商務英語信函的語言特點

1、On Language Features of English Business LettersAbstract: Business English letters is a kind of practical writing from which is used through the whole business activity, and its main function is to transfer information. The paper aims at analyzing business English letter features from business terms

2、, tone and vocabulary. In general, the use of language features helps to write a business letter courteously, briefly, precisely clarify and formally. But there is no absolute standard for English business letter writing, because it depends on the actual purpose of language use.Keywords: Business Le

3、tter language feature1 IntroductionWith the advent of globalization, especially after China entry to WTO. In todays international trade, English is widely accepted and used in business communication, whatever about invoice, orders or shipment and so on. Business English letter is a practical and eco

4、nomical way to gather information and exchange messages. Otherwise, business English letter cannot be as arbitrary as personal letters; it has its own language feathers.2 General Introduction to English Business Letters2.1 Definition of English Business LetterA business English letter is a formal wr

5、itten communication from one or more persons to another person or persons about a specific business matter, expressed simply and economically. Letters are ambassadors for you and for your organization; you cannot put across your message in person, so your letter acts on your behalf. Ensure that your

6、 letter portray you as approachable, caring, efficient, effective and professional. An effective business letter will say what you want it to say clearly and simply. It will show respect for the readers. It will point the way ahead. It will be precise and straightforward. It will be relevant and act

7、ion-centered.2.2 Functions of English Business LettersDespite the popularity of faxes and e-mails, letters are still a very important method of written communication. Letters develop relationships between friends, colleagues, important business contracts, even strangers. The nature of the relationsh

8、ip is reflected in the tone and style of the letter. Many organizations adopt a house-styled, with all correspondence presentedaccordingly to the guidelines laid down. This does a lot to enhance the companys corporate identity and prestige. However it is only successful if it is followed strictly by

9、 everyone, including the boss who prepares his/her own communication.Every business message is designed to achieve a specific business objective. Its success depends on what it says and to what extend it induces a favorable response from the reader, thus, business writing has three functions: to inf

10、orm, to persuade and to entertain.Messages to inform are used to convey the vast amount of information needed to complete the day-to-day operations of business writingexplain instructions to employees, announce meetings and procedures, acknowledge orders, accept contracts for service, etc. the major

11、 purpose of the most of these messages is to have the receiver understand a body of information and concentrate on the logical presentation of the content.In addition to providing information, some business messages must also influence the readers attitudes and actions. These messages might include

12、letters promoting a product or service and seeking support for ideas and woolly causes presented to supervisor, stockholders, clients, and others.To secure the desired response, it is necessary to have an adequate knowledge of English language and an understanding of human nature. The writer should

13、have an acquaintance with the particular interest and, if possible, the emotion of the reader. It seems easy enough, for example, to ask payment of a bill, but it is quite difficult to secure payment without offending the reader and loosing his or her future patronage. No communication is wholly suc

14、cessful unless it retains the readers goodwill.3 Language FeaturesThe ability to write effectively is valuable business asset. One reason is that a great deal of business is transacted in writing. With the wide use of fax and recent development of EDP, even more writing is involved in every part of

15、business. More than at any previous time businesses people feel need to put ideas and information into written form. Another reason is that effective business writer can use their skills to help increase their companys sales and profits by promoting good relations with customs, employees, and the ge

16、neral public. Still another reason is that proficiency in writing gives the man or woman in business a personal advantage over less capable writers and contributes substantially to his/her self-confidencea necessary quality for businesssuccess.3.1 Use of business terms and abbreviationsFor examplea.

17、 Please quote your lowest price CIF5% Seattle for each of following items.In the above sentence, CIF5%= Cost, Insurance and Freight inclusive of 5% commission.b.: In order to conclude the transaction, I hope you will meet me half way. What about 50% by L/C and the balance by D/P?L/C is the abbreviat

18、ion of Letter of CreditD/P is the abbreviation of Documents against PaymentThere are modes of paymentD/A stands for Documents against AcceptanceCAD stands for Cash against DocumentsD/D stands for Demand Draftc. we insure the goods for RMB5,500 against WAP with PICCIn this sentence, WAP= With Particu

19、lar Average, which is a kind insurancePICC=Peoples Insurance Company of China(2 Use of Capital lettersBusiness letter has its special capital letter writing regulations besides the ordinary rules.<1> North, South, East, WestWhen they are used for districts or areas but not for orientation:Sout

20、h-West AfricaNorth AmericaWest Europe<2>the name and brand of a commodity“Great Wall” Electric Fan“Three Stars” Calf ShoesChinese Cotton Piece Goods<3> the name of the transportation toolsthe S.S “Merry Captain”the S.S “Lucky Prince”the m.v. “East Wind”the m.v. “Silver River”4 Business E

21、nglish words are different from popular EnglishMillions of business letters are written every day. Considering the costs of stationery postage, filing, not to mention the salaries of the writer or typist it is worth ensuring that every communication meets its objectives and does its job effectively

22、and efficiently. Writing style has changed tremendously over the years. The aim in modern business communication is to write in a friendly, formal style using plain language. Find the mode of expression that is appropriate to you. If you want your business communication to be effective, your writing

23、 must be precise, straightforward, clear, relevant and action-centered. It must show respect for the reader and point the way forward. It must use no more words than are necessary to communicate the message effectively and efficiently.The main purpose of any communication is to be understood and eff

24、ective. If we want to achieve these objectives, we must ensure that all your communication follows the rules. They must be courtesy, conciseness, preciseness(1 BrevityEffective writing is briefeach word, sentence, and paragraph counts. Brevity means to write in a fewest possible words to express ide

