Abstract: In daily communication, vagueness plays an important role in all aspects of human language. Over the years, researchers from home and abroad studied vagueness from different aspects, and they have made great contribution to this subject. However, studies focusing on vague language in public speeches are quite limited. The Adaptation Theory, which analyzes linguistic phenomenon from mental, social and physical perspective, is widely considered as a systematic theory for pragmatic study. Hence, based on the Adaptation Theory, this paper tries to analyze vague language and its pragmatic functions used in Obama’s weekly address at the same time it exposes how the vague expressions are used. The study shows that there are three main pragmatic functions of vague language in Obama’s weekly addresses: self-protection, showing politeness, and achieving flexibility.

Key words: vague language; public speech; pragmatic function; adaptation theory

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-2

3. Theoretical Framework-3

3.1 Development of Adaptation Theory-3

3.2 Adaptation to Communicate Context.-3

3.2.1 Spiritual World-3

3.2.2 Social Protocols -4

3.2.3 Objective World-4

4. Analysis of Vagueness in Obama’s Weekly Address-4

4.1 Adapting to Mental World-4

4.1.1 Modal Verbs-4

4.1.2 Parallel Structure-5

4.2 Adapting to Social World-6

4.2.1 Abstract Vague Words-6

4.2.2 “Small Vague Words”-7

4.3 Adapting to Physical World-7

4.3.1 Vague Temporal Deixis-7

4.3.2 Vague Quantifiers-8

4.4 Functions of Vagueness in Obama’s Weekly Address-8

4.4.1 Self- protecting-9

4.4.2 Flexibility-9

4.4.3 Politeness-10

5. Conclusion-11

Bibliography-12

Acknowledgements-13