1、(20_届)本科毕业设计英语语境与商务英语信函的语言特点CONTEXTANDLANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSI摘要商务英语信函是国际贸易中最重要的工具。商务英语信函中的语境对写一封准确又恰当的商务英语信函是非常重要的。本文主要分析了商务英语信函的语境分类,并在此基础上着重探讨了商务英语信函的语言特点,包括词汇特点,表达方式特点和语气特点,以期对商务英语信函的写作有所启示。关键词语境;商务英语信函;语言特点IIABSTRACTBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERISTHEMOSTIMPORTANTTOOLININTERNATIO
2、NALTRADETHEPARTICULARCONTEXTISVERYIMPORTANTFORWRITINGACORRECTANDFELICITOUSBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERTHISTHESIS,BASEDONTHECLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS,MAINLYEXPLORESTHELANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS,INCLUDINGLEXICALCHARACTERISTICS,CHARACTERISTICSOFWAYSOFEXPRESSIONANDCHA
3、RACTERISTICSOFTONE,INTHEHOPEOFOFFERINGSOMEINSIGHTINTOTHEWRITINGOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSKEYWORDSCONTEXTBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSLANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSIIICONTENTSABSTRACTII1INTRODUCTION111FUNCTIONSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS112LITERATUREREVIEW113PURPOSEOFWRITING22CLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLET
4、TERS321LINGUISTICCONTEXT322SITUATIONALCONTEXT323CULTURALCONTEXT43LANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS431LEXICALCHARACTERISTICS5311USEOFPROFESSIONALTERMS5312USEOFABBREVIATIONS632THECHARACTERISTICSOFWAYSOFEXPRESSION7321NATURAL7322STRAIGHTFORWARD8323CONCISE933THECHARACTERISTICSOFTONE9331POLI
5、TEANDFRIENDLY9332EUPHEMISTIC114CONCLUSION11BIBLIOGRAPHY13ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS1411INTRODUCTIONWITHCHINASENTRYINTOWTO,INTERNATIONALTRADEHASBECOMEMORECOMMONANDFREQUENTINTHEWORLDALTHOUGHTELEPHONE,TELEGRAPHANDTELEXAREWIDELYUSEDININTERNATIONALTRADE,BUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSSTILLSERVEASTHEMOSTIMPORTANTTOOLANDAREI
6、NDISPENSABLEFORPEOPLETOCOMMUNICATEWITHEACHOTHERITISTHEMAINMETHODFORBUYERSANDSELLERSTOESTABLISHBUSINESSRELATIONS,EXCHANGEINFORMATION,EXPRESSFRIENDSHIPANDSOONINMOSTCASES,THINGSSETTLEDBYTELEPHONEORTELEXOFTENNEEDTOBECONFIRMEDBYLETTERSTHEREFORE,WRITINGAGOODBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERISUSEFULININTERNATIONALTRAD
