Lexico-sementic chartersticcs of business letter correspondence ([Курсовая])
Курсовая работа
по теме:
«LEXICO-SEMENTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BUSINESS LETTER CORRESPONDENCE»
Сдала: студентка гр. РП -41
Юрченко М. В.
Приняла: ст. преподаватель Галиченко Н. Ю.
Content
Content 1
ANNOTATION 2
INTRODUCTION 3
BUSINESS LETTERS THROUGHT LEXICS 7
A sampling of contract phrases 7
Foreign esoteric words 16
Some words against passive 16
EXAMINING ENGLISH BUSINESS LETTERS 17
Example 1. 18
Example2 20
Example 3. 22
Example 4. 24
Example 5 25
Example 6. 27
CONCLUSION 29
BIBLIOGRAPHY 30
ANNOTATION
The subject matter of the course paper is the role of lexics and semantics
in the case of business letter correspondence. The question of the history
of official communication, the main stages of business transactions, the
role of person’s feeling for the proper use of phrases as well as his
knowledge of grammar are highlighted. Moreover, those phrases which are
more often used in business letters are examined from the point of view of
their appropriateness in different situations. The practical part contains
several examples of business letters; the occasions on which they were
written and some of their characteristics are observed.
INTRODUCTION
Letter writing - is an essential part of communication, an intimate
part of experience. Each letter-writer has a characteristic way of
writing, his style of writing, his way of expressing thoughts, facts,
etc. but it must be emphasised that the routine of the official or
semi-official business letters requires certain accepted idioms,
phrases, patterns, and grammar which are found in general use today.
Therefore certain skills must be acquired by practice, and details of
writing must be carefully and thoroughly learnt.
A cheque, a contract or any other business paper sent by mail should
always be accompanied by a letter. The letter says what is being sent so
that the recipient should know exactly what you intended to send. It is a
typical business letter which some people call "routine". The letter
may be short or long, it may contain some very important and much less
important information - every letter requires careful planning and
thoughtful writing.
In recent years English has become a universal business language. As
such, it is potentially an instrument of order and clarity. But words
and phrases have unexpected ways of creating binding commitments.
Letter-writing, certainly, is not the same as casual conversation,
it bears only the same power of thoughts, reflections, and
observations as in conversational talk, but the form may be quite
different. What makes the letter so attractive and pleasing is not
always the massage of the letter, it is often the manner and style in
which the massage is written.
E.g.: "I wish to express to you my sincere appreciation for your
note of congratulation."
or
"I am sincerely happy that you were elected President of Biological
Society."
As you see such formulations show the attitude of the writer, his
respect and sincerity.
The language of business, professional and semi-official letters is
formal, courteous, tactful, concise, expressive, and to the point. A
neatly arranged letter will certainly make a better impression on the
reader, thus good letters make good business partners.
In the case of "scientific correspondence" the majority of letters
bear mostly a semi-official character and are concerned with
different situations associated with scientific activities concentrated
around the organisation of scientific meetings (congresses, symposia,
workshops, etc.), the arrangement of visit, invitation, publication,
the exchange of scientific literature, information, etc. Letters of this
kind have a tone of friendliness, naturalism. Modern English letters
should not be exaggerated, overburdened, outmoded with time-worn
expressions. The key note is simplicity. Modern letters tend towards
using the language of conversational style.
Writing is not only a means of communication and contract,
but also a record of affairs, information, events, etc. So it is
necessary to feel the spirit and trend of the style in order to write a
perfect letter.
Business-letter or contract law is a complex and vastly documented
subject, only a lawyer can deal with it on a serious level. A
number of basic principles, however, can be outlined sufficiently to mark
of encounters that require the use of specialised English.
Doing business means working out agreements with other people,
sometimes through elaborate contracts and sometimes through nothing but
little standard forms, through exchanges of letters and conversations
at lunch.
Nowadays more and more agreements are made in English, for English
is the nearest thing we have to a universal business language. Joint
ventures, bank loans, and trademark licenses frequently are spelled out
in this language even though it is not native to at least one of the
contracting parties.
As a beginning I am going to look at the subject of writing of
business letters generally. In the main there are three stages
transactions involving business contracts: first, negotiation of terms,
second, drafting documents reflecting these terms, and third, litigation
to enforce or to avoid executing of these terms. To my mind, a fourth
might be added, the administration of contracts.
I am going to look through the first two since the third and the
fourth are related only to the field of law. A typical first stage of
contract is two or more people having drink and talking about future
dealing. A second phase might be letters written in order to work out an
agreement.
In these two early stages it will be helpful to know something
about rules of contract. But what rules? Different nations borrow or
create different legal systems, and even within a single country the rules
may vary according to region or the kind of transaction involved.
It is worth knowing that the distinctions in legal system of England
are mainly historical.
The history of writing business letters is undoubtedly connected
with the history of development of legal language. English is in fact a
latecomer as a legal language. Even after the Norman Conquest court
pleadings in England were in French, and before that lawyers used
Latin. Perhaps, some of our difficulties arise due to the fact that
English was unacceptable in its childhood.
Contract in English suggest Anglo-American contract rules. The
main point is always to be aware that there are differences: the way they
may be resolved usually is a problem for lawyers. With contracts the
applicable law may be the law of the place where the contract is made; in
other cases it may be the law of the place where the contract is to be
performed. It is specified in preliminary negotiations which system of
law is to apply.
Diversity is characteristic feature of English; here is a wide range
of alternatives to choose from in saying things, although the
conciseness is sometimes lacking. Consequently, the use of English is
a creative challenge. Almost too many riches are available for
selection, that leads occasionally to masterpieces but more
frequently to mistakes. English is less refined in its distinctions than
French, for example, and this makes it harder to be clear.
That does not mean that English is imprecise for all things are
relative. If we compare English with Japanese, we will see that the
latter possesses enormous degree of politeness to reflect the
respectiveness of speaker and listener as well as of addresser and
addressee.
Here I cannot help mentioning the fact that as contracts are so
unclear in what every side intends to do, a contract can sometimes put a
company out of business.
Thus everybody who is involved in any kind of business should study
thoroughly the complex science of writing business letters and
contracts.
BUSINESS LETTERS THROUGHT LEXICS
From the lexicological point of view isolated words and phrases mean
very little. In context they mean a great deal, and in the special
context of contractual undertakings they mean everything. Contract
English is a prose organised according to plan.
And it includes, without limitation, the right but not the
obligation to select words from a wide variety of verbal implements and
write clearly, accurately, and/or with style.
Two phases of writing contracts exist: in the first, we react to
proposed contracts drafted by somebody else, and in the second, which
presents greater challenge, we compose our own.
A good contract reads like a classic story. It narrates, in orderly