25、as avoiding long and tedious sentences. Because a wordy message requires more time to rewrite and read, business people put a high premium on conciseness in business messages. Conciseness will give emphasis to the messages. Generally speaking, short sentences are more brief than long ones. If much m

26、ore information included in a letter, it can be written in paragraphs.Long words are more likely to confuse your readers. Use brief language that your reader will understand, with plain rather than long words. If your readers do not understand the words you use, they will not look up a dictionary-th

27、ey will simply stop reading. Busy businessmen and women do not have time to read documents. They welcome communications that are direct and to the point while retainingThe following are the methods of making a letter brief:Avoid using word expressionWordy: We wish to acknowledge receipt of your lett

28、erConcise: We appreciate your letterAvoid unnecessary repetition.Will you ship us any time during the month of December, or even November if you are rushed, for November would suit us just as well?(RewritingPlease ship us by the end of November.<1>Using short sentences, simple words and clear

29、explanations:Use a word to replace a phase:Enclosed herewith enclosedAt this time nowDue to the fact that because<2> Use phase to replace a sentence.Please do not hesitate to call upon us.Please write us.Please see that an enquiry is conducted to determine the reason.Please find out the reason

30、.(3 Use words to replace clauses.We require full-automatic washing machine wgich is of the type.We require new-type full-automatic washing machine.Avoid padded expression.It should be noted that this is the best we can do.For your information we enclose a catalogue.Please be advised that we have rec

31、eived your invoice.Using subject line flexibly and properly.Using subject line properly and flexibly can cancel the same content in the opening sentence of a letter.(2ClarityClarity requires the writers to be simple and understood, so that the reader will get their main intention at the first sight

32、of the letter without any confusion or misunderstanding. Short familiarwords and simple sentences rather than long difficult words and complex sentences are better for this purpose.To achieve this, we should:Avoid using the words which have different understanding or unclear meaningsFor example: As

33、to the steamers sailing from Hong Kong to San Francisco, we have bimonthly direct services.The word “bimonthly” has two meanings: twice a month, or once two month. The reader will feel puzzled about the meaning.(Rewriting;a. We have two direct sailings every month from Hong Kong to San Francisco.b.

34、We have semimonthly direct sailing from Hong Kong to San Francisco.c. We have a direct sailing from Hong Kong to San Francisco every two month.Pay attention to the position of the modifiers.Pay attention to:a. We shall be able to supply 10 cases of the item only.b. We shall be able to supply 10 case

35、s only of the item.The modifier “only” in the above sentences modified two different words, so the two sentences have different meanings.Pay attention to the sentence structure.Compare:For examplea. We send you 5 samples yesterday of the good which you requested in your letter of May 25 by air.b. We

36、 send you, by air, 5 samples of the goods which you requested in your letter of May 5 yesterday.Paragraph carefully and properly.Commercial letters should be clear and tiny, easy to understand the content. So a writer should paragraph a letter carafully and properly. One paragraph for each point is

37、a good general rule.(3 CourtesyReview of actual business letters reveals that special attention should be devoted to assuring the courtesy of business communication. By courtesy we mean treating people with respect and friendly human concern. Effective writers visualize the reader before starting to

38、 write. The consider the readers desires, problems, circumstances, emotions and probable reactions to their request. Courtesy is reflected in the tone of the words or sentences, that is to say, writer should better think of readersattitude or feelings and take readersplace to consideration. Otherwis

39、e, courtesy is not mere politeness.Compare(PoliteWe have received with many thanks for your letter of June 2, and we take the pleasure of sending you our latest catalog. We wish to draw your attention to a special offer which you request we have made in it.(CourtesyYour will be particularly interest

40、ed in special offer on page 5 of the latest catalog enclosed, which you requested in your letter of June 2.In order to make a business letter courteous, try to avoid irritating, offensive, or belittling statement. Besides, prompt reply is courteous in business communication.(4PrecisenessRefers not o

41、nly to correct usage of grammar, punctuation and spelling, but also to standard language, proper statement, and accurate figures as well as the correct understanding of commercial jargons. In addition, preciseness means choosing the correct level of language and using accurate information and data.&

42、lt;1>Get your facts rightAlways aim to in include all necessary details in your communications such as dates, times, figures, sum of money and technical words.<2>be specific not vogueCommunications sometimes fail if the writer has not included all the essential details. It can be very frust

43、rating if a phone call has to be made to clarify certain details.The meeting has been postponed.The meeting has been postponed to Monday 10 June at 9:30a.m.Grammar mistakes often occurred in business letters.<1> with pronounsOur competit ors prices are 2%-3% lower than us (ours.<2>with v

44、erbsIt is one of the machines that was (were delivered last week<3>with conjunctionsThis fridge not only is attractive (is attractive not only in proper price, but also in good quality. Avoid using overstatements.a. It is the lowest price available to you.(RewritingIt is the lowest price that

45、we can offer you now.b. We are well-established exporters of all kinds of goods made in Sweden.(RewritingWe are well-established exporters of Swedish sundry goods, such as toys, buttons and stationary.Accurate numbers.5% up to 10%both inclusiveUp to $ 40 inclusiveFor 15 days exclusive SundayFrom the

46、 1st to 15th both inclusiveLanguage features of Business English writing tones(1Avoid negativityWhich of these expressions is more positive? “The glass is half full.” or “The glass is empty.”Using positive language in face-to-face communication as well as in our written technique. Positive writing will give the reader a better impression and ultimately improve its effectiveness. Negative language triggers nega