7、E11FUNCTIONSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSHAVEMANYFUNCTIONSASPENGYING2009910POINTSOUTGENERALLYSPEAKING,THEBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERHASFOLLOWINGFUNCTIONSFIRSTLY,ITISANEFFECTIVEWAYTOCONVEYANDRETAININFORMATIONALTHOUGHMANYBUSINESSACTIVITIESCANBEHANDLEDBYPHONEORINPERSON,FEWBUSINESSMENHAVEENOU
8、GHTIMETOVISITTHEIRCLIENTSPERSONALLYLONGDISTANCECALLSMAYBEEXPENSIVEORALCOMMUNICATIONMAYLEADSOMEOFTHEMASSAGESTOBEFORGOTTENORMISUNDERSTOODSECONDLY,ITCANWORKASACONTRACTORANAGREEMENTTHIRDLY,ITCANALSOSERVEASAPARTOFACOMPANYSPERMANENTRECORDBUSINESSMENCANCHECKCOPYOFTHELETTERSORTHEEMAILBOXWHENTHEYNEEDLASTLY,I
9、TACTSASFORMALORINFORMALPUBLICRELATIONMATERIALSITCANHELPBUILDGOODWILLBETWEENTHEWRITERANDREADER12LITERATUREREVIEWALTHOUGHENGLISHBUSINESSLETTERISVERYCOMMONANDESSENTIALINTHEINTERNATIONALTRADE,THEREISLIMITEDRESEARCHCONDUCTEDINTHISFIELDBUSINESSENGLISHDIDNOTAROUSELINGUISTSINTERESTUNTIL1960SITWASTHELATE1960
10、SANDEARLY1970SWHICHSAWTHEGREATESTEXPANSIONOFRESEARCHINTOTHENATUREOFPARTICULARVARIETIESOFENGLISHPRAGMATICRESEARCHERSINVESTIGATEDTHELINGUISTICFEATURESOFBUSINESSLETTERSBASEDONSOMEPRAGMATICTHEORIES,SUCHASTHECOOPERATIVEPRINCIPLEANDPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE,PROPOSEDBYGRICE1975ANDGEOFFREYLEECH1983RESPECTIVELYBAS
11、EDONTHESETHEORIES,PENGYING2009POINTSOUTTHATBOTHCPANDPPARECOMPLEMENTALLYINVOLVEDINTHEWRITINGOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSLISA2008STATESTHATCONTEXTNOTONLYHASAFUNCTIONOFRESTRICTIONFORBUSINESSENGLISHLETTER,BUTALSOAFFORDSTHESPACEFORTHEWRITERSTOCHOOSEWHENWRITINGLETTERSEXTERNALCONTEXTRESTRICTSTHETYPEOFWRITING,W
12、HICHDIFFERENTRECEIVERANDCONTENTWILLADOPTEDDIFFERENTTYPEOFWRITINGINTERNALCONTEXTHASTHEFUNCTIONSOFRESTRICTIONANDEXPLANATIONFORTHEMEANINGSOFTHELETTERSITMAINRESTRICTSTHECONCRETECONTENT,THESTRUCTUREOFLANGUAGEANDTHESKILLOFWRITINGOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS2ZHANGYUZHEN2009ANALYZESTHELINGUISTICFEATURESOFMODERN
13、BUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSFROMTHEPERSPECTIVESOFLEXICALFEATURES,SYNTACTICFEATURESANDTEXTUALFEATURESSOMESPECIALIZEDKNOWLEDGEISINVOLVEDINBUSINESSLETTERS,ANDTECHNICALTERMSORSPECIALIZEDVOCABULARYAREINEVITABLEITPREFERSTOUSECOMMONORFAMILIARWORDSASWELLASSIMPLIFIEDFORMSANDABBREVIATIONSMOREOVER,POSITIVEWORDSAREMO
14、REOFTENUSEDTHANNEGATIVEWORDSDECLARATIVESENTENCESAREUSUALLYUSEDTOMAKESTATEMENTSANDEXPRESSIDEASWHILEEXCLAMATORYSENTENCESARESELDOMFOUNDFORSHOWINGPERSONALFEELINGSIMPERATIVESENTENCESAREONLYUSEDTOMAKEAREQUESTORTOREMIND,USUALLYWITHTHEPOLITEWORD“PLEASE”SIMPLESENTENCESTRUCTURESHAVEAHIGHFREQUENCYINBUSINESSENG
