In the light of cognition, language is fuzzy as well as category. Wu Yongtao explained the reason causes fuzziness: “The root of fuzziness not only lies in the object (the object a language pointed to), not only lies in the subject (the user of a language), not only lie in the language itself. It’s the result of collision between subject and object in the language. It is determined by three elements at the same time. We can not discuss fuzziness simply from one point.”(Wu Yongtao, 1991:23)文献综述

Fuzziness has a unique pragmatic function which ensures the communication goes smoothly and thoroughly. Tactfully using of fuzziness guarantees the expression to be more indirect, implicit, flexible. Meanwhile, it makes the expression more appropriate and full of elasticity. Enhancing the language expression is another key function the fussiness works for.

Additionally, making a clear distinction between fuzziness and confusion is another point where stress ought to be laid on. Confusion originally means misleading and misunderstanding. On the contrary, fuzziness is a kind of fuzzy reflection in one’s mind while a speaker is pointing to a specific object. Although the reflection is fuzzy, the object is fully expressed without fail. Thus, it needs us to make full use of the fuzziness to express ourselves thoroughly.

As one of the natural properties of a language, fuzziness can’t be avoided in both Chinese and English. Meanwhile, the fuzziness itself possesses numerous features. However, only a couple of prime characteristics are dealt with in this paper allowing for the vast characteristics of fuzziness. By drawing a conclusion from previous documents and papers, fuzzy expression is implicit, concise, comprehensive, summary, dynamic and flexible. More details are available in the following paragraphs.

Apart from first two sections of my thesis, introduction and literature review, the third section deserves more attention. The third section, followed by the similarities and differences in the fourth and fifth sections, focuses on the thorough explanations of essential characteristics of the fuzziness.