An Analytical Study of the Language Features of Business English Correspondence.doc

毕业论文(设计)An Analytical Study of the Language Features of Business English Correspondence1.Introduction12. A general Analysis of Business English Correspondence33.The language features of business English correspondence43.1Completeness43.1.1 Theory of Completeness43.1.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Completeness63.2 Clearness73.2.1 Theory of Clearness73.2.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Clearness73.3Conciseness133.3.1 Theory of Conciseness133.3.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Conciseness133.4Courtesy193.4.1 Theory of Courtesy193.4.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Courtesy193.5Consideration243.5.1 Theory of Consideration243.5.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Consideration243.6Correctness253.6.1 Theory of Correctness253.6.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Correctness253.7Concreteness283.7.1 Theory of Concreteness283.7.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Concreteness284.Conclusion29Reference301.IntroductionPeace and development have been on the leading edge of trends. In todays highly developed and toughly competitive society, communication between individuals and groups is becoming increasing frequent and important. It serves to pass on information, express ideas or exchange feelings. There are many communicating ways in which business English correspondence is the commonly used form in daily diplomacy. Generally speaking, business English correspondence undertakes the social functions like establishing business relation, getting or conveying business information, making brand image and so on. Therefore, we can say that it has turned to be an integral part of the international trade.With the development of commodity economy in China and markets opening up to the world, business English correspondence has earned the widespread respect. However, actually, it can not be fully understood. It is no longer new to see that instead of the essential language features, writers just focus on the contact itself. Unavoidably, too many business letters seem to be impersonal, difficult or tedious for people to read. One of these results is that the potential function of business English correspondence could not be maximized. In view of this, it is necessary to make some research about the language features both in order to give a summary in academic and promote smooth development of China-foreign business relations.Business English correspondence is the model of practical writing which has its own specific language features. This thesis with the framework of business English correspondence principles, aims at dealing with the language features called the seven “Cs”: completeness, clearness, conciseness, courtesy, consideration, correctness and concreteness. These 7Cs are studied in detail on the base of collected data with instructive suggestions under the theoretical guideline of principle of economy and utilizable strategy. 2. A general Analysis of Business English Correspondence“Letters, as a kind of style, are used to convey information and exchange peoples emotions”, said Dale Carnegie. Belonging to letters, business English correspondence not only has its own epistolary general characteristics but also the uniqueness. Since it is the written statement of commercial documents and activities, its writing style should be both correct and normative. Comparing with other kinds of letters, people can easily find that business English correspondence appears to be more professional and practical. At the linguistic levels, its style is required to be brief, the phraseology to be euphemistic and the mood to be gentle and grave. There are lots of generic terms or jargon regarding selecting words, which means that in general, no gloze exists. As to its syntax, a set of strict and standard phrasing has already been built up and gradually, is being formed to a comparatively fixed language program. According to the degrees of formality and content of importance, business English correspondence can be divided into formal letters and memorandums. Of these two, the former is mainly used to handle commercial affairs with substance, while the latter to common issues, such as passing note or releasing notice. There is many a way to deliver business English correspondence, like email, fax or mail.According to the business operating instruction, it can be divided into to several kinds: ones about establishment of business relation, inquiry, offer and counter-offer, others about promotion, shipping advice and claims and adjustments etc. All the different roles played by business English correspondence itself run through the commercial activities, which in fact, are the means used in business written communication. Besides, business English correspondence could be characterized as the request, advice, refuse and complaint etc. by its own function.3.The language features of business English correspondenceBeing famous for simplicity, decency, elegance etc., the language features of business English correspondence originates from the language used in British overseas trade of 19th century. The “businesslike poise”, which is specially possessed in that time, does not disappear as time moves on. ( 刘咇庆，1998 ). 3.1Completeness3.1.1 Theory of CompletenessA practical business English correspondence is very successful and highly effective only when it contains all the necessary information to readers (the counterparts or the public) and answers all the questions and requirements put forward. See to it that all the matters are stated or discussed, and all the questions are answered or explained. Usually, when the buyers write a letter to accept an offer, buyers must state their conditions of acceptance in detail or quote the evidences of the offer, such as quotation sheets, letters, advertisements etc., because such a letter actually works as a piece of business contract and will be binding on both parties after receipt by the sellers. Take a look at the following example: Gentlemen:Re: ComputersWith reference to your letter of May 8, we are please to accept your offer of 200 sets of ICM-4 computers as per your Quotation Sheet No.9/04/2008. Please go ahead and apply for your Export Licence.As soon as we are informed of the number of the Export Licence, we will open the L/C by fax.Yours trulyCompleteness of the practical business correspond will lead to counterparts favorable impression toward writers firm. Thats to say, counterparts may give up a deal if other firms can provide them with all needed information, or if they would not take the trouble of inquiring once again. Sometimes a business English letter would even cause unnecessary disputes and lawsuit.3.1.2 Strategies Adopted to Show CompletenessIn order to verify the completeness in business English correspondence, five “Ws” (who, what, where, when and why) and one “h” (how) could be used. For instance, if writers plan to send a letter about order, they should make clear that who wants to order, what is wanted, when the goods is needed, where the goods is to be delivered and how payment will be settled. If other special requirements should be pointed out, writers would explain the reasons.Supposed that writers are drawing up a piece of notice, they should think about who will attend, what the issue is, when the conference will be hold, why and how to hold it. e.g. NOTICE Dec. 31, 2007All the staffs of Accounts Department are requested to be ready to attend the meeting in the conference room on Tuesday, at 3:00 pm, Jan 6, 2008, to discuss the financial statement of last year. Account Dept.3.2 Clearness 3.2.1 Theory of ClearnessThe wealth of countries is just like the water keeping flowing from the unworkable tap being wasted on the wide use of ineffective words. (A. P. Herbert). Therefore, Department of Health, Education and Welfare of the US have suggest that brief words as well as the economic ones should be used in millions of clerical notice. (胡曙中, 2004: 263-264). In the modern society, the writing style of offcialese including business English correspondence has been greatly improved. Whats more, business English correspondence should be clear because most professionals who deal with commercial activities are too busy to read the lengthy ones. The so-call “clarity” is to make sure that the content of business English correspondence is clear enough in case of any confusion. Writers should have a concrete idea of what they are going to achieve in their mind. 3.2.2 Strategies Adopted to Show ClearnessIt is advisable to write on-not above or below- the level of readers understanding and to make them catch the main points without racking their brains. For this purpose, writers should:1) Pay attention to choosing the concise and accessible expressions, trying to avoid using the equivocal words and sentences. e.g. As to the streamer sailing form Shanghai to Los Angeles, we have bimonthly direct services.The basic meaning of the above sentence is “we have direct sailings from Shanghai to Los Angeles”, but the word “bimonthly” has two meanings, one of which is “twice a month” and the other is “once every two months”. Instead of the words with two or more than two meanings like bimonthly, writers would better select some that are beneficial to express the ideas clearly as the following:a. We have a direct sailing from Shanghai to Los Angeles every two months.b. We have a direct sailing from Shanghai to Los Angeles semimonthly. Fluctuation in the freight after the date of sake will be for the buyers account.“Fluctuation in the freight” means “the rise and fall of the freight”. Rather than the increasing or decreasing part of the freight, it is impossible for any buyers to bear the lasting variation. So the above sentence should be rewritten as the following:a. Any increase in freight after the date of sale will be for the buyers account.b. Any increase or decrease in the freight after the date of sale will be for the buyers account. 2) Pay attention to the position of the modifier. Even the same modifier would cause different implication and function when it is put in different position of the sentence, e. g. We are able to supply 50 tons of the item only. We are able to supply only 50 tons of the item.In , “only” is used to quality “the item”, meaning the supply is only this item. While in , it is used to quality “50 tons”, meaning the supply is only 50 tons.3) Pay attention to the object of the pronoun and the relations between the relative pronoun and antecedent.Writers should focus on whom or what the pronoun refers to and what the relation is between the relative pronoun and the antecedent. Generally speaking, pronoun and relative pronoun are used to refer to the nearest noun from themselves and should be identical in person and number with the noun referred to or modified. e.g. They informed Mr. Smith that they would receive a reply in a few days.In this sentence, what does “they” refer to in the main clause? It will be clear if writers change the sentence into:They inform Mr. Smith that the later would receive the reply in a few days. Here “the latter” clearly refers to “Mr. Smith”, so no misunderstanding would accrue.Another example: Our check for $2,800.00 was sent to you under our check Number 123 on May 12 which was the price of the article plus transportation charges.This sentence for Chinese is 我方已于5月12日将价值2800美元的123号支票给贵方，该款包括货价和附加运输费。But, apparently, judging from the structure of the above sentence, we can find that antecedent modified by the attributive clause introduced by “which” seems to be “May 12”. Actually, it should be “$2,800.00”. Therefore, it should be rewritten as the following:We send you on May 12 our check No.123 for $2,800.00 which was the price if the article plus transportation charges.(4) Pay attention to the rationality in logic, the variety in sentence structure, the compact in plot and coherence in meanings.In the first place, writers must pay attention to the agreement of the logical subject of the sentence. e.g.Being a registered accountant, I am sure you can help us.Here the subject is “I”, but the logical one of the participle “Being” should be “you” according to inference. In order to keep the logical subject of the participle in agreement with the subject of the sentence, the above sentence should be rewritten as follows:a. Being a registered account, you can certainly help us.b. As you are a registered accountant, I am sure you can help us.Secondly, variety in the sentence structure should be also focused on. e.g.We have received your letter of April 4. We are sorry for the wrong dispatch. We will do something about it.These three simple sentences are correct in structure, they, however, are too dull and stereotyped, and are unable to attract readers interest. So the above three sentences maybe changed as the following:Thank you for your letter of April 4. We regret that we have dispatched the wrong goods and will do something for compensation.Third, coherence in meaning is worth considering. e.g.We wrote a letter. It was addressed to Mr. Henry. He is a sales manager.The above three simple sentences are not coherent in meaning, which are uneasy for readers to differentiate what is primary from what is secondary and catch the main idea. This problem will be readily solved if they are rewritten like this:We wrote a letter to Mr. Henry, the sales manager.Fourth, the compact in plot should be paid attention to in writing, e.g. We have received your letter of July 1st and it contained a complete set of shipping documents.The authors use “and” to connect two simple sentences, making the plot not be compact. To get a wellknit plot, it would be better if the sentences are rewritten: We have received your letter of July 1st containing a complete set of shipping documents.(5) Pay attention to the logicality of the full text. Before starting with a letter, writers should consider other expressions as well as the proper arrangement and paragraphing of content. A paragraph for each point is a good general rule. For example, if a letter of lawsuit on delayed delivery is planed to start, writers should draw an outline according to the expressional orderliness as below: Admission of supplier; Not keeping ones words; Damage for breaking ones promise; Claim and adjustment;According to the outline, a letter of lawsuit can be finished as the following:Dear Sirs,Our Order No. 2468You S/C No. 9501We wish to refer to our Order No. 2468 and your S/C No. 9501, in which you promised to ship the goods we ordered in the middle of June and send them to Shanghai Port by the end of June.But we would like to call your attention to the fact that up to now, no news has come from you about the shipment under the captioned order and S/C.As we said, July is the season for this commodity in our market, and the time of delivery is a matter of great importance to us. The delay of your shipment made us lose USD$200,000.00.Under such circumstance, we have to lodge claims of USD$100,000.001 with you.We feel sure that you will give our claims your most favourable consideration and let us have your settlement at an early.Yours faithfully3.3Conciseness 3.3.1 Theory of ConcisenessConciseness conduces to transmit business information. It saves time, and more important, avoids misunderstanding. It means writers should clearly express with a short and pithy style of writing as possible as they can without sacrificing completeness, concreteness and courtesy. 3.3.2 Strategies Adopted to Show Conciseness(1) Make it a long story short and try to avoid wordiness. Take a look at the following:Writers should:at this time nowcome to a decision decideduring the time that. whileexpress a preference for prefer toto the fact that. becauseenclose herewith here enclosedfor the purpose of. forfor the reason that. sincefrom the point of view asin all cases alwaysin due course soonin many cases often, frequentlyin connection with by, in, foras to regardingmake an inquiry inquireit should be pointed out that Please notice thatwe express our regret at being unable to We are regretful that fulfill your order on this occasion your present order(2) Avoid using the general and out-of-date commercial jargons and try to express ideas in modern English. Avoid the unusual words and try to use everyday expressions. e.g.Writers should:concur agreeinitiate beginconsummate completerequest askterminate endascertain discoverequitable fairsubsequently laterprocure getforenoon morningverification proofremuneration paymentdeem thinkconverse talkutilize useendeavor tryfavour letterult. last monthprox. next monthinst. this month Avoid the out-of-date commercial jargons and try to use modern English. e.g. Out-of-date commercial jargons Modern English acknowledge receipt of Thank you for, I received be in receipt of Thank you for, I received as per as, according to at an early date soon, give a specific date at this time, at present now attached hereto attached, here or enclosed beg ask, request, hope due to the fact that as, because or since I have before me I am grateful for. up to this morning so far or omitted Compare the