ContentsAbstract 1Introduction 1Chapter1InternationalBusinessNegotiation 21.1DefinitionofInternationalBusinessNegotiation 21.2FeaturesofInternationalBusinessNegotiation 2Chapter2ProblemsoftheCommunicationinInternationalBusinessNegotiation 52.1Pragma-LinguisticFailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiation 52.2Socio-PragmaticFailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiation 6Chapter3TheStrategiesoftheLanguageCommunicationinInternationalBusinessNegotiation 93.1TheStrategiesofListening 93.3.1PassiveListening 103.3.2Acknowledgment 103.3.3ActiveListening 103.2TheStrategiesofAskingQuestions 113.2.1ManageableQuestions 123.2.2UnmanageableQuestions 143.3TheStrategiesofAnswering 163.3.1RefusingtoAnswer 163.3.2SlippingOvertheQuestions 17Conclusion 19Notes 20Bibliography 21Acknowledgements 22IOnCommunicationSkillsofLanguageinInternationalBusinessNegotiationAbstract:Withthedevelopmentofeconomicglobalization,internationaltradehasdevelopedgreatly.Internationaltradenegotiationisinevitablecrossborderbusiness.Thecontentofbusinessnegotiationsconcerningtheinterestsofboththeresultsofthenegotiationsorbothpartiesmayhaveagreaterbusinessimpact,therefore,thenegotiationsshouldtakeagoodbusinessnegotiations,successfullyreachedthepurposeofnegotiation.Thispapergivesadefinitionaboutbusinessnegotiationandfindssomeproblemsinbusinessnegotiation,then,analysesthecommunicationskillsoflanguageinbusinessnegotiationfromthreeaspects,i.e.,listening,askingandanswering.Keywords:businessnegotiation;communicationskills;strategy摘要：隨著經濟全球化的發展，國際貿易也越來越發達。國際貿易中跨國的商務談判在所難免。商務談判的內容涉及到談判雙方的利益。談判的結果對雙方或各方的業務發展產生較大的影響。因此，在談判中應盡可能的把握商務談判的交際技巧，順利達到談判的目的。本文從商務談判的定義及意義出發，分析商務談判中存在的一些問題，并從聽、問、答三個方面來陳述商務談判的語言技巧。關鍵詞：商務談判；交際技巧；策略PAGE23IntroductionWitheconomicdevelopment,businessnegotiationsbecomemoreandmorefrequent.Negotiationneedslanguageasatooltocomplete.Languageservesasabridgeinthebusinessnegotiation,becausebusinessnegotiationissubstantiallyaprocessthatbothsidesofnegotiatorsexpresstheirviews,exchangeopinionsinordertopersuadetheiropponentswithpersuadingwords.Thisthesis,takingbusinessdiscourseasatargetforanalysis,tendstodescribetherulesandconventionsofbusinessdiscourse,thatis,toshowgenerallanguagestrategiestoachievecommunicativepurposes.Thisthesisisdividedintothreechapters.ChapteroneintroducesandclarifiesthemajordefinitionsinvolvedinInternationalBusinessNegotiationsandtheirfeatures.ChaptertwoisdevotedtothemanifestationsoffailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiation.FailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiationareclassifiedintoPragmaticFailuresandLinguisticFailures.ThispaperalsoanalysisthereasonsleadingtotheseFailures.Chapterthreeelaboratesandproposesthelanguagestrategieswhichfallintodifferenttypesofnegotiationsandaresignificantinfacilitatingcommunicativeinteraction.Inshort,communicationskillsarevitaltosuccessfulnegotiations.Withtheproperstrategiesoflistening,askingquestionsandanswering,peoplecanachievethegoalofnegotiations.Chapter1InternationalBusinessNegotiationInthischapter,twoaspectsofBusinessarediscussed:first,thedefinitionsofInternationalBusinessNegotiation;second,thefeaturesofInternationalBusinessNegotiation.1.1DefinitionofInternationalBusinessNegotiationInternationalBusinessNegotiationisanumbrellatermthatcoversvarioustypesofbusinessnegotiationsattheinternationallevel.Morespecifically,“InternationalBusinessNegotiationincludessuchactivitiesasimportingandexportingandcertainlyalloftheinvisibles.Negotiationsofthiskindareneverstraightforwardandsimple.”