论低调陈述的特征和社会心理基础

On the Features and Sociopsychological Conditions of Understatement

本文根据低调陈述的特征和交际功能分析了低调陈述的生成过程,从语用和社会心理角度探讨了交际过程中的低调陈述解读策略。笔者认为除了场合及对象因素、合作原则和礼貌原则是交际中不可忽略的重要因素,是确认低调陈述的指称义、辨明含义和意图的重要途径以外,从社会语言心理学来说,低调陈述产生于面子需求,即用温和言辞,避免正面冲突,保全双方面子。

The paper bases its analytic approach on the features and the roles understatement plays in communication. It discusses how an understatement is motivated and how it could be interpreted in pragmatic terms. It holds that besides 'the world spoken of and the world spoken in' and even the world spoken to which is believed to determine the successful communication between the speaker and the listener, the maxims of cooperative principle and the polite behavior contribute a great deal to the interpretation in its intended orientation. From the perspective of social linguistic psychology, understatement comes into use out of face need, that's to say, one adopts softened words to give partners and oneself an out.