摘 要

随着中国进一步开放，旅游业进一步发展，旅游英语翻译成为了外国人士了解中国的重要途径。本文主要叙述了旅游英语中的模糊语言现象。通过旅游英语广告，导游词，景点介绍和日常交流各个方面，从旅游英语语言特点，修辞及语用角度分析模糊语言，并给出旅游英语翻译中对模糊语言翻译的解决措施，使模糊语言能更好的运用在跨文化交流中。

关键词：模糊语言, 旅游英语，跨文化交际

Contents

1. Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

1.1A brief introduction to Fuzzy Language -------------------------------------------------1

1.2 Fuzziness in Tourism English ------------------------------------------------------------1

1.3 Research significance ---- -----------------------------------------------------------------1

2.Demonstration --------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

2.1Definition of Fuzzy Language ------------------------------------------------------------2

2.2Analysis of Fuzziness in Tourism English ----------------------------------------------3

2.2.1Perspective of language features -------------------------------------------------------3

2.2.2 Perspective of rhetoric devices --------------------------------------------------------4

2.2.3Perspective of pragmatic function -----------------------------------------------------5

2.3 Functions of Fuzziness in Tourism English --------------------------------------------7

1. Conclusion-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

Notes ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9

Works Cited-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10

Bibliography ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11

A Study of Fuzzy Language Applied in Tourist English

1 .Introduction

1.1A brief introduction to Fuzzy Language

Fuzziness as an inherent characteristic of language exists widely in many aspects of our lives. In 1965, L. A. Zadeh¹, the professor at the University of California, published “Fuzzy Set Theory” firstly. In his opinion, the objects in the present world usually have no precise limits. In other words, the boundary of meaning in sentences are uncertain. The theory provided a new studying perspective to linguistics. After that more and more scholars in different fields do their researches on fuzzy language. Tieping Wu², the professor at home also gave some summaries on fuzzy language. Generally speaking, the fuzziness of language mainly manifest in the vocabulary of time, space, degree, color and so on. The uncertainty often arose when those vocabularies leads to the ambiguity of its semantics. There is no clear boundary line between them. Another kind of fuzzy language refers to some adverbs of degree terms, such as approximate, possible, seemingly, nearly, and so on. This is the first time proposed by Lakoff ³ in 1972. He Ziran, a scholar at home, called them "fuzzy" such as "may", "about", "or", "nearly”. Those words make the meaning of sentences become blurred. The fuzziness of language is also reflected in the meaning of some nouns. For instance, "god" and "ghost", do not exist in the real world actually. As they are imagined by people, so they have fuzziness.

1.2 Fuzziness in Tourism English

The basic requirement of English-Chinese translation in tourism industry is clear and concise. Because of the cultural differences in tourists’ background, we need to pay attention to making the exact expression of in tourism communication. In the process of common translating, ambiguous words should be avoided. However, due to cultural differences, the phenomenon of using fuzzy language in tourism English translation exists. Sometimes we even use fuzzy language intentionally for better cross-cultural communication. Generally speaking, the use of fuzzy language in Tourism English includes using various words to express fuzzy meanings, such as verb, noun, adjectives, quantifiers, hedges and so on. Making good use of fuzzy language can improve the effect of expression and make tourism advertisements, tour guide presentations and attractions introductions infectious and persuasive.

1.3 research significance

Up to this day, fuzzy language phenomenon is getting more and more attention of linguists. Domestic and overseas scholars from different fields have taken up further researches on fuzzy language. Fuzziness is an objective attribute of language. It also exists in tourism English. But there are few researches on fuzzy language in tourism English. This thesis tries to make an analysis of the texts of tourism advertisements, tour guide presentations and attractions introductions, from three perspectives----language features, rhetoric devices and pragmatic functions to find out the better effect of intercultural communication achieved by fuzzy language.

1. Demonstration

2.1Definition of Fuzzy Language

What is fuzziness? Linguists and philosophers have different views on the problem of fuzziness. Fuzzy language does not mean vagueness and ambiguity, which makes misunderstandings. On the contrary, it utilizes the fuzziness of language to reflect the fuzzy concept in daily life exactly. We must distinguish several terms firstly. There are some differences between fuzziness, vagueness and ambiguity. Fuzziness means uncertainty and is inherent in language. If it is necessary, they can be forced to give a precise definition temporarily in a particular context. “Ambiguity refers to the varied meanings expressed in words or sentences. There is no semantic association between these meanings. Vagueness can be defined as a word or sentence with multiple semantic interpretations, such as polysemants.”^[2]