本书从语篇分析的角度，在综合诸如社会语言学、语用学、语篇分析等学科的研究成果上，运用话语分析CA(conversation analvsis)的研究方法，探讨人际关系如何影响商务谈判的整体话语结构、言语行为、词形运用以及它们与礼貌策略的内在关联，并对跨文化商务谈判中的文化语言现象做了一定的对比和分析。作者在前人研究的社会交际和礼貌策略理论基础上，以真实的商务谈判对话为研究语料，分析商务谈判的本质和语言运用，比如：人际关系策略、语言策略、礼貌策略等。该研究旨在从语言文化的层面识别和分析谈判会话的组建、完成、语言表象(比如：句式层面和词形层面语用的优先选择)以及它们在商务谈判中与人际关系和商务关系的内在关系。作者通过对谈判对话框架、语言和礼貌策略的分析，以大量的实证证明，“人际关系”作为一种文化要素，对谈判的话语模式、语言行为和礼貌策略起着至关重要的作用。

Foreword

Abstract

Chapter 1 Introduction

 1.1 The Social Background

 1.2 The Research Background

 1.3 Research Objectives

 1.4 The Rationale of the Study

 1.5 Summary

Chapter 2 Literature Review and Descriptive Framework

 2.1 Relevant Research on Business Negotiations

2.1.1 Definition of Negotiation

2.1.2 Current Discourse Studies of Business Negotiations

2.1.3 Current Studies of Interpersonal Communication

 2.2 Relevant Studies of Negotiation Structure and Patterns

2.2.1 Prescriptive and Descriptive Models

2.2.2 Social Conversational Structure and Speech Elements

 2.3 Negotiation Language and Culture

2.3.1 Business Negotiation Language

2.3.2 Politeness in Communication

2.3.3 Chinese Business Contexts

 2.4 Summary

Chapter 3 Research Scope and Methodology

 3.1 Introduction

 3.2 Research Scope

 3.3 Research Methodology

3.3.1 The Data and Transcription Conventions

3.3.2 Subject Selection and Recording Procedures

3.3.3 Analysis Procedure

 3.4 The Division of Interpersonal Relationships in Business Negotiations

 3.5 Summary

Chapter 4 The Structure of Interpersonal Business Negotiations

 4.1 Introduction

 4.2 The Global Structure of Business Negotiations

4.2.1 Opening Stage

4.2.2 Negotiating Stage

4.2.3 Closing Stage

 4.3 The Conversational Structure of Business Negotiations

 4.4 The Impact of Interpersonal Relationship on Business Negotiations

 4.5 Summary

Chapter 5 Requests and Politeness Strategies in Business Negotiations

 5.1 Introduction

 5.2 Requests and Politeness Strategy

5.2.1 Requests and Politeness Strategies in Business Negotiations

 5.3 Generic Preference for Business Requests and Politeness Strategies

5.3.1 General Distribution of Politeness Strategies in Business Requests

5.3.2 Interpersonal Variation in Request Strategies and Politeness

 5.4 The Impact of Interpersonal Relationship on Business Requests and Interpersonal Politeness System

 5.5 Summary

Chapter 6 Metaphors as Politeness Strategies in Business Negotiations

 6.1 Introduction

 6.2 Metaphors as Politeness Strategies

6.2.1 FTAs

6.2.2 Metaphors as Politeness Strategies in FTAs

6.2.3 Linguistic Realizations of Metaphorical Expression in FTAs

6.2.4 Distribution of Metaphors in Business Negotiations

 6.3 Negotiators' Generic Preferences for Metaphors in Business Negotiations

6.3.1 Metaphors Used by the BS Group

6.3.2 Metaphors Used by the BF Group

6.3.3 Metaphors Used by the BP Group

 6.4 The Impact of Interpersonal Relationship on Metaphors in FTAs

 6.5 Summary

Chapter 7 Conclusion

 7.1 Introduction

 7.2 Summary of the Key Findings

 7.3 A Cultural Perspective on Conversational Structure

 7.4 A Cultural Perspective on Request

 7.5 A Cultural Perspective on Metaphor

 7.6 A Cultural Perspective on Interpersonal Business Communication

 7.7 Significance

 7.8 Limitations

 7.9 Summary

References