15、LISHLETTERSHOWEVER,THEREARESTILLSOMESENTENCESWRITTENTHROUGHTHEUSEOFELABORATECOMPLEXSENTENCESTRUCTURESSIMPLEANDSTRAIGHTFORWARDSUBJECTHEADINGS,CLEARANDSHORTPARAGRAPHSASWELLASTHEUSEOFLISTSANDTABLESCONTRIBUTETOTHECLEARNESSANDCONCISENESSOFTHEBUSINESSLETTERSSEMIFORMALSALUTATIONSAREOFTENUSEDFOROBTAININGAND
16、MAINTAININGFRIENDLYRELATIONS13PURPOSEOFWRITINGBASEDONPREVIOUSSTUDIES,THISPAPERAIMSTOANALYZETHELANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSFROMTHEPERSPECTIVEOFCONTEXTTHEFAMOUSLINGUISTINCHINA,PROFESSORHUZHUANGLIN1994DIVIDEDTHECONTEXTINTOTHREETYPES1LINGUISTICCONTEXT,WHICHREFERSTOTHEINTERNALENVIRONME
17、NTOFTHEDISCOURSE,2SITUATIONALCONTEXT,WHICHREFERSTOTHEGENERATEDENVIRONMENTOFTHEDISCOURSE,THECHARACTERISTICS,NATUREOFTHEEVENT,THESUBJECT,TIME,PLACE,MODEOFTHECONVERSATION,ETC3CULTURALCONTEXT,REFERRINGTOTHEAUTHORSORSPEAKERSHISTORICALCULTUREANDCUSTOMSSUCHACLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTISADOPTEDINTHEPRESENTTHESI
18、STHEPURPOSEOFTHISSTUDYISTOANALYZETHECONTEXTININTERNATIONALTRADEANDUNDERSTANDTHEIMPORTANCEOFCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSINTHISSTUDY,THELANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSINCLUDELEXICALCHARACTERISTICS,CHARACTERISTICSOFWAYSOFEXPRESSIONANDCHARACTERISTICSOFTONETHROUGHTHETHEORETICALRESEARCH
19、OFCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS,THISPAPERAIMSTOIMPROVEONESABILITYTOWRITEAGOODBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERACORRECTANDDECENTBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERCOULDSTATETHEIDEACLEARER,REDUCETHEMISUNDERSTANDINGANDPROMOTETHEDEVELOPMENTOFINTERNATIONALTRADESMOOTHLY2CLASSIFICATIONOFCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSTHEREAREVARI
20、OUSCLASSIFICATIONSOFCONTEXTINTHEPRESENTSTUDY,CONTEXTISDIVIDEDINTOTHREEPARTSLINGUISTICCONTEXT,SITUATIONALCONTEXTANDCULTURALCONTEXTTHECRITERIONADOPTEDHEREISBASEDONTHECLASSIFICATIONPROPOSEDBYHUZHUANGLIN,ASISMENTIONEDINTHEPREVIOUSSECTIONBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERISTHEMAINTOOLININTERNATIONALTRADEASWELLASAPRAC
21、TICALAPPLICATIONOFBUSINESSENGLISHANDINFLUENCEDBYTHECONTEXTININTERNATIONALBUSINESSACTIVITIES321LINGUISTICCONTEXTLINGUISTICCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSISTHELANGUAGETHATCONSTITUTETHELETTERSITINCLUDESWORDS,SENTENCES,ANDSECTIONSINTHECONTEXTLINGUISTICCONTEXTHASAFUNCTIONOFRESTRICTIONOREXPLANATIONFORTHEM
