithouthavingdecidedwhethercertainfactsareexcludedorallowedbythem.Forexample,whether“agirl”isexcludedorallowedbytheproposition“sheisatallgirl”isdifficulttojudgefortherearemanydifferentstatesofthings.Comparingwitha5-year-oldgirl,sheiscertainlytall,whileamongthefemalebasketballplayerssheistooshort.Thisiscausedbythevagueupperandbottomlimitationsoftheword.

CrystalandDavyputforwardtheviewthat“vaguenessisonascalerelatedtotheformalityoftheoccasion,andthatspeakerscan,iftheychoose,bemoreprecise”.Theynotethatspeakersintheirextractsmarkvaguenessbyuseofcertainexpressions.Amongthosecitedare:somethinglikethat,orsomething,somewhere,probably,andinaway.

Ullmann,tracingfromPlatotoByronarecurrentfeelingoftheinadequacyoflanguagetoexpressthought,particularlybecauseofitslackofprecision,describessuchwordscausingtheinadequacyoflanguageas“wordswithblurrededges”.Henotestheconversefeelingamongpoetsandcreativewriters,thatsuchvaguenessisinfactanadvantage.Andhegoesontopointoutanotheraspectofvagueness:

“Ifonelooksmorecloselyatthisvaguenessonesoondiscoversthatthetermisitselfrathervagueandambiguous:theconditionitreferstoisnotauniformfeaturebuthasmanyaspectsandmayresultfromavarietyofcauses.Someoftheseareinherentintheverynatureoflanguage,whereasotherscomeintoplayonlyinspecialcircumstances.

So,hetookmuchinterestinthestudyofvaguelanguage.Inhiswork,heattributesvaguenesstofourfactors:

a.genericcharacterofwords;

b.meaningisneverhomogeneous(itiscontext-bound);

c.lackofclear-cutboundariesinthenon-linguisticworld;

d.lackoffamiliaritywithwhatthewordsstandfor.”

Lakoff,whosharesthesameopinionwithUllmann,definesvaguenessas“wordswhosejobitistomakethingsfuzzierorlessfuzzy”.

Myversionofthedefinition

Fromthepointofmyview,inabroadersense,wecanuse“fuzziness”tomeanvagueness,thatis,themeaningsofthewordshavenodefiniteboundaries;inanarrowersense,vaguenessisalanguageunit:vaguewordsorexpressions,thatis,anexpressionorawordwhichhasonemeaningbutmorethanonepossibleinterpretationunderdifferentcontextsandfordifferentpragmaticpurposes.

3.Therelationsofvaguelanguagewiththetwopragmaticprinciples

Theintroductionoflastsectionhasgivenonearoughideaaboutwhatvaguelanguageis,butthisisnotforonetounderstanditbecauseunderstandingvaguelanguageiscloselyconnectedwiththepragmaticmatter.Asoneknows,languageistheproductofasocietyandisusedasabridgeforpeople’scommunication.Vagueterms,asacomponentofvocabulary,whicharealsoessentialforonetocommunicatewithothers,shouldbestudiedfromthepragmaticangle.Ifthestudyofvaguetermsiskeptfromtheirpragmaticfunction,itis,ofcourse,notatrenchantone.Thissectionisbasedonthetwofamouscommunicativeprinciples(CooperativePrincipleandPolitenessPrinciple)andseeshowthetwosalientcommunicativeprinciplesexplainthephenomenaofadoptingvaguetermsineffectivecommunication.

VaguelanguageandCooperativePrinciple

In1976Griceproposedthatinconversing,humanbeingsfollowabehavioraldictum,whichhecallsCooperativePrinciple:

Makeyourconversationalcontributionsuchasisrequired,atthestageatwhichitoccurs,bytheacceptedpurposeordirectionofthetalkexchangeinwhichyouareengaged.

Hestatedthatnaturallanguageexpressions,whichareusedinconversation,aregovernedbyprinciples,especiallytheCooperativePrinciple,andthefollowingishisdescriptionofthefourmaximsofthisprinciple:

“Quantity

1.Makeyourcontributionasinformativeasisrequired(forthecurrentpurposesoftheexchange).

2.Donotmakeyourcontributionmoreinformativethanisrequired.

QualityTrytomakeyourcontributiononethatistrue.

1.Donotsaywhatyoubelievetobefalse.

2.Donotsaythatforwhichyoulackadequateevidence.

RelationBerelevant.

MannerBeperspicuous.

1.Avoidobscurityofexpression.

