Abstract

Fuzziness is an essential feature of human language. As a linguistic concept together with a linguistic phenomenon, fuzzy language embodies the uncertainty of the language at its extension. News report is believed to be accurate, brief and clear. However, such uncertainty is often set against the authenticity and accuracy of the news. In fact, in spite of this particular feature, news report are found to possess the nature of being fuzzy as well, which shows that news report are not exceptions of nature language. This analysis is based on news materials selected from official and well-known newspaper and news websites, seeking to demonstrate the necessity and importance of fuzzy language in news report and its pragmatic functions within the theoretical framework. This paper is aimed to illustrate that the usage of fuzzy language in news is avoidable, and its appropriate use can help to improve the quality of news report.

Key words: fuzzy language  news report  pragmatic function

摘 要

模糊性是人类语言的一个重要特征。模糊语言既是一种语言特征同时又是一种语言现象，它反映了客观事物在外延上的一种不确定性。新闻报道应遵循三项原则，即内容准确、语言简洁、句子清晰。事实上，英语新闻语篇作为一种特殊文体虽具有其自身特点，但要遵循自然语言的规律，不能与其相悖。本文运用定性分析从语用学角度对新闻报道中模糊语言进行分析和研究。语料全部取自于官方报纸和新闻网站。本文将说明模糊语言在新闻报道中的重要性和必要性，并阐述模糊语言在理论框架中所体现的语用功能。

关键词：模糊语 新闻报道 语用功能

1 Introduction 
    As a type of public discourse, news report is produced under certain social conditions and background. While reporting the facts that happen recently by using the words properly, its primary function is to make the reader know well about the events that happened. There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes.(Shakespeare) Also a single event can be quite differently reported to express the different points and attitudes of reporters. As a result, readers from different social background will produce quite different reactions about the facts. In this case, news report is aimed to convey the facts from an objective angle. To ensure a successful report with such a purpose, it can not avoid using fuzzy language.