A Pragmatic Analysis of White Lies from the Standpoint of Speakers

摘要

The paper studies the pragmatic functions of white lies from the standpoint of speakers. From the perspective of pragmatics, white lies are regarded as a kind of pragmatic strategy that harmonizes interpersonal relationships and smooth social communication. The aim in this paper is to describe and explain the major pragmatic functions of white lies in communication with the help of politeness theory and other relevant theories, then to reveal the essence of white lies.