2.Avoidambiguity.

3.Bebrief(avoidunnecessaryprolixity).

4.Beorderly.”[10]

Peopleoftenpursuethepreciseuseoflanguage,andtheyregardthattheuseofvaguelanguagewouldhindereffectivecommunication.“AndsometimesitappearsthattheuseofvaguelanguageviolatestheCooperativePrinciple,especiallyviolatesthemaximofQuality,themaximofQuantity,andthemaximofManner.WithregardtothemaximofQuality,thevaguenesscausedbytheuseofvaguelanguagewoulddevaluatethetruthoftheinformationgivenbythespeaker,whichmayberegardedthatthespeakerisdeliberatelywithholdingtheinformation.Asaresult,thehearerwouldnotmakeoutwhetheritistrueornot.InregardtothemaximofQuantity,thevaguenesscausedbytheuseofvaguelanguagewouldincreaseordecreasetheinformationgivenbythespeaker.Excessiveinformationwouldmakethehearerfeelboring,whiletoosmallamountofinformationwouldmakethehearerfeelconfused.Onthecontrary,theuseofvaguelanguageisthestrategyappliedbypeoplewhentheyarenotcertainaboutsomethingorwhentheydonotwanttomakeclearofsomething.Therefore,incertaincases,vaguelanguageisusedtoabidebytheCooperativePrinciple.”[11]Forexample:

(4)A:Where’syoursister?

B:Out.

Bonlyknowsthathissisterisnotathomeinsteadofknowingtheexactlocationofher.SoBadherestothemaximofQuality(Donotsaythatforwhichyoulackadequateevidence)inordertobecooperativewiththehelpofthemeaningofoutwhichmightrefertotheplacewhereverhissisteris.

(5)Heisabout170centimeterhigh.

Insuchacase,theseeminglyinadequateinformationgivenbythespeakerviolatesthemaximofQuantity(Makeyourcontributionasinformativeasisrequired),butbecausethespeakerfactuallydoesnotknowtheheight,theuseofaboutobservesthemaximofQuality(Donotsaythatforwhichyoulackadequateevidence).Inthisway,thesentenceisjustinformativeforthepurposeofcommunication,foritisunnecessarytoknowthepreciseheight.

(6)Arobinisasortofbird.

Thespeakermaybenotknowthatarobinisakindofbird,soheusessortoftoshowhisuncertainty.Thus,heabidesbythemaximofQuality.

(7)Hersalaryissomethingbetween2,000and3,000.

ItseemsthatthespeakerviolatesthemaximofQuantity,becausehefailstoprovideenoughinformation.Butifthespeakerfactuallydoesnotknowtheexactamountofmoneysheearns,whichatthesametime,abidesbythemaximofQuality.

Fromtheaboveexamples,wecanseethatpeoplevaluethemaximofQualitymuchmorethantheothermaxims.Sometimespeopleadheretothemaximsandsometimestheyviolatethemdeliberatelyforcertainpurposes.Inmostcases,peopleadheretooneormoremaximbutviolateanotheratthesametime.AndthefollowingexamplesshowthattheuseofvaguelanguageviolatesthemaximofCooperativePrinciple,thusconversationalimplicaturearises.

Astheaboveexample(4),ifAknowsthatBknowstheexactlocationofhissister,B’sanswerdoesnotgiveAtherightamountofinformationthatArequiresandtherebyBviolatestheMaximofQuantitydeliberately.Inthiscase,outseemstobeanon-cooperativeanswer.

(8)A:Let’sgetthekidssomething.

B:Okay,butIvetoI-C-E-C-R-E-A-M-S.

B’sutteranceisobscure.ItsconversationalimplicatureisthatBdoesnotlikethechildrentohaveanyice-cream.SohedeliberatelyviolatestheMannerMaximbyspellingoutthewordice-creaminsteadofutteringitasaword.

TheCooperativePrinciplecanexplainsomephenomenawhypeopleusevaguetermsinconversations;however,theCPcannotexplainallthesituationsinwhichvaguetermsareadopted.Inthenextsection,anotherimportantcommunicativeprinciple:PolitenessPrinciplewillbeintroducedasacompensationtoaccountforthoseunexplainedphenomena.

VaguelanguageandPolitenessPrinciple

ApartfromCooperativePrinciple,PolitenessPrincipleisanotherprinciple,whichisusuallyabidedbyinconversations.Itcandemonstratethesocialdistance,status,etc.ofaspeaker,establishone’sgoodimpression,atleastsaveface,andexplainsomephenomenathattheCPcannotaccountfor.

