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Chapter 2  Verschueren's  Adaptation Theory

Adaptation Theory, as a relatively new pragmatic theory in the past threedecades, has aroused great interest among a great number of researchers andscholars both abroad and at home. In addition, it has been applied as theoreticalbasis by researchers in a variety of literary forms, such as speech, news, scientificEnglish, some translation versions of famous works, etc. In view of this, thischapter will conduct an exploration on its origin, three key notions (variability,negotiability and adaptability), and its four analytical angles (contextual correlatesof adaptability, structural objects of adaptability, dynamics of adaptability, andsalience of the adaptation processes).

2.1 Origin of Adaptation Theory
Adaptation Theory is put forward in the year 1987 by Belgium linguist JefVerschueren in IPrA Working Document 1 titled Pragmatics as a Theory ofLinguistic Adaptation. On the basis of this document, in the year 1995，the firstHandbook of Pragmatics which is edited by Verschueren gives us a further andsystematic exposition about this theory. Furthermore, in 1998, his paper APragmatic Model for the Dynamics of Communication which gives acomprehensive exploration about communicative dynamic adaptability is compliedin Asa Kasher's thesis anthology Pragmatics: Critical Concepts. In 1999. the booktitled Understanding Pragmatics written by Verschueren marks the maturity of thistheory.

2.2 Key notions of Adaptation Theory
In order to have a comprehensive understanding of Adaptation Theory, it isessential that the choice-making should be firstly studied thoroughly. According toVerschueren (2000:55), “using of language must consist of the continuous makingof linguistic choices，consciously or unconsciously, for language-internal (i.e.structural) and/or language-external reasons”. Such kind of choices can be made atany possible level of linguistic forms: "phonetic/phonological, morphological,syntactic, lexical, and semantic. They may range over variety-internal options, orthey may involve regionally, socially or functionally distributed types of variation”(ibid:56). Business English letters, as a form of written communication tool amongpersons or enterprises, is a process of choosing language which can realize theirown purposes. A successful transaction, to a certain extent, depends on theeffective communication via business English letters. In the process of writingbusiness English letters, the choice of words, phrases, sentence structure, and theorganization of the whole letter are representations of the making of choices. Inother words, the writing of business English letters, in its essence, is a process ofchoices-making.

Chapter 3 Basic Concepts of Business English Letters..........29-37
    3.1 Business English letters.........29-33
    3.2 Euphemism .........33-37
        3.2.1 Definitions of euphemism .........34-35
        3.2.2 Functions of euphemism......... 35-37
Chapter 4 An Adaptation Analysis of Euphemism.........37-73
    4.1 Adaptation to contextual correlates......... 37-52
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