经贸英文函电unit1businessletterwriting

主讲教师：丛静EnglishforIntroduction

本课程是国际贸易专业高年级的核心业务课程之一，是一门将英语与外贸业务相结合的课程。通过介绍外贸实务中各种英文业务函件，电传和传真以及其它方式的写作格式，商业术语和各种不同的表达方法，并通过介绍对外贸易各环节的具体做法，使学生在提高英语水平的同时，熟练掌握对外贸易业务中常用的基本术语及表达技能，培养和提高他们的外贸业务工作能力。Objectives

本课程的目的是学习外贸业务书信的标准格式，了解通过哪些途径来发展新客户，开拓新市场，如何进行询购某商品，怎样报盘和还盘，怎样灵活运用付款方式，如何做到重合同守信用，怎样去审查信用证，做到不出差错，在理赔和索赔中做到有理有利有节；学会拟写信函和电传传真的写作技巧。ContentsBusinessLetter-writingEstablishBusinessRelationsStatusEnquiriesEnquiriesandOffersOrdersandAcknowledgementsPackingTransportInsurancePaymentClaimsandAdjustmentJointVentureChapterOneBusinessLetter-writingContentsGeneralprinciples1LayoutFormat2Structure3EnvelopAddressing4GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersCompletenessConcisenessConsiderationConcreteness

ClarityCourtesyCorrectnessWhat’sthemeaning?7GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersCompletenessAllthemattersdiscussed.Allthequestionsanswered.Alltheinformationcontained.8ExampleCelluloseTape1/2"x3yds,withplasticdispenser700doz./-ditto-but1/2"x5yds,1,000doz.

纤维素带（幅）宽半英寸，长３码，带塑料包装容器，７００打；同上，带（幅）宽半英寸，长５码，１０００打。

REVISED:CelluloseTape1/2"x3yds,withplasticdispenser700doz.CelluloseTape1/2"x5yds，withplasticdispenser1000doz.GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersCompletenessWhatyouhavetosayinthefewestpossiblewordswithoutsacrificingcompletenessandcourtesy.Conciseness101.AvoidToWriteCommercialJargon

避免使用陈旧的商业术语

Wordy:

WewishtoacknowledgereceiptofyourletterofNovember14withthecheckforStg.10yousentwithitandwishtothankyouforsame.Concise:

WeappreciateyourletterofNovember14andthecheckforStg.10enclosed.

1.AvoidToWriteCommercialJargon

避免使用陈旧的商业术语Wordy:

Wetakelibertytoapproachyouwiththerequestthatyouwouldbekindenoughtointroducetoussomeexportersofcottontextilesinyourcities.Concise:

Wouldyoupleaseintroducetoussomeexportersofcottontextilesinyourcity?or

Pleaseintroducetoussomeexportersofcottontextilesinyourcity2.AvoidUnnecessaryExpressions

要长话短说，避免罗嗦

WillyoubegoodenoughtoPlease

cometoadecisiondecide

expressapreferenceforprefer

forthereasonthatbecauseTheproposalisunder(active)consideration.

Theansweris(definitely)correct.

Iwould(rather)thinkthefareistoohigh.

The(true)factsareasstated3.AvoidLengthySentences

要注意每句句子的长短

"Wewouldliketoknowwhetheryouwouldallowustoextendthetimeofshipment

fortwentydays,

andifyouwouldbesokindastoallowustodoso,kindlygiveusyourreplybycablewithoutdelay.”"Pleasereplybytelegramimmediatelyifyouwillallowustodelaytheshipment

untilApril21st.GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersYouprepareeverymessagewiththereceiverinmindandtrytoputyourselfinhisplace.CompletenessConcisenessConsideration15Rememberthatthewordb-u-s-i-n-e-s-scontainsbothU

andI,buttheU

comes

beforethe

I.Thisisagoodsequenceforyoutoremember.

ExamplesWe

allow2percentdiscountforcashpayment.（如付现款，我们给九八折）

You

earn2percentdiscountwhenyoupaycash.