InPrinciplesofPragmatics,LeechintroducesthePolitenessPrinciple,whichheregardsasthesameimportantasGrice’sCooperativePrinciple.ThemainmaximsofthePolitenessPrincipleare:Tact,Generosity,Approbation,Modest,AgreementandSympathy.

“Tact

Minimizecosttoother

Maximizecostforself

Generosity

Minimizebenefittoself

Maximizepraiseofother

Approbation

Minimizedispraiseofother

Maximizedispraiseofself

Modesty

Minimizedisagreementbetweenselfandother

Maximizesympathybetweenselfandother

Agreement

Minimizedisagreementbetweenselfandother

Maximizeagreementbetweenselfandother

Sympathy

Minimizeantipathybetweenselfandother

Maximizesympathybetweenselfandother”[12]

Generallyspeaking,theabovesixmaximsarewhatpeoplehavetoobserveindailycommunication.Fromthemaximswithsub-maximsincluded,wecouldmakeaconclusionthatwhileconversing,thespeakersshouldtrytomakeothersbenefitmorewhileleavemoreinconveniencetothemselvessoastowinapprobationfromothers.AndvaguetermsplayanimportantroleinobservingthePolitenessPrincipleinconversationespeciallythehedges,whichcouldmakeutterancessoundmorepolite.Let’sseesomeexamplesandseethespecificroleofvaguetermsinadheringtothePolitenessPrinciple,andhowthePolitenessPrincipleexplainstheuseofvaguetermsincommunication.

Forinstance,someoneasksyou,“IsAintheclassroomnow”,ifyoujustgivehimanansweras“Idon’tknow”,youindeedhaveconveyedyourmeaningclearly.Butitsoundsrudeandunfriendly.Whereasifyouansweras“Probablynot”,thoughitsoundsalittlevague,youwouldconveythebasicinformationandthehearermaythinkyouarepoliteandwell-educated.Someotherexamples:

(9)I’vegotabitofaproblem.

Thissentence,comparingwith“I’vegotaproblem”,seemstobemorepolitebecausehereabitisavagueterm,whichreducestheimpliedcosttothehearer.Withthevagueterm,therequestcostsless,anditismorepolite.Thus,thissentenceabidesbytheTactMaxim.

(10)Iwaswonderingifyoucoulddomeafavor.

(11)A:Howdoyoulikemynewcoat?

B:Idon’thaveaneyeforbeauty,Iamafraid.

(12)Youaremistaken,itseemstome.

Insentence(10),withthehedge“Iwaswondering”,thespeakermakeshisrequestpolitely,whichobservesthemaximofTact.Insentence(11),thelistenerdoesnotanswerthequestiondirectly,whichviolatesthemaximofRelation,butitobservestheApprobationMaxim,ModestyMaxim,andAgreementMaxim.Asregardtosentence(12),itdispraisesthelistener,butthespeakeruses“itseemstome”,themeaningbecomesuncertain,andit,atthesametime,conveysthecarethespeakerexpressestothehearer,whichadheresthemaximofTactandSympathy.

“Inourdailyverbalcommunication,somespeech,infact,threatensothers’faces,thatis,thespeechisaface-threateningact.Inordertosavetheothers’faces,maintainharmoniousinterpersonalrelations,ensuresuccessfulsocialinteractionandachievethecommunicativegoal,oneofthemeansistousevaguetermswhentheotherperson’sfaceisbeingthreatenedsoastoalleviatethenervousatmosphere,which,inessence,adherestothePolitenessPrinciple.”[13]Forexample:

(13)Yourcoatisalittlebitdirty.

Thespeakerusesalittlebit,whichobservestheApprobationMaxim.

Fromwhatwediscussedabove,usingvaguetermsinsomesituationsisagoodstrategytoobservethebasicprinciplesincommunication:beingcooperativeorpolite.

4.Thecommunicativefunctionsofvaguelanguage

Fromthelastsectionofthestudyoftherelationswiththetwomainpragmaticprinciples,wecanconcludethepragmaticfunctionsofvagueterms.

Givingtherightamountofinformation

AccordingtothemaximofQuantity,therearetwoprinciples:(i)Makeyourcontributionasinformativeasisrequired(forthecurrentpurposesoftheexchange).(ii)Donotmakeyourcontributionmoreinformativethanisrequired.Vagueexpressionsarejustthedevicewhichspeakersusetotailortheircontributionssothattheygivetherightamountofinformationforthepurposeoftheconversation.Forexample:

(14)Wehadaprocessionof10,000people.