22、EANINGOFTHEBUSINESSENGLISHANDITRESTRICTSTHECONCRETECONTENT,STRUCTUREOFLANGUAGE,ANDTHESTYLEOFWRITINGTHEMEANINGSOFWORDSEXISTINTHECONTEXTTOFULLYUNDERSTANDTHECHANGINGOFTHELINGUISTICCONTEXTINTHEPROCESSOFWRITINGOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSISHELPFULFORUSTOWRITEAGOODLETTERANDIMPROVETHECOMMUNICATIONABILITYTAKETH
23、EFOLLOWINGLETTERASANEXAMPLEDEARSIRS,WEHAVELEARNEDFROMOURCOMMERCIALCOUNSELORSOFFICEINLONDONTHATYOUAREINTERESTEDINIMPORTINGCHINESECOTTONPIECEGOODSASTHISITEMFALLSWITHINTHESCOPEOFOURBUSINESSACTIVITIES,WESHALLBEPLEASEDTOENTERINTODIRECTBUSINESSRELATIONSWITHYOUATANEARLYDATEINORDERTOGIVEYOUAGENERALIDEAOFTHE
24、PRODUCTSNOWAVAILABLEFOREXPORT,WESENDYOUACOPYOFOURLATESTCATALOGUEANDAPRICELISTQUOTATIONSANDSAMPLEBOOKSWILLBEAIRMAILEDTOYOUUPONRECEIPTOFYOURSPECIFICENQUIRYWELOOKFORWARDTOYOUREARLYREPLYYOURSSINCERELYLISAINTHELETTERABOVE,ITSLINGUISTICCONTEXTCONSISTSOFTHEWORDSANDSENTENCESTHATMAKEUPTHELETTERTHEWRITERISFRO
25、MANEXPORTCOMPANY,ANDWANTSTOENTERINTOBUSINESSRELATIONWITHTHECOMPANYOFTHERECEIVER22SITUATIONALCONTEXTTHESITUATIONALCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSINCLUDESTHECHARACTERISTICS,NATUREOFTHECOMMERCIALACTIVITIES,THESUBJECT,TIME,PLACE,MODEOFTHECONVERSATION,ANDSOONSITUATIONALCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHRANGESFROMG
26、LOBALBUSINESSENVIRONMENTTOASPECIFICINDUSTRYBUSINESSENVIRONMENT,ORACOMPANYSBUSINESSENVIRONMENTXULISHENG2006STATESTHATSITUATIONALCONTEXTREFERSTOTHEGENERALCONCRETELANGUAGEENVIRONMENTWHENUSINGLANGUAGETHEGENERALCONTENTSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSINCLUDEESTABLISHINGBUSINESSRELATIONS,ENQUIREANDREPLIES,QUOTATI
27、ONS,OFFERSANDCOUNTEROFFERS,SALESPROMOTIONS,ORDERS,PAYMENT,PACKING,SHIPPING,INSURANCE,CLAIMANDSETTLEMENT,ETCEVERYKINDOFLETTERREFERSTOADIFFERENTSITUATIONTHEEXAMPLELETTERABOVEISALETTERFORESTABLISHINGBUSINESSRELATIONSTHESITUATIONISTOINTRODUCETHEPRODUCTSOFTHEWRITERTOTHERECEIVERINTHEHOPEOFSTARTINGCOOPERAT
28、ION423CULTURALCONTEXTTHECULTURALCONTEXTREFERSTOTHESOCIALANDCULTURALCONVENTIONSOFTHELANGUAGECOMMUNITYTHESPEAKERBELONGSTO,WHICHINCLUDESTHEHISTORICALCULTUREANDCUSTOMSPEOPLEINDIFFERENTCULTURESHAVETHEIRWAYSOFDOINGTHINGS,SUCHASWAYSOFDRESSING,MAKINGFRIENDS,EATINGANDDEALINGWITHTROUBLESININTERNATIONALBUSINES