[1]Owingtothefactthatthenegotiatorscomefromdifferentculturebackgrounds,InternationalBusinessNegotiationismorecomplicatedandtheclashofculturesthatoccursduringthecommunicationbetweenthepartiesmakenegotiationsmoredifficult.Whilecompromiseisnecessaryinallnegotiations,itbecomescomplicated,evenmorecompelling,whendifferentculturalbackgroundsareinvolved.1.2FeaturesofInternationalBusinessNegotiationTheuniquecharacterofInternationalBusinessNegotiation,comparedwithdomesticBusinessNegotiation,isthattheformerisinfluencedbyawidediversityofenvironments.Undertheinternationalsetting,one’scounterpartinthenegotiationisverydifferentincontrasttothedomesticone.Therefore,thenegotiatorwillencountercomplicatedsituations.SomeunimportantfactorssuchasfacialexpressionsindomesticBusinessNegotiationmaybecrucialinInternationalBusinessNegotiationandsometimescouldevenbecomebarrierstothesuccessofnegotiation.AnumberoftheoristshavediscussedandsummarizedthespecialfeaturesofInternationalBusinessNegotiation,andaccordingtotheirresearchthereshouldbeatleastfourfeaturesasfollows:Firstly,asInternationalBusinessNegotiationisnotonlyBusinessNegotiation,butalsoaninternationalcommunicationactivity,itishighlypolicy-restricted.Asapartofthewholeeconomicrelationshipbetweentwocountriesorregions,thebusinessconnectionofthenegotiatingpartiesofteninvolvestheirpoliticalanddiplomaticrelationship.Therefore,thenationalguidelinesandforeignpolicyofcountryshouldbeobservedstrictlyinInternationalBusinessNegotiation.Secondly,InternationalBusinessNegotiationmayresultininternationalassettransportationandinternationalmonetarytransfer,etc.Therefore,InternationalBusinessNegotiationshouldfollowInternationalLawofCommerceandotherinternationalpractices.Thirdly,InternationalBusinessNegotiationisgenerallyinfluencedbyawidevarietyofenvironments,includingculturalandsub-culturaldifferences,foreignbureaucracy,politicalandeconomicinstabilityandsoon,whichwillincreasetheriskoffailureandlengthenthetimeittakestoarriveatadealbecausenegotiatorsmaypursuedifferentpathsoflogic,havedifferentwaysofthinking,followdifferentcriteria,ortakedifferentdecision-makingprocesses.Therefore,negotiatorsshouldbequippedwithprofoundknowledgeandexcellentnegotiationskillstoguaranteethesuccessofthenegotiation.Fourthly,InternationalBusinessNegotiationisnotjustcooperationorconflict,butthecontractingunityofcooperationandconflict.Itisnottheprocessofpursuingthebenefitofoneside,buttheoneofadjustingtheneedsofbothsidestoreachawin-winoutcome.Itisnottheunlimitedexertionofoneculture,butthebalancedconsiderationofbothcultures.Therearenotonlytheprinciplestobepersistedin,butalsothestrategiestobeadopted.Therefore,thenegotiationisnotonlythematterofscience,butalsothecombinationofscienceandart.ThesefeaturesmakeInternationalBusinessNegotiationdistinctivefromdomesticnegotiations.ForthenegotiatorsinInternationalBusinessNegotiation,awin-winoutcomeismoredesirablebecauseanylossofonepartymeansnotonlythelossoftheprofit,butalsothelossofthecompetenceininternationalmarket.Inaddition,culturedifferencesplayamoreimportantroleinInternationalBusinessNegotiations,andsometimesmaybecomeadecisivefactorinthenegotiations.Chapter2ProblemsoftheCommunicationinInternationalBusinessNegotiationPeoplearefrequentlyinfluencedbytheirmothertongueorcultureintheprocessofusingthetargetlanguage,whichformsinterlanguagebetweenthemothertongueandthetargetlanguage.Itisinevitablethatpeoplegeneratepragmaticdifferencesindistinctculturalbackgroundandpragmaticprincipleiftheycommunicatewitheachotherindifferentways.Thesedifferenceswillaffectcommunication，leadingtomessagemisguidance,messageerrorandmessageobstacles,thestudyofwhichiscalledcross-culturalpragmaticswhichdealswithhowalearnershouldproperlyuselanguageindifferentcultures.Incommunication,ifoneparticipantproducespragmaticfailure,anotherparticipantwillbeledtomisunderstanding,whichwillaffectcommunicationsuccessfully.Thischapterwilldiscussdifferentmanifestedofpragmaticfailure,thatistosay,variousformsofpragmaticfailurearemanifestedincommunication.Itisacceptedthatpeoplenotonlyhavedifferenteducationbutareindifferentculturalbackgroundandlinguisticsituation.Accordinglytheywillproducedifferentpragmaticfailurewhentheycommunicatewitheachother.Inthissection,pragmaticfailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiationareclassifiedintotwogroups:pragma-linguisticfailureandsocio-pragmaticfailure.Thesameexplanationcanalsobeappliedtopragma-behaviorfailure.2.1Pragma-LinguisticFailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiationTomasdefinespragma-linguistictransferas“theinappropriatetransferofspeechactstrategiesfromonelanguagetoanother,orthetransferringfromthemothertonguetotargetlanguageofutteranceswhicharesemanticallyequivalent,butwhich,forceinthetargetlanguage.”InthecontextofInternationalBusinessNegotiation,duetothevarietyofnegotiators’nationalitiesanddifferentproficiencyleveloflanguageuse,pragma-linguisticfailureiscommon.Itcanoccuratdifferentlevels,suchasgrammar,semanticsandcognition.Belowisanexampleofprama-linguisticfailureinInternationalBusinessNegotiationcontext.Inabusinessnegotiationconcerningthetechnologytobeadoptedinacertainproject,thechiefnegotiatorfromtheforeigncompanyinsistedthatasecondexperimentbecarriedout,andsaidtotheengineeroftheChinesecompany,“Icannotbeartopartwithanything.”Thesesentencewastranslatedas:“我不能容忍一知半解。”（Thecorrecttranslationshouldbe:“我不能容忍放棄。”）Asaresult,theChineseengineersrefusedtotakepartintheexperimentbecausetheymisunderstoodthemeaningoftheirscantyknowledge,whichbaffledthenegotiatorsfromtheforeigncompanyaswell.(WangTao,2002)Inthisexample,theword“part”followedby“with”means“togiveaway”or“stophaving”insteadofmeaning“separateintoparts”.Suchpragma-linguisticfailurefindsnowaytobemadeupafternegotiationbecausethemistranslationseriouslyaffectedtheprocessofinternationalcommunication.2.2Socio-PragmaticFailureinInternationalBusinessNegotiationInterculturalcommunicationinvolvesindividualsincontactnegotiatingmeaningsatthelocallevel,butdrawingonframesandnormsderivedfromtheirownculturalhabitsandidentities.Betweennegotiatingparties,cross-culturalsocio-pragmaticfailuresmayoccurnotonlybecauseofdifferentmisinterpretationcausedbythelackofrelatedlinguisticknowledgeonlexical,grammaticalandsyntacticalfeatures,butalsobecauseofdifferentunderstandingofculturalnorms,namely,thedifferentunderstandingofevaluationsofbehavior.Belowisanexampleofsocio-pragmaticfailureinInternationalBusinessNegotiationcontext.Mr.LiuisanexecutiveofficerofabranchofaninternationalcompanyinChina,whileMr.JohnStuartispresidentofAccountingConsultingCompanyintheAmerica.Mr.Stuart:I’amJohnStuart.It’snicetomeetyou.Thisismybusinesscard.Mr.Liu:I’mLiuChao.Thisismybusinesscard.Mr.Stuart:(alittlebitsurprisedbyLiufornotreadinghisbusinesscard)…Let’scometothepoint.Inmyopinion,theproposalputforwardbytheshareholdersisfairandreasonableasfarasthecompanyisconcerned.Mr.Liu:Weadmitthattheexplanationinagreementmaybenotasclearasitshouldbeandisliabletocausemistakes.Perhapsyoucouldexplainittotheshareholders,andwefindsometimeforfurtherdiscussion.Mr.Stuart(alittlecross)Well,itisatoughquestion.Idon’tthinkIcouldhelpyou.