The“10,000people”inthesentenceisnotnecessarytobetheexactnumber.

Deliberatelywithholdinginformation

“Undersomecircumstances,thespeakerdoesnotwanttoofferthepreciseinformation.Sotheyusevaguetermsdeliberatelytosolvethisproblem.”[14]Forexample:

(15)Sheisabout29yearsold.

Thisappearstobewithholdingtheexactage,sincewhenquestioned,thespeakerclaimedshehadusedthisformbecausewomendonotliketobesaidtobethirty.

Lexicalgaps

“Speakerssometimesmakeuseofvaguenesstoconveymeaninginsituationswheretheydonothaveattheirdisposalthenecessarywordsorphrasesfortheconceptstheywishtoexpress.Inthisway,peoplecanandoftendothinkaboutconceptswhichtheycannotreallytalkabout.”[15]Forexample:

(16)A:Whatdoesyourfrienddoforaliving?

B:Sheisoneofthosepersonswholookafterpeopleinahospital.

A:Youmeansheisanurse.

B:Yes,thatisthewordIwaslookingfor.

Relatedtothisisthetemporarylexicalgap,whichoccurswhenaspeakercannotrememberawordoraname.Forexample:

(17)“Susanhasgoneoutwithwhat’s-his-name---youknow,theboywiththecurlyhair.”[16]

Lackingspecificinformation

Ifaspeakerlacksspecificinformation,anobservableployistousevagueterms.Forexample:

(18)[percentageofuniversitystudentscomingfromworkingclassbackgrounds]

Ican’trememberwhatthefiguresarebutit’ssomethingaroundthetwentypercentmarkandit’sneverchanged.

Thespeakerprovidesclearevidence(Ican’tremember)thatthisvaguenessisobligatorysincehedoesnotremembertheexactnumber,whichalsoabidesbythemaximofQuality(Donotsaythatforwhichyoulacksufficientevidence).

Self-protection

Sometimesspeakerusesvaguetermsasasafeguardagainstlaterwhathesaidprovestobewrong.Forexample:

(19)A:Whatwillbetheweatherliketomorrow?

B:Ithinkmaybeitwillrain.

Beingpolite

Whentheuseofvaguenessisthespeakerexpressingdeferencetothetutoratthesametimeasdisagreeingwithher,thevaguenessisusedasonewayofadheringtothepolitenessrulesforaparticularculture,andnotthreateningface.Forexample:

(20)“Couldwe,whenyougiveusouressaysback---andgiveustitles---couldwesortofmeetorsomething---becauseImean---theremightbethingswewanttoask.”[17]

Wehavealreadyseenapossibleexampleofdeferencebetweenthestudentandthetutor.Thestudenttendstousealotofuncertaintymarkers,therefore,therequestleavesthetutorsomeoptionsanddoesnotthreatenthetutor’sface.

5.ItsenlightenmentinEnglishteaching

Therehaslongexistedamisunderstandingthatintheprocessofourleaningorteaching,weshouldalwaystakegreatnoticeoftheprecisionoflanguage.Butaswecanseefromtheabove,vaguelanguageplaysanimportantroleindailycommunication.Inthissection,whichisalsothemostpracticalandenlighteningone,thispaperwillfocusonitssignificantpragmaticfunctionsinparticularteachingenvironmentandseehowitbenefitsbothstudentsandtheteachertoachieveeffectiveteaching.Throughourpracticeofteaching,wemaybeconfrontedwithvariousunpredictablesituationswherevaguenessmaybetheonlysolutiontohelpusgetoutofasituationofawkwardness.Andtheuseofvaguelanguagemaysometimesbringaboutunexpectedresults.Iftheteachercanusesomevaguetermsappropriatelyintheprocessofteaching,itwillnotonlydogoodforthestudentsbutalsofortheteacherhimself.

Benefitingthestudents

Languageteachingpracticeprovidestheteacherwithavaststagewhereheorshehaseveryopportunitytorevealvaguenesstothestudents.Exactnessisonlyarelativeidea.Thatistosay,inteachingofaforeignlanguagetheteachershouldtrytoavoidover-exactness.Themasteryofthelanguagealsoincludesitswonderfulvagueness.

Appreciatingthebeautyfromthevagueness

(i)Intheliteraryworks

Toachievetheeffectofsubtlenessandtoleaveroomforthestudentstoimagine,theuseof