29、STHEBUYERSANDSELLERSCOMEFROMDIFFERENTCOUNTRIESWITHDIFFERENTCULTURESBOTHSIDESHAVEDIFFERENTHISTORICALCULTURESANDCUSTOMSSTILLTAKETHELETTERIN21ASANEXAMPLEINTHEFIRSTPARAGRAPH,THEWRITERTELLSTHERECEIVERHOWHELEARNTTHENAMEANDADDRESSOFTHERECEIVERITISNECESSARYINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS,ESPECIALLYINTHELETTERSFORE
30、STABLISHINGBUSINESSRELATIONSSINCEBUSINESSMENRECEIVEALOTOFLETTERSEVERYDAYSOMEOFTHELETTERSAREACTUALLYJUNKMAILSNORMALLY,OFFERINGTHEINFORMATIONSOURCEOFTHERECEIVERMAYHELPENHANCETHERELIABILITYOFTHEWRITERSCOMPANY3LANGUAGECHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERISTHEINFORMATIONCARRIERTHR
31、OUGHWRITTENENGLISHFORINTERNATIONALTRADEWRITINGABUSINESSENGLISHLETTERISRESTRICTEDBYMANYELEMENTS,AMONGWHICHCONTEXTISANIMPORTANTELEMENTTHEASPECTSOFCONTEXTANALYZEDABOVEPROVIDETHESOCIALCONDITIONSINBUSINESSACTIVITIESFORBUSINESSMENTOWRITEAPPROPRIATELETTERSLISA,2008ASISPOINTEDOUT,THEGENERALCONTENTSOFBUSINES
32、SENGLISHLETTERSINCLUDEESTABLISHINGBUSINESSRELATIONS,INQUIRIESANDREPLIES,QUOTATIONS,OFFERSANDCOUNTEROFFERS,SALESPROMOTIONS,ORDERSPAYMENT,PACKING,SHIPPING,INSURANCE,CLAIMANDSETTLEMENTTHEYAREALSOANIMPORTANTPARTOFTHECONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSWHENWRITINGABUSINESSENGLISHLETTER,BUSINESSMENRELYHEAVILYO
33、NTHECONTEXTUSUALLYINTHEFOLLOWINGTWOWAYSONTHEONEHAND,THEYSHOULDMAKEEVERYWORDINTHESENTENCEBECOLLOCATEDPROPERLYWITHOTHERWORDSANDMAKESENTENCESSHOWTHETYPICALCHARACTERISTICSOFBUSINESSENGLISHANDTHEYARRANGEPARAGRAPHSACCORDINGTOENGLISHWRITINGPRINCIPLESANDBUSINESSENGLISHLANGUAGESTRUCTURERULESSOTHATTHELETTERSM
34、AYACHIEVEACCURACY,CLARITY,ANDFLUENCYONTHEOTHERHAND,THEYSHOULDCONSIDERTHECHANGINGFACTORSINBUSINESSENGLISHLANGUAGECOMMUNICATION,INTERNATIONALSOCIETYANDTIMEBACKGROUNDSLISA,2008TOBEMORESPECIFIC,THEFUNCTIONOFCONTEXTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSCANBEILLUSTRATEDBYTHELANGUAGECHARACTERISTICS,INCLUDINGTHELEXICALCH
35、ARACTERISTIC,THECHARACTERISTICSOFWAYSOFEXPRESSIONANDTHECHARACTERISTICSOFTONE31LEXICALCHARACTERISTICSWORDSINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSHAVEITSSPECIFICCHARACTERISTICSBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSSHOWSOMEDISTINCTFEATURESINVOCABULARY,SUCHASTHEWIDEUSEOFPROFESSIONALWORDSANDABBREVIATIONSCONTEXTHASANIMPORTANTFUNCTIONIN
36、BUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSANDITCOULDHELP5READERSTOUNDERSTANDTHELETTERSBETTER311USEOFPROFESSIONALTERMSBUSINESSENGLISHISAKINDOFSOCIALFUNCTIONINGVARIANTOFGENERALENGLISH,WHICHISTHEAPPLICATIONOFGENERALENGLISHINBUSINESSENVIRONMENTANUMBEROFWORDSTHATAREFAMILIARTOPEOPLEINGENERALENGLISHENVIRONMENTMAYHAVEDIFFERENT
37、MEANINGSINBUSINESSENGLISHXIONGGUOPING,YANGYUQIN,2009WITHTHEDEVELOPMENTOFHUMANSOCIETYANDACCUMULATIONOFEXPERIENCE,PEOPLESTRENGTHENTHEABILITYTOKNOWTHEWORLDLANGUAGEASANIMPORTANTFORMOFCULTURALCARRIERCONSTANTLYENRICH,SOTHEOLDWORDSAREENDOWEDWITHNEWMEANINGSINTHEBUSINESSCONTEXT,SOMEWORDSHAVEANEWANDPROFESSION
38、ALMEANINGTHROUGHCONVERSIONANDBROADENINGINMEANINGFORINSTANCE,THEWORD“QUOTE”MEANSTO“REPEATAPASSAGEFROMAPAPERORDOCUMENT”INGENERALENGLISH,BUTINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERS“QUOTE”REFERSTOTHEPRICEOFTHECOMMODITY,ASINTHESENTENCE“PLEASEQUOTEUSYOURLOWESTPRICESFORPERSONALCOMPUTERS”ASANOTHEREXAMPLE,INGENERALENGLISH,“
39、DRAFT”MEANS“DRAWUPANOUTLINEORSKETCHFORSOMETHING”OR“PRELIMINARYVERSIONOFAWRITTENWORK”,BUTINCONTEXTOFBUSINESSENGLISH,“DRAFT”MEANS“ADOCUMENTORDERINGTHEPAYMENTOFMONEYDRAWNBYONEPERSONORBANKONANOTHER”,ASISUSEDINTHESENTENCE“YOUDRAFTWILLBEHONOREDONPRESENTATION”THEDIFFERENCEINMEANINGSOFAWORDINGENERALENGLISHA
40、NDBUSINESSENGLISHCANALSOBEILLUSTRATEDBYTHEWORD“CLAIM”INEVERYDAYENGLISH,“CLAIM”MEANS“ANASSERTIONTHATSOMETHINGISTRUEORFACTUAL”WHILEINBUSINESSCONTEXT,“CLAIM”REFERSTO“ANASSERTIONOFARIGHTASTOMONEYORPROPERTY”TAKETHESENTENCE“WEFILEDACLAIMAGAINSTYOUFORTHESHORTDELIVERYOF145LBS”ASANEXAMPLETHEWORD“CLAIM”INTHES
41、ENTENCEISANOUNWHICHMEANS“ANASSERTIONOFARIGHT”ITALSOCANBEUSEDASAVERB,FOREXAMPLEINTHESENTENCE“WERESERVETHERIGHTTOCLAIMCOMPENSATIONFROMYOUFORANYDAMAGE”THEREARESOMEPHRASESINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSABOUT“CLAIM”SUCHAS“ACCEPTACLAIM”,“ENTERTAINACLAIM”,“REJECTACLAIM”,“DISMISSACLAIM”,“SETTLEACLAIM”,“WITHDRAWACL
42、AIM”,ETCBUSINESSENGLISHHASALOTOFPROFESSIONALTERMSTHEUSEANDCOLLOCATIONOFTHESEWORDSARECOMPARATIVELYFIXEDANDCANNOTBECHANGEDCASUALLYFOREXAMPLE,THEPHRASE“INSURANCECOVERAGE”REFERSTOTHEINSURANCESCOPEINBUSINESSENGLISHITISTHESITUATIONALCONTEXTOFTHELETTERNOOTHERWORDSSUCHAS“RANGE”OR“ITEM”CANBEUSEDTOREPLACETHEW
43、ORD“COVERAGE”ALSO,THEWORD“AVERAGE”INTHEEXPRESSIONS“FREEFROMPARTICULARAVERAGE”AND“WITHPARTICULARAVERAGE”CANTBECHANGEDATWILLASANOTHEREXAMPLE,THE“LOSSLEADER”PRICINGSTRATEGYINMARKETINGREFERSTO“CERTAINPRODUCTSORSERVICESSOLDATAPRICEBELOWTHECOST”ITSPURPOSEISTOATTRACTCUSTOMERSTOBUYOTHERPRODUCTSORSERVICESHER
44、E“LOSSLEADER”CANNOTBEUNDERSTOODACCORDINGTOTHELITERALMEANINGSOFTHETWOWORDSSIMILARLY,INTHEINTERNATIONALCOMMERCIALLAW,“NULLANDDEVOID”USUALLYREFERSTOTHECONTRACTWHICHISNOTLEGALIN6LOGISTICSMANAGEMENT,“FREEINANDOUT”ISAKINDOFTRANSPORTATIONTERMSWHICHREFERSTOTHESHIPISNOTRESPONSIBLEFORTHELOADINGANDDISCHARGINGE
45、XPENSESZHAOPING,WUBIN,2010116312USEOFABBREVIATIONSABBREVIATIONISTHESHORTFORMOFAWORD,PHRASE,ETCTOSAVETIMEANDSPACE,THEREAREALOTOFABBREVIATIONSEMPLOYEDINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSABBREVIATIONSAREMORECONCISETHANORIGINALWORDS,SOTHEYAREPOPULARINBUSINESSACTIVITIESANDEASYTOREMEMBERANDUSEFORTHEBUSYBUSINESSMEN,US
46、INGABBREVIATIONSINBUSINESSENGLISHLETTERSCOULDIMPROVEEFFICIENCYBUSINESSENGLISHCONTEXTCOULDHELPTOEXPLAINTHEMEANINGSOFABBREVIATIONSINTHELETTERSMOSTOFTHEABBREVIATIONSAREUSEDFORALONGTIME,ANDTHEIRMEANINGSAREWIDELYACKNOWLEDGEDAMONGBUSINESSMENFORINSTANCE,INTHESENTENCE“WEREGRETTHATWEAREUNABLETOCONSIDERYOURRE
47、QUESTFORPAYMENTOND/ATERMSASARULE,WEASKFORPAYMENTBYL/C”,THEREARETWOABBREVIATIONS“D/A”AND“L/C”“D/A”MEANS“DOCUMENTSAGAINSTACCEPTANCE”,AND“L/C”MEANS“LETTEROFCREDIT”THEMEANINGSOF“D/A”AND“L/C”ARECLEARAMONGBUSINESSMEN,SOTHEYWOULDNTTAKEMORETIMETOEXPLAINTHEMTAKE“TRADETERMS”ASANEXAMPLETHIRTEENKINDSOFTRADETERM
48、SALSOCALLEDPRICETERMSAREACCEPTEDBYMANYCOUNTRIESININTERNATIONALTRADEEVERYINTERNATIONALTRADETERMCONSISTSOFTHREELETTERSANDFORMULATESTHERIGHTSANDOBLIGATIONSOFBOTHPARTIESTHEYARESTANDARDIZEDBYINTERNATIONALCHAMBEROFCOMMERCEINLONGTERMTRADEFORINSTANCE,“CIF”MEANS“COST,INSURANCEANDFREIGHT”LISHIMIN,2005BESIDEST
49、HETRADETERMS,THEREAREMANYABBREVIATIONSACKNOWLEDGEDININTERNATIONALTRADETAKE“B2B”,“B2C”,“PLS”,“MOQ”ASEXAMPLESB2B”MEANS“BUSINESSTOBUSINESSTRANSACTIONS”“B2C”MEANS“BUSINESSTOCUSTOMERTRANSACTION”“PLS”MEANS“PLEASE”“MOQ”MEANS“MINIMUMORDERQUANTITY”INADDITIONTOABBREVIATIONSREFERRINGTOBUSINESSTRANSACTIONS,SOMEABBREVIATIONSREPRESENTNAMESOFINTERNATIONALORGANIZATIONS,FINANCIALINSTITUTIONS,FAMOUSENTERPRISE,SUCHASTHE“IMF”MEANING“INTERNATIONALMONETARYFUND”,“OPEC”REFERRINGTO“ORGANIZATIONOFPETROLEUMEXPORTINGCOUNTRIES”,“SINOPEC”STANDINGFOR“CHINAPETROLEUMTHISISRESTRICTEDBYTHECHARACTERISTICSOFCONTEXTINT