chapter 1 introduction
1.1 motivation for the study
1.2 purpose of the study
1.3 approach and methodology
1.4 organization of the book
chapter 2 theoretical foundations
2.1 definitions of vl
2.2 the development of vl studies
2.3 linguistic vagueness
2.3.1 vl as an integral part of language
2.3.2 pragmatic roles of vl
2.3.3 interactive aspects of vl
2.4 business communication and vl
2.4.1 business communication
2.4.2 the use of vl in business communication
2.5 vl in social contexts
2.6 other perspectives of vl studies
2.7 conversation analysis
chapter 3 methodology
3.1 data collection
3.2 data analysis
3.3 coding system
chapter 4 analysis of parts of speech at the lexical level
4.1 negotiation 1
4.1.1 parts of speech of the ves
4.1.2 lexical analysis
4.1.3 overall findings of negotiation 1
4.2 negotiation 2
4.2.1 parts of speech of the ves
4.2.2 lexieal analysis
4.2.3 overall findings of negotiation 2
4.3 negotiation 3
4.3.1 parts of speech of the ves
4.3.2 lexical analysis
4.3.3 overall findings of negotiation 3
4.4 negotiation 4
4.4.1 parts of speech of theves
4.4.2 lexieal analysis
4.4.3 overall findings of negotiation 4
4.5 negotiation 5
4.5.1 parts of speech of theves
4.5.2 lexieal analysis
4.5.3 overall findings of negotiation 5
4.6 summarizing remarks
4.6.1 general discussion
4.6.2 social factor comparison
chapter 5 combinational analysis at the lexical level
5.1 pre-vaguefiers
5.2 vague expressions
5.3 post-vaguefiers
5.4 summarizing remarks
chapter 6 vagueness at the syntactic level
6.1 negotiation 1
6.1.1 frequency of types of syntactical vagueness
6.1.2 syntactic analysis
6.1.3 overall findings of negotiation 1
6.2 negotiation 2
6.2.1 frequency of types of syntactical vagueness
6.2.2 syntactic analysis
6.2.3 overall findings of negotiation 2
6.3 negotiation 3
6.3.1 frequency of types of syntactical vagueness
6.3.2 syntactic analysis
6.3.3 overall findings of negotiation 3
6.4 negotiation 4
6.4.1 frequency of types of syntactical vagueness
6.4.2 syntactic analysis
6.4.3 overall findings of negotiation 4
6.5 negotiation 5
6.5.1 frequency of types of syntactical vagueness
6.5.2 syntactic analysis
6.5.3 overall findings of negotiation 5
6.6 summarizing remarks
chapter 7 pragmatic analysis
7.1 self-protection
7.1.1 contextualized analysis
7.1.2 social factor comparison
7.2 deliberately withholding information
7.2.1 contextualized analysis
7.2.2 social factor comparison
7.3 politeness
7.3.1 contextualized analysis
7.3.2 social factor comparison
7.4 informality
7.4.1 contextualized analysis
7.4.2 social factor comparison
7.5 filling in lexical gaps
7.5.1 contextualized analysis
7.5.2 social factor comparison
7.6 giving the right amount of information
7.6.1 contextualized analysis
7.6.2 social factor comparison
7.7 summarizing remarks
chapter 8 sequential analysis of vl
8.1 sequential organization using vl
8.1.1 analysis of sequential organization
8.1.2 summary of sequential organization
8.2 sequential strategies through the employment of vl
8.2.1 analysis of sequential strategies
8.2.2 summary of sequential strategies
8.3 summarizing remarks
chapter 9 conclusions and implications
9. 1 lexical patterns of vl
9.2 syntactic forms of vl
9.3 pragmatic functions of vl
9.4 interaction using vl
9.5 the influence of social factors
9.6 implications
9.6.1 chinese business communication
9.6.2 chinese language education
9.6.3 intercultural communication
9.6.4 professional training
references