第二讲 商务英语写作的文体风格
(一)商务书信的文体风格
一封好的商业书信应该体现出语言自然精练、行文流畅、可读性高的文体风格。
商业书信的写作必须力求“自然”，不能满篇都是过时的商业行话。例子：
使用过时商业行话的句子 自然的句子
Incompliance
with the afore
-mentioned
agreement, dispatch of goods will be
undertaken
subsequent
to receipt of
said monies
. .
As agreed, we shall forward the
goods to you when we have
received your cheque
We should be obliged if you
could contact our Mrs Xiao at an
early date. . Please contact Mrs Xiao
soon.
We beg to inform you that we are
herewith canceling our order for
the same. . I am afraid we are
canceling our order for the
above goods.
Assuring you of our best attention at
all times, and awaiting the favour of
your early response. . I look forward to hearing
from you soon.
8 Due to the fact that your contract has
lapsed, we are unable to comply with
your request. . As your contract contract has lapsed
we cannot do as you request.
商业书信要求可读性强。
为了使信读起来生动有趣，写信人应该尽量避免使用单调的语言，力求使语言结构富于变化。可使用的方法有：
1. 变化文法结构
变换句子的文法结构也可提高信文的可读性。写信时不要千篇一律地使用同一种表达方法。例如，下面这个句子可以用多种方法改写
2.增强书信的可读性，还应注意运用精练的语言商业书信必须语言精练， 能用一个单词的地方尽量不要使用多个单词。 例如：高冗余度语言 低冗余度语言
Inasmuch as
we require active
consideration
prior to making a decision,
I am afraid that, in the circumstances, you will have to wait. .
As we need to consider before
making a decision, I am afraid you
will have to wait.
商业书信的语气
商业书信中写信人使用哪种语气十分重要，这可以反映出写信人和收信人之间的关系。
积极的语气
下面左边的三个句子采用提“中性”的语气，而右边相应的句子语气则显得积极。这种积极的语气可以使一个句子听上去更有诚意。
中性 积极
1.We last received a payment from you six months
2Six months have passed since your last payment.
3we have not received a payment from you for six
4.Six months
have gone by
since you last
paid us.
5. You last paid
us six months
ago.
6.You have not
paid us for six
months.
It has been six
months since we last
received a payment
from you.
It has been six
months since we last
received a payment
from you.
9 I am in receipt of your order for 250
pairs of Niky ‘Conga’ sports shoes. . Thank you for your recent order for
250 pairs of Niky ‘Conga’ sports
shoes.
You failed to send your order to us
before the new prices were introduced. . Unfortunately, we did not receive
your order before the new prices
were introduced.
We cannot devote much time to your
visit as the March Sales figures are
being compiled and we are very busy. . We shall devote as much time to
your visit as our hectic schedule will
permit.
撰写书信时下列几件事情必须避免：
·指责对方犯错
·推卸自己的责任
·漠视客户的问题
·拒绝帮助对方
·对对方的帮助毫不领情
消极的语气 积极的语气
It is not our fault if you do not check
whether the goods are satisfactory on
delivery. I am afraid customers are expected
to check that goods are satisfactory
on delivery.
Problems of this type are common with
the lower model. Next time you will
have to buy the more advanced model. Problems of this type are far less
common with our more advanced
model.
We do not have the time to send our
Sales Representative to see you. He is
busy dealing with larger accounts than
yours. We shall be happy to send our Sales
Representative to visit you as soon
as his heavy schedule permits.
I am in receipt of the upgraded software
you sent to replace the software we
bought in February. Thank you very much for sending
me the updated software which
supersedes that which we bought in
February.
10 以您为先的语气
写信时要尽可能让收信人感到是你亲息写信给他们。 例句：
以我为先 以您为先
We shall be able to install Cable TV
shortly. You will be pleased to hear that you
will soon be able to receive Cable
TV.
I am afraid we cannot deliver at the
weekend. You can have your goods delivered
any weekday.
I regret to inform you that we cannot
refund your deposit unless you return
the goods within a week. I am pleased to inform you that you
will be able to receive a full refund
of deposit if you return the goods
within a week.