(DuKaiqun,2005)ForthenativeEnglishspeakers,theexpressionof“Perhapsyoucould…”doesnotmeansuggestion;instead,itsoundsmorelikeanorder.Ingeneral,itisoftenusedbythepeopleofhighsocialstatustothoseoflowersocialstatusorbytheteacherstothestudents.Chapter3theStrategiesoftheLanguageCommunicationinInternationalBusinessNegotiationGiventhemanywaysthatcommunicationcanbedisruptedanddistorted,wecanonlymarvelattheextenttowhichnegotiatorcanactuallyunderstandeachother.Failuresanddistortionsinperception,cognition,andcommunicationarethemostdominantcontributorstobreakdownsandfailuresinInternationalBusinessNegotiation.Researchcannotdirectlyconfirmthisassertionbecausetheprocessesofperception,cognition,andcommunicationaresointertwinedwithothermajorfactors,includingcommitmenttoone’sownpositionandobjectives,thenatureofnegotiatingprocess,theuseofpowerandthenegotiators’personalities.Nevertheless,aswediscussedabove,researchconsistentlydemonstratesthateventheepartieswhoseactualgoalsarecompatibleorintegrativemayeitherfailtoreachagreementorreachsuboptimalagreementbecauseofthemisperceptionsoftheotherpartyorbecauseofbreakdownsinthecommunicationprocess.ThreemaintechniqueshavebeenproposedforimprovingcommunicationinInternationalBusinessNegotiation:theuseoflistening,questioningandanswering.3.1TheStrategiesofListeningCommercialnegotiationisveryimportantintheeconomicalactivitiesofenterprises.Inthecourseofnegotiation,listeningisthebasicandessentialmeanstocomprehendandmastertheopinionandintensionoftheoppositesideandbasisofworkingoutnegotiationstrategy.So,wemustbegoodatlisteningandknowhowtolisten.Activelisteningandreflectingaretermsthatarecommonlyusedinthehelpingprofessionssuchascounselingandtherapy.CounselorsrecognizethatcommunicationsarefrequentlyloadedwithmultipledecadessinceCarlRogersadvocatedthiskeycommunicationdynamic,interestinlisteningskill,andactivelisteninginparticular,hascontinuedtogrowgenerallyandinbusinessandorganizationalsetting.Sotherearethreepointsweneedpayattention,thatisPassivelistening,acknowledgmentandactivelistening.3.3.1PassiveListeningPassivelisteninginvolvesreceivingthemessagewhileprovidingnofeedbacktothesenderabouttheaccuracyorcompletenessofreception.Sometimespassivelisteningisitselfenoughtokeepacommunicatorsendinginformation.Negotiatorswhosecounterpartistalkativemayfindthattheirbeststrategyistositandlistenwhiletheotherpartyeventuallyworksinto,oroutof,apositiononhisorherown.3.3.2AcknowledgmentAcknowledgmentisthesecondformoflistening,slightlymoreactivethanpassivelistening.Whenacknowledging,receiversoccasionallynodtheirheads,maintaineyecontact,orinterjectresponseslike“Isee,”“Mm-hmm,”“Interesting,”“Really,”“Sure,”“Goon,”andthelike.Theseresponsesaresufficienttokeepcommunicatorssendingmessages,butasendermaymisinterpretthemasthereceiver’sagreementwithhisorherposition,ratherthanassimpleacknowledgmentofreceiptofthemessage.3.3.3ActiveListeningActivelisteningisthethirdformoflistening.Whenreceiversareactivelylistening,theyrestateorparaphrasethesender’smessageintheirownlanguage.Belowisanexampleofactivelistening.Sender:Idon’tknowhowIamgoingtountanglethismessyproblem.Receiver:You’rereallystumpedonhowtosolvethisone.Sender:Please,don’taskmeaboutthatnow.Receiver:Soundslikeyouareawfullybusyrightnow.Sender:Ithoughtthemeetingtodayaccomplishednothing.Receiver:Youwereverydisappointedwithoursession.(Gordon,2000)Activelisteninghasgenerallybeenrecommendedforcounselingcommunications,suchasemployeecounselingandperformanceimprovement.Innegotiation,itmayappearinitiallythatactivelisteningisunsuitablebecause,unlikeacounselor,thereceivernormallydoeshaveasetpositionandusuallydoesfeelstronglyabouttheissues.Byrecommendingactivelisteningwearenotsuggestingthatreceiversshouldautomaticallyagreewiththeotherparty’spositionandabandontheirown.Rather,wearesuggestingthatactivelisteningisaskillthatencouragespeopletospeakmorefullyabouttheirfeelings,prioritiesframeofreference,and,byextension,thepositionstheyaretaking.Whentheotherpartydoesso,negotiatorswillbetterunderstandhisorherpositions,thefactorsandinformationthatsupportit,andwaysthatthepositioncancompromised,reconciled,ornegotiatedinaccordancewiththeirownpreferencesandpriorities.3.2TheStrategiesofAskingQuestionsOneofthemostcommontechniquesforclarifyingcommunicationandeliminatingnoiseanddistortionistheuseofquestions.Nierenbergemphasizedthatquestionsareessentialelementsinnegotiationsforsecuringinformation;askinggoodquestionsenablenegotiatorstosecureagreatdealofinformationabouttheotherparty’sposition,supportingarguments,andneeds.Nierenbergproposedthatquestionscouldbedividedintotwocategories:thosethataremanageable,andthosethatareunmanageable.3.2.1ManageableQuestionsManageablequestionismeansthatpeopleasksomequestion,andthenanotherpeoplecananswerthequestionfreely.Manageablequestionscauseattentionorpreparetheotherperson’sthinkingforfurtherquestions;getinformation;andgeneratethoughts.Manageablequestionisbetterforbothpartiesgoontheirnegotiation.Belowisanexampleofmanageablequestion.A:Whatdoyouthinkofourproposal?B:ItisOk!Butwethinkyourquotedpriceisoutoflinewithprevailinglevel.Thatiswhywefeelconfidentthatoursuggestionofthreepercentoffyourpresentoneisworkable.A:Yes.Butwefinditdifficulttofillyourorderatthepricesbecauseofthehighcostofrawmaterials.Butwewillallowyou3%discountifyoupurchase8000dozensormore.(DuKaiqun,2005)Inthisexample,wecanknowthequestionAaskedisbelongstotheopenquestion.AfterAaskedB,theycanknoweachother’sopinion,andcontinuingtheirnegotiation.Now,lookatthefollowingtable.Ienumeratedsomeexamplesaboutmanageablequestions.Throughthetable,wecanknowcategoriesaboutmanageablequestionandknowhowtousethem.ManageableQuestionsExamplesOpen-endedquestionsonesthatcannotbeansweredwithasimpleyesorno.Who,what,when,where,andwhyquestions.“Whydoyoutakethatpositioninthesedeliberations?”Openquestionsinvitetheother’sthinking.“Whatdoyouthinkofourproposal?”Leadingquestionspointtowardananswer.“Don’tyouthinkourproposalisafairandreasonableoffer?”Coolquestionslowemotionality“Whatistheadditionalratethatwewillhavetopayifyoumaketheimprovementsontheproperty?”Plannedquestionspartofanoveralllogicalsequenceofquestionsdevelopedinadvance.“Afteryoumaketheimprovementstotheproperty,whencanweexpecttotakeoccupancy?”Treatquestionsflattertheopponentatthesametimeasyouaskforinformation.“Canyouprovideuswithsomeofyourexcellentinsightonthisproblem?”Gaugingquestionsascertainhowtheotherpersonfeels.“Howdoyoufeelaboutourproposal?”3.2.2UnmanageableQuestionsUnmanageablequestioncausedifficulty,giveinformationandbringthediscussiontoafalseconclusion.Mostoftheunmanageablequestionsarelikelytoproducedefensivenessandangerintheotherparty.Althoughtherequestionsmayyieldinformation,theyarelikelytomaketheotherpartyfeeluncomfortableandlesswillingtoprovideinformationinthefuture.Belowisanexampleofunmanageablequestion.A:Don’tyouthinkwe’vespentenoughtimediscussingthisridiculousproposalofyours?B:Ithinkourcooperationcanstop.(DuKaiqun,2005)Inthissituation,A’squestionisveryimpolite.WhenBlistenthisquestion,heisbecomeveryangry.So,theircooperationisended.Now,lookatthefollowingtable.Ienumeratedsomeexamplesaboutunmanageablequestions.Throughthetable,wecanknowcategoriesaboutunmanageablequestionandpaymoreattentiontoavoidingtomakethemistakes.UnmanageableQuestionsExampleClose-outquestionsforcetheotherpartyintoseeingthingsyourway.“Youwouldn’ttrytotakeadvantageorushere,wouldyou?”Loadedquestionsputtheotherpartyonthespotregardlessofheranswer.“Doyoumeantotellmethatthesearetheonlytermsthatyouwillaccept?”Heatedquestionhighemotionality,triggeremotionalresponses.“Don’tyouthinkwe’vespentenoughtimediscussingthisridiculousproposalofyours?”Impulsequestionsoccur“onthespurofthemoment,”withoutplanning,andtendtogetconversationoffthetrack.“Aslongaswe’rediscussingthis,whatdoyouthinkweoughttotellothergroupswhohavemadesimilardemandsonus?”Trickquestionsappeartorequireafrankanswer,butreallyare“loaded”intheirmeaning.“Whatareyougoingtodogiveintoourdemands,ortakethistoarbitration?”Negotiatorscanalsousequestionstomanagedifficultorstallednegotiations.Asidefromtheirtypicalusesforcollectinganddiagnosinginformationorassistingtheotherpartyinaddressingandexpressingneedsandinterests,questionscanalsobeusetacticallytopryorleveranegotiationoutofabreakdownoranapparentdeadend.Professorsidentifyanumberofsuchsituationsandsuggestspecificquestionsfordealingwiththem.Thevalueofsuchquestionsseemstobeintheirpowertoassistorforcethepartytofaceuptotheeffectsorconsequencesofhisorherbehavior,intendedandanticipatedornot.Inaddition,theysuggestthatusing“whynot”questionsinsteadof“why”questionsisagoodwaytounblocknegotiations.Theotherpartymaybemorepreparedtodiscusswhat’swrongwithaproposalthanwhat’sright;using“whynot”questionsandcarefullisteningskillscanthushelpnegotiatorsidentifythotherparty’spreferences.3.3ThestrategyofAnswering“Thepowerofthemindliesnotintheabilitytoknow,butintheabilitytoask.Behindtheproblem,liestheanswer.”[2]ThisquotefromtheHeartofPhilosophybyJacobNeedleman,professorofphilosophyatSanFranciscoProfessornotedthatsuccessfulreflectiverespondingisacriticalpartofactivelisteningandischaracterizedbythefollowing:(1)agreateremphasisonlisteningthanonspeaking;(2)respondingtopersonalratherthanabstractpoints(i.e.,feelings,beliefs,andpositionsratherthanabstractideas);(3)followingtheotherratherthanleadinghimorherintoareasthatthelistenerthinksshouldbeexplored(i.e.,allowingthespeakertoframetheconversationprocess);(4)clarifyingwhatthespeakerhassaidabouthisorherownthoughtsandfeelingsratherthanquestioningorsuggestingwhatheorsheshouldbethinkingorfeeling;and(5)respondingtothefeelingstheotherhasexpressed.Beforeweanswerothersquestion,weshouldpaymoreattentiontotwoaspects.Firstly,whenothersaskourbadquestions,wecanrefusetoanswer.Secondly,whenwefindsomequestionsareverysharp,andwecannotmakeadecisionrightnow,wecanskipoverthequestions.3.3.1RefusingtoAnswerThereisakindofbadquestionslikethattheotherpeoplewanttoknowsomeinformationwhichbelongtothecommercialsecret.Belowisanexampleofthisaspect.A:Couldyoutellusthewholesaleprices?B:Wearesosorryaboutthat.Becausewedonotsellourgarmentsdirectlytoconsumers,wetrytokeepourwholesalepricesbetweenourselvesandourdealers.(DuKaiqun,2005)Inthissituation,thisquestionisreferringtocommercialsecret.Sometimes,aboutprice,wecannottelltheothers.So,wecanrefusetoaffordthepricestothem.Thesavvynegotiatorwillhaveacertainamountofpatienceinaskingquestionsthatseekadditionalinformation.TRememberthatmostindividualsprefertodiscloseincrementallyandnotspilltheirguts,sogivethemanopportunitytodoso.3.3.2SlippingOvertheQuestionThereare,ofcourse,severalexceptions,suchassomeonewhonotonlyanswersallaspectsofthequestionbutcontinueswithadditionalinformationthatistotallyunnecessary.Andsomequestionsareverysharp,andwecan’tmakeadecisionrightnow,so,wecanslipoverthisquestion.Belowisanexampleofthisaspect.A:CanyousupplyatapricelowerthanUS﹩2500perbagatwearebuyingfromanothermanufacturer?B:Asweallknowthecostofrawmaterialsisincreasing.Moreoverwe’vekeptthepriceclosetothecostsofproduction.Aboutyouquestion,Ican’tgiveyouanswernow.Maybewecandiscusesthequestionforever.(DuKaiqun,2005)Inthissituation,wecan’tgiveasimpleanswerlikeyesornotoothers.Weneedtotellthemthereasonandslipoverthequestion.Ifwedon’tdothat,thenegotiationmaycometoend.ConclusionWitheconomicdevelopment,businessnegotiationsbecomeimportantandfrequent.Negotiationneedslanguageasatooltocomplete.Languageserversasabridgeininternationalbusinessnegotiationbecauseinternationalbusinessnegotiationissubstantiallyaprocessthatbothsidesofnegotiatorsexpresstheirviews,exchangeopinionsinordertopersuadetheiropponentswithpersuadingwords.ThepaperfirstdiscussestheproblemsofthecommunicationinInternationalBusi