(您付现款时，可打九八折。）

Wearepleasedtoannouncethat…

我们高兴地宣布

Youwillbepleasedtoknowthat…你们将愉快地得知

Wewantyoutodoit.我们要你们这样做

Youwillnodoubtdoit.毫无疑问，你们将这样做

Wefollowthispolicy,because…我们遵循这个政策，因为

Youwillbenefitfromthispolicy,because…

你们将从这个政策中得益，因为

GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersBeingspecific,definite,andvividratherthanvagueandgeneral.CompletenessConcisenessConsiderationConcreteness18

E.g.

TheABCCo.isoneofourbiggestbuyers.REVISED:TheABCCo.placedU.S.$150,000.00worthofbusinesswithuslastyear.

Thesebrakesstopacarwithinashortdistance.REVISED:

TheseTypeXYZOI

powerbrakesstopa2.5-toncartraveling70milesanhour,within250feet.

Wewishtoconfirmourtelegramdispatched

yesterday.

Weconfirmourtelegramof

January16.GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersGettingyourmessageacrosssothatthereaderwillnotmisunderstandwhatyouaretryingtoconveyCompletenessConcisenessConsiderationConcretenessClarity20

AstothesteamerssailingfromHongkongtoSanFrancisco,wehavebimonthlydirectservices.

（从香港到旧金山有直达船）

（a）WehavetwodirectsailingseverymonthfromHongkongtoSanFrancisco.

（每月两次直达船）

（b）WehavesemimonthlydirectsailingfromHongkongtoSanFrancisco.

（每半月一次直达船）

（c）WehaveadirectsailingfromHongkongtoSanFranciscoeverytwomonth.

（每两个月一次直达船）

GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersNotmerelypolitenesswithmechanicalinsertionsof“please”and“thankyou”.Rather,truecourtesyneedstousetactfultoneandrespectiveexpression.CompletenessConcisenessConsiderationConcretenessClarityCourtesy22Politeness

a)WehavereceivedwithmanythanksyourletterofOct.7,andwetakethepleasureofsendingyouthelatestcatalog.Wewishtodrawyourattentiontoaspecialoffer,whichwehavemadeinit.Courtesy

b)Youwillbeparticularlyinterestedinaspecialofferonpage5ofthelatestcatalogenclosed,whichyourequestedinyourletterofOct.7.

1.TurnOrdersintoRequests

把命令变成请求的常用形式

Please,Willyou……..,Willyouplease……..,

E.g.a)Willyougiveusmoredetailedinformationonyourrequirement?

b)Willyouplease(kindly)letushearfromyouonthesetwopoints?2.PastSubjunctiveForm虚拟式

1.Wouldyoucompareoursamplewiththegoodsofotherfirms?2.Wewouldaskyoutoshipthegoodsbythefirstavailablevessel.3.Wewishyouwouldletushaveyourreplysoon.4.Thiswouldseemtoconfirmouropinion.5.Weshouldbegratefulifyouwouldhelpuswithyoursuggestion.6.Wethinkifadvisablethatyoushouldacceptthisofferatthisprice.7.Weshould(would)likeyoutoletusknowtheexactamount.8.Perhapsyoumightliketohavealookattheactualgoods.3.Mitigation

缓和用法Weareafraid,wewouldsay,wemay(or,might)say,we(would)think,itseems(orwouldseem)tous,we(would)suggest,asyouare(or:maybe)aware,asweneedhardlypointout

E.g.a)Itwasunwiseofyoutohavedonethat.

Wewouldsaythatitwasunwiseofyoutohavedonethat.b)Yououghttohavedoneit.Itseemstousthatyououghttohavedoneit.Cont.c)Wecannotcomplywithyourrequest.Weareafraidwecannotcomplywithyourrequest.d)Ourproductsaretheverybestonthemarket.

Wemightsaythatourproductsaretheverybestonthemarket.f)Youmustcutoffyourorderinhalf

Wewouldsuggestthatyoucutyourorderinhalf.g)Wehavenotyethadyourreply.Itappearsthatwehavenotyethadyourreply.

4.PassiveVoice

运用被动语气

You

madeaverycarelessmistake.

AverycarelessmistakewasmadeYou

didnotenclosethecheckwithyourorder.

Thecheckwasnotenclosedwithyourorder.Forthepasttwoyears,youdidnotgiveusanyorder.

Forthepasttwoyears,noorderhasbeengivenus.

Or:Forthepasttwoyears,nobusinesshasbeenmaterializedbetweenus.

GeneralPrinciplesofbusinessLettersQualifiedlanguage,ProperStatement,CorrectSpelling,CorrectuseofCommercialJargonCompletenessConcisenessConsiderationConcretenessClarityCourtesyCorrectness29QualifiedLanguage正确的语言水平Formal:AlthoughItem12isenumeratedinthereport;thewriterhasascertainedthatitiscurrentlynotintheorganization'sinventoryorinthewriter'spossession.

Informal:AlthoughItem12islistedinthereport,it'snotinourstock

nowandIdon'thaveiteither.ProperStatement叙述得正确

NoUnderstatementorOverstatementThisstoveisabsolutelythebest(or:theverybest)onthemarket.

这种炉子是市场上绝对最好的炉子

OurmodelA195isdesignedonmodernlinesandgives,withoutanyincreaseinfuelconsumption,25%moreheatthantheoldermodels.Soyouwillagreethatitistheoutstandingstoveforeconomyoffuel.

(我们的Ａ１９５型炉子是按近代样式设计的，在不增加燃料消耗的情况下，比其他各种旧式炉子温度高２５％。所以，你会同意，这是优良的节约燃料的炉子。)

CorrectSpelling数字要正确“以上”，“以下”，“以前”，“以后”，“从…到…”等的表达法$2or(and)above(over)

二美元和二美元以上

60dozenor(and)up(upward,upwards)

６０打和６０打以上

2%or(and)more

２％和２％以上anorderfor50grossorupward

５０罗或５０罗以上的定单anorderfornotlessthan50gross

不少于５０罗的定单5%upto10%inclusive

５％到１０％（包括５％和１０％）over5%upto10%inclusive

５％以上到１０％（包括１０％）

Cont.fromandincludingtoday(thisdate)

从今日起（包括今日）

onandfromNov.10;

从１１月１０日起

onandafterNov.10;

（包括１１月１０日）asfromNov.10

asfromthedateofthebreach

从毁约之日起（包括毁约之日）upto$40inclusive;

到４０美元uptothemaximumof$40（包括４０美元）止uptoandincludingNov.20

到１１月２０日止（包括１１月２０日）asfromthe1sttothe15thofMarchinclusive;

从３月１日到１５日

fromthe1stto15thofMarchbothinclusive

（包括１日和１５日）

duringtheperiodbeginningon

March1andendingonMarch30,bothdatesinclusive.

从３月１日起到３月３０日止这一期间（包括头尾两天）UseofCommercialJargon

理解和运用商业术语Youaskveryshortdeliveryforyourorder

原意:“你们要求赶快交你们的定货”

shortdelivery:短距离交货

REVISED：Yourequirequick(prompt)deliveryofyourorder.LayoutFormatofbusinessLetters

FullblockstyleIndentedstyle

ModifiedBlockFormwithIndentedStyleSimplifiedFormLayoutFormatofbusinessLetters

Everycomponentoftheletterbeginsattheleftmargin.Itisquickandeasytosetup.However,itlooksveryformalandthepagelooksoffbalance.FullBlockStyle（齐头式）FullBlockstyle_____date_______insideaddress________salutation_________________________________body________________________________________________________________________________________________body_______________________________________________________________________closing_____Example:FullBlockstyleLayoutFormatofbusinessLetters

Allparagraphsareindented,theindentationmaybeeitherfiveortenspaces.Thedateandtheclosingcanbestartattheverticalcenterlineofthepageoralignwiththerightmargin.Indentedstyle(缩进式）

Indentedstyle_____date_______insideaddress________salutation_________________________________body_____________________________________________________________________________________________body__________________________________________closing_____

Example:IndentedstyleLayoutFormatofbusinessLetters

Somepartsusefullblockstyle,someuseindentedstyle;combineconvenienceandbeautytogether,andbecomethemostusefulstyle.ModifiedBlockFormwithIndentedStyle(混合式）ModifiedBlockFormwithIndentedStyle_____date_______insideaddress________salutation_________________________________body________________________________________________________________________________________________body_______________________________________________________________________closing_____LayoutFormatofbusinessLetters

Personalbusinessstyle——Justlikefullblockstyle，butsomeitemsaretakenoff.Thankyounotes,informalinvitation,congratulatorymessagestopersonalfriends.SimplifiedFormExample1StructureofBusinessLetterStructureofbusinessLetters

1)信头(letterhead)2)发文编号(referencenumber)Structure

－－－

3）日期

4）封内名称和地址(insideaddress)(date)

5）经办人(attention)

6）称呼(salutation)

7）事由（标题）(subject)

8）正文(body)

9）结尾敬词(complimentary)

10）签名(signature)

11）附件(enclosure)

12）抄送(cctoXX)

13）附言(postscript)1)LetterheadLocationMessageincludedLogoFulllegalnameofthefirmFullcorrespondenceaddressTelephone,fax,cablenumbersWebsiteandE-mailNameofthebranchofficeNameofdivisionordepartmentNameoftheofficersordirectorsStartingdateofthefirmVATnumber,registrationnumber,registeredaddressetc.banker’sandauditor’snameandaddress

SupposeGeorgeWilliamssentalettertoJohnSmith,typedbytheGradePeters,thereferenceonJohnSmith’sreplywouldbelikethis(LouisBrowntypeditforJohn):YourRef:515GW/gp

OurRef:386JS/lbRef.No.发文编号?3)DatelocationRightformofdate：

A.month,day,andyearinAmericanEnglish——March5,2007-withthemonthspeltout.B.day,month,andyearinBritishEnglish——5March,2007-withthemonthspeltout.

C.year,month,anddayinChineselanguage——2007-03-05.4)InsidenameandAddressThereasontousetheinsideaddressLocationoftheinsideaddressTherightformatNameandtitleofaddressee:Courtesytitle,name,executiveorbusinesstitle.(gender?Name?)Nameoforganization:department,companyororganizationAddress:streetnumber(orroomnumber,building),avenue,city,provinceorstate,zipcode,country.

AttentionLine?如需注明对方经办人，希望收信商号将信迅速交经办人办理，可以在封内地址下面加Attention或Attentionof

RichardThomas&BaldwinsLtd.,

151GowerStreet

London,SC76DY,England

Attention:Mr.CaveorAttention:PurchasingManager6)TheSalutationLocationofthesalutation:

secondlinebelowtheinsideaddress,twolinesabovethebody.Thedifferentwaysofsalutation:Dearsir/Madam,Dearsirs/Madams,Gentlemen(nosingularform),DearMr.xxx,DearMsLiu,DearJohn,DearLuJingzhenAcommaisusuallyusedafterthesalutationSubjectlinefollowthesalutationandinthemiddleofthelineSubject:MakinganAppointmentRe:SIMPLEFIEDSTYLEOFTHEBUSINESSLETTER

SubjectLineorCaptionedLine?ExampleTheSecretaryTheAjaxElectricalCol,Ltd.FernhallDriveREDBRIDGE,EssexIG45BNEnglandFortheattentionofMr.T.WaterhouseDearSir:Re:SewingMachinesThankyouforyour……8)BodyoftheLetterFollowthesevenCsbusinesscommunicationprincipleOpeningSentences

eg.WithreferencetoyourletterofDecember2,2006,wearegladtolearnthatyouwishtoenterintotraderelationswiththiscorporationinthelineofcannedgoods.TheclosingSentences

eg.Wehopetoreceiveyourearlyreply.9)ComplimentaryCloseComplimentarycloseandsalutationshouldmatcheachother：formalSemi-formalinformalsalutationDearsirs/madamsDearsir/madamDearMs.SmithDearMr.LiuDearMaLiDearMaggiecloseRespectfullyyours,Veryrespectfully,Yoursverytruly,Verytrulyyours,Sincerely