摘　要

在经济全球化的大背景下，各国之间的商务贸易与合作日益增多，商务沟通亦日益增强。而英语委婉语在商务沟通过程中作为一种重要的手段和策略，为贸易双方化解冲突、缓和气氛并建立友好的长期合作关系起到一定的作用, 因此越来越为商人们所重视。本文主要通过对英语委婉语的含义、重要性的研究以及对商务沟通语境的探讨，从词汇、语法和情感三个不同的角度对英语委婉语在商务沟通中的使用策略进行了系统的分析。着重对语境及相应的策略做了详细介绍，并举例说明。此外，本文也对跨文化商务沟通过程中应当注意的问题进行了讨论，如应注意文化多样性，避免禁忌语的误用，并提出了相应的策略。这些策略都有助于人们实现冲突的最小化，合作的最大化。

关键词：商务沟通；英语委婉语；语境；策略
 
Abstract

Economic globalization leads to closer connections in international trade and a growing number of large multinational corporations, with the result that business communication is also strengthened. English euphemism, as a significant tool used in business communication, plays a certain function in resolving conflicts in the process of trade, mitigating tension and establishing friendly long-term cooperative relationship. Undoubtedly, a large number of businesspeople gradually pay more attention to it. The paper interprets the definition of euphemism through doing research and comparison with other studies. A discussion on the significance of English euphemism is made in the paper. The contexts, including rejections, complaints, disagreement, criticism, offering proposals, making requests, are explained at length. The author also analyzes the strategies used in business communication from lexical, grammatical and emotional aspects, such as softened wordage, substitution of words, passive voice, subjunctive mood, and so on. The contexts and relative strategies are emphasized through given examples. In addition, the author sheds light on the problems like ignorance of culture diversity and misuse of taboos, which frequently occurred in intercultural business communication, and puts forward some solutions accordingly. These strategies can help businesspeople realize the minimization of conflicts and maximization of the possibility of cooperation.

Key words: Business communication; English euphemism; contexts; strategies

1    Introduction
1.1    Background information
The use of English euphemism is very popular in daily communication, especially in business communication. Many researches have already been done and achievements made on this subject. It can be found that more studies have been done abroad than in China. The researchers at home and abroad focus on the meaning, origin of English euphemism, its application in literature, business and everyday life as well. They also have discussed its functions based on pragmatic principle, courtesy principle, etc.