言语行为的得体性是语用学和修辞学研究的一个重要课题, 20世纪90年代以来很多的语言学者更把“得体原则”作为修辞的最高原则。但是, 这一论断是否科学?“得体原则”在理论与实践中有没有碰到困境?如果有, 是否有比“得体原则”更高层次的原则?由对修辞概念的界定入手, 也许可以获得一个比较清晰的认识。

The appropriateness of a verbal act is an important subject-matter in pragmatic and rhetorical studies, and what is more, many linguisticians have regarded the principle of appropriateness as the supreme principle of rhetoric since the 1990's.Then the question is whether this assertion is scientific or not.Has"the principle of appropriateness"been confronted with any difficulty in its theory and practice?If so, is there any higher principle than"the principle of appropriateness"?A clearer recognition may be acquired by means of defining rhetoric.