黃文娟
(湖南外貿(mào)職業(yè)學(xué)院,湖南 長沙 410114)
商務(wù)英語寫作包括商務(wù)英語應(yīng)用文寫作和商務(wù)英語函電寫作,是寫作和商務(wù)的結(jié)合,因此,作者既要滿足英語寫作的語法、拼寫、格式等基本要求,又要盡量滿足商務(wù)活動(dòng)中的禮儀要求,我們提倡在商務(wù)英語寫作中要注重7C原則,即Courtesy(禮貌原則),Conciseness(簡潔原則),Clarity(清晰原則),Completeness(完整原則),Correctness(正確原則),Concreteness(具體原則),Consideration(周到原則),就是為了能夠使遣詞造句盡可能地禮儀化,使作者能更為妥帖地達(dá)成商務(wù)文件的目的,從整體上提升整個(gè)商務(wù)文件的高級度。下面我們將從幾個(gè)案例來分析7C原則的應(yīng)用技巧。
1、A: I request your early reply.
B: I appreciate your early reply.
例1中的兩個(gè)句子都是期待對方能夠盡快給予回復(fù),可能應(yīng)用于邀請函、詢盤等商務(wù)信函中,但從語氣上來說,A句仿佛是在表達(dá)一種命令和要求,而B句則是在表達(dá)一種請求和感謝。無疑,B句讓人更愿意接受并給出回復(fù)。由此可見,A句是違背了7C原則中的Courtesy禮貌原則。
2、A: Thank you for writing us for information about our new delivery service. We have been in business for six months, and our customers are finding the service is dependable and economical already. A brochure giving complete details about our service is enclosed. Please call us at 123-4567 should you have any additional questions.
B: A brochure giving complete details of our new delivery service is enclosed. Thank you for requesting this information. Should you have any additional questions, please call us at 123-4567.
例2中的兩個(gè)句子是作為對方詢盤的回復(fù),在商務(wù)英語函電里又稱為還盤。一般情況下,還盤要對對方提出的問題和要求進(jìn)行回復(fù),并提供有效聯(lián)系方式,以便后續(xù)跟進(jìn),信息量比較大。但是商務(wù)活動(dòng)中,雙方往來信函都比較多,言簡意賅才能讓對方抓住重點(diǎn),實(shí)現(xiàn)有效溝通??梢钥闯?,A句的敘述里有一些非重點(diǎn)信息,沖淡了主題,違背了7C原則中的Conciseness簡潔原則,不利于對方準(zhǔn)確把握重點(diǎn)信息。
3、A: Today we shipped your order of Sept.10th, and you should be receiving it next week, but since you are a new customer, I want you to know that we allow an additional discount of 5% if you make your payment within 10 days.
B: Your order of Sept.10th was shipped today and should arrive next week. As a new customer, you will receive an additional 5% discount, for payment sent within 10 days.
例3的兩個(gè)句子同樣選自商務(wù)英語函電的撰寫實(shí)例。我們知道,商務(wù)英語函電撰寫需要做到措辭簡潔明了、敘事清晰、信息完整等。例3中的B句采用了英文中慣用的被動(dòng)語態(tài),句子顯得更地道,而A句以中式結(jié)構(gòu)來展開敘述,顯得含糊而拖沓,違背了7C原則中的Clarity清晰原則。
4、A: In order to celebrate the 1st anniversary of our Company, we are holding a celebration party at Tinghua Hotel on Saturday, July 25th.
B:In order to celebrate the 1st anniversary of our Company, we are holding a celebration party at Tinghua Hotel from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 25th.
例4是一個(gè)取自商務(wù)英語應(yīng)用文邀請函的案例,從劃線部分可以看出,A句子交代了周年慶典的日期,卻沒有完整交代開始和結(jié)束的具體時(shí)間,信息不完整,表達(dá)不清楚,使客人無法準(zhǔn)確得知具體而正確的信息,違反了7C中的Completeness完整原則。
5、A: The celebration party will be held at Sheraton Hotel, Conference Room A, at 7:00 p.m. on June 4th.
B: The celebration party will be held at Conference Room A, Sheraton Hotel, at 7:00 p.m. on June 4th.
英文寫作和翻譯,很多時(shí)候需要特別注意中英文語法習(xí)慣、排序方式的差異,例5中A句沒有遵循英文地址從小到大的翻譯習(xí)慣,違反了7C中的Correctness正確原則。
綜上所述,商務(wù)英語應(yīng)用文寫作和函電寫作不僅要考慮拼寫、語法、格式等基本要求,更要考慮寫作內(nèi)容的完整、具體,表現(xiàn)形式的清晰、周到。在商務(wù)英語寫作中巧妙運(yùn)用7C原則,不僅能使行文更為流暢,質(zhì)量更為上乘,而且能有效地避免商務(wù)活動(dòng)中因措辭不當(dāng)或表達(dá)不清引起的誤會(huì)或歧義,讓商務(wù)活動(dòng)更為順